Spin Off.. Is modern scuba gear more efficient today than 20 years ago?

[Teamcasa]

Maybe but the OP asked about dive equipemnt not GPS and cell phones. When it became impossible for you guys to prove that new is more efficient than old then we went to "effective" and when more effective could not be proven y'all branched out to GPS and Lycra vs rayon vs cotton, what's next, steel belted vs bias? Outboard motors or more efficient now, I agree there but alas like GPS, they are not dive equipment.

This is like some Dr. Seus book, y'all can never win becaue the OP's hypothesis is without hard, documented evidence, just antedotal hesesay. We "old grouches" will never be convinced you are right because we know better.

N

Well at least we are back on point.
Remembering the question I posed, “Is modern scuba gear more efficient today than 20 years ago?” and in the 3rd post agreed that the term effective was also appropriate. The fact that a few older divers disagree does not change the reality that gear has improved in twenty years, like it or not.

Some folks like driving around in old classic cars, dress in high waist plaid pants, watching reruns of I love Lucy, dial telephones and complain about the kids these days but for me, I like the new stuff and the kids these days.

 

[Alex777]

<< Some folks like driving around in old classic cars, dress in high waist plaid pants, watching reruns of I love Lucy, dial telephones and complain about the kids these days but for me, I like the new stuff and the kids these days. >>

Hey - unfair! I hate plaid.

 

[Walter]

Dave, the fact that you disagree does not change the reality that with very few exceptions, gear has not improved in twenty years and in some cases is not as good, like it or not.

 

[Nemrod]

Well at least we are back on point.
Remembering the question I posed, &#8220;Is modern scuba gear more efficient today than 20 years ago?&#8221; and in the 3rd post agreed that the term effective was also appropriate. The fact that a few older divers disagree does not change the reality that gear has improved in twenty years, like it or not.

Some folks like driving around in old classic cars, dress in high waist plaid pants, watching reruns of I love Lucy, dial telephones and complain about the kids these days but for me, I like the new stuff and the kids these days.

Saying something over and over does not make it so. The fact is that this thread has not demonstrated any improved efficiency or effectiveness. There are no data to substantiate any such claims which leaves us with antedotal and hearsay and personal preference.

We can swim just as fast, just as far, just as deep, with the same gas consumption, just as long and just as easily with gear from twenty years ago as now.

By what metric could we measure and quantify gooderness

Seriously, there are some areas of improvement, rebreather technology, some lighting technologies (HID/LED), perhaps some materials (maybe--maybe not) but your basic gear, no, not really. Much of the stuff they sell now was available twenty years ago, changing the graphics and external appearence may work for laundry detergent and cereal, NEW and IMPOROVED by 20%, sorry, not

N

 

[Thalassamania]

It is interesting to note that those of us with decades of experience and thousands of dives with both old and "modern" gear seem to be almost unanimous.

 

[Cacia]

If ya'll read more magazines, you'd know that GPS devices were grear.

Outside always has one on their best gear lists.

 

[24940]

Virtually all my gear is modern, but it's no more effective or efficient than the gear I used in the 70's.

I dive modern gear because it's accessible, easily serviceable, parts are easily accessed, parts are replaced free of charge under warantee and to an extent, because I'm an active instructor for a LDS.

 

[Walter]

If ya'll read more magazines, you'd know that GPS devices were grear.

Outside always has one on their best gear lists.

That is good news, Darlin'! Do we have to tow an antennae on a float or does the signal penetrate to depth? That is an improvement!

You should tell them about it in this thread.

 

[Teamcasa]

It is interesting to note that those of us with decades of experience and thousands of dives with both old and "modern" gear seem to be almost unanimous.

There seems to be a theme here. The older, seasoned, more experienced divers don’t think the gear is any better today than it was 20 years ago. I also loved my '58 Corvette and my '87 Crewcab, but I don’t drive them anymore. I too was first certified in 1968, I used the old stuff, it worked fine but so what? (Say, where did I put those plaid pants?)

Frankly I could care less what gear people use, have used, like or dislike. My current gear setup works very well for me and it is better, in my opinion, than the old stuff.

I have a great deal of respect for those of you who continued to dive for decades and who post and share their experiences with others. Kudos to you. However, opinion’s (yours or mine) do not always translate into inerrancy.

 

[Cacia]

The dive starts before you splash.

Generally, I don't think gear has advanced (except for GPS)