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

[Thalassamania]

The zipper has improved. Those old metal zippers always screwed up at a bad time. My pal John got stuck in a quarter-inch wetsuit for half an hour in the Maryland heat when the zipper locked up. Force it, and you ruined it. Aluminum on aluminum will gall for sure, and that's what many of them were.

Nylon zippers were an advance over the metal zippers, but we never used any zippers at all, all they did was make you cold and fail, metal or nylon and they were totally unnecessary.

Boots didn't have zippers and no rights or lefts. Rubber on-the outside suits were flexible and easily damaged. The "nylon 2" suit was the opposite.

Skin two side suits were (are) much more flexible and much warmer. If you had (have) to dive around abrasive stuff ... throw a set of coverall on over.

We weren't as equipment-oriented as today's divers. Just a bunch of jocks, really. The gear available was actually pretty good, except those zippers.

Ah ... what is it the DIRigibles say? "Ah, zippers ... an equipment solution in search of a problem." No?

 

[ZzzKing]

One other thing, Dr Bill, without his knowing has become my hero. When I get old I want to be like him, dive to 500 feet solo in a Speedo, on air, film giant sperm whales while fending off sharks with his little finger and always has the good looking women waiting for him at the boat. I don't see him using one dem new fangledish HUD masks, so I ain't gonna either.

And just for THAT response, I wanna be like you if I get old.

 

[Stu S.]

Nylon zippers were an advance over the metal zippers, but we never used any zippers at all, all they did was make you cold and fail, metal or nylon and they were totally unnecessary.
Skin two side suits were (are) much more flexible and much warmer. If you had (have) to dive around abrasive stuff ... throw a set of coverall on over.

Ah ... what is it the DIRigibles say? "Zippers," an equipment solution in search of a problem." No?

You may recall the deluxe diver bought the premium suit with five zippers; two wrists, two ankles, and up front. Must have hated himself. One was more than enough for me.

Stu.

 

[Thalassamania]

We dive (and dove) skin two sides, Rubatex GN-231N, attached hood, farmer johns, no zippers. There was a short flirtation with four way stretch lycra on the outside, that worked pretty well, but did not dry as fast and thus was much colder on the deck, but nothing like those nylon skinned iceboxes.

 

[Nemrod]

Rubatex G231 is still the best wetsuit material ever made--period.

You know, more and more I return to my roots. A few years ago when I began kayak diving it ocurred to me that most of the junk I carried I either did not need or did not use or in fact compromised my diving to disadvantage. I know it is heresay but I have just about quit using a BC. I learned to dive before they existed, I dove for years without one, I don't need one for warm or even moderate conditons (even with a wetsuits) and they really are a DRAG, often require additional weight, ruin natural trim and all in all are a no gain contrivence. Same with my other equipment, if I am kayak diving in 30 to 60 feet of water, I don't need an spg, I don't need a computer, I don't any of that, it is all extra junk, don't need a light either. All you really need to dive is a tank with simple harness, regulator, mask, fins, watch, depth guage and maybe a little compass and if you insist, an spg, oh heck, a knife too for the fun. That is it, then, now and in the future, minimalist. Minimalism is my driving force now. I don't buy into the one rig for all purposes always the same rig concept. I adapt and modify to suit my needs and more and more that is leaving all that modern plasticky crap on the store shelf.

Modern gear is largely not an advance, it is a crutch, most modern gear are diving crutches, not advances, if you can dive, you don't need all that fluff and extra stuff. N

 

[Teamcasa]

I would say the new modern gear most divers use today is not a crutch but has made diving safer and more accessible to the general public. It has opened up diving to 10’s of thousands more people who now can enjoy nice safe dives, all over the world.

Sure, a few love the minimalist configuration but they mostly live near warm water dive sites. We all don’t live where Flipper saved Sandy and Bud from Cuban evil doers. I doubt your Florida panacean gear configuration would work diving the wrecks of the upper East Coast, North West, Great Lakes Scapa Flow or even here in California where the water routinely dips into the 50’s.

If Rubatex suits are the greatest suits ever, I wonder why they don’t dominate the cold water market? I used them in the 70’s, and frankly I’ll stick to my new suits.

 

[ZzzKing]

Rubatex G231 is still the best wetsuit material ever made--period.

You know, more and more I return to my roots. A few years ago when I began kayak diving it ocurred to me that most of the junk I carried I either did not need or did not use or in fact compromised my diving to disadvantage. I know it is heresay but I have just about quit using a BC. I learned to dive before they existed, I dove for years without one, I don't need one for warm or even moderate conditons (even with a wetsuits) and they really are a DRAG, often require additional weight, ruin natural trim and all in all are a no gain contrivence. Same with my other equipment, if I am kayak diving in 30 to 60 feet of water, I don't need an spg, I don't need a computer, I don't any of that, it is all extra junk, don't need a light either. All you really need to dive is a tank with simple harness, regulator, mask, fins, watch, depth guage and maybe a little compass and if you insist, an spg, oh heck, a knife too for the fun. That is it, then, now and in the future, minimalist. Minimalism is my driving force now. I don't buy into the one rig for all purposes always the same rig concept. I adapt and modify to suit my needs and more and more that is leaving all that modern plasticky crap on the store shelf.

Modern gear is largely not an advance, it is a crutch, most modern gear are diving crutches, not advances, if you can dive, you don't need all that fluff and extra stuff. N

You rebel!

 

[Nemrod]

Wetwear - Rubatex G-231-N100% Neoprene

A "speech" on Rubatex G-231 USA made neoprene. The finest there is.

My diving configuration works in California, Great Lakes, don't know about Northeast. Can always add double 72s and/or a good Rubatex suit. The Rubatex does not compress as much overall and is therefore helpful to no BC diving. Bouyancy shift is not as extreme as some of the ultra soft neoprenes that go flat at 20 feet and then you sink like a rock. Like I said, mix, match, adapt to the situation but ALWAYS with the minimum and most simple gear configuration. My "Flariduh" outfit might not work as is in Kaliforniah but, so, I got to add a wetsuit, OK, no big deal. We have the technology. Still don't need all that other stuff.

Minimalism is not just about not using a BC, if a BC is needed for the dive profile, then add it, the concept is "if needed" and I contend much of the time most of the things divers haul around are not really needed, not exclusive to BCs. I just bought a new Oxy 18 and the travel mini plate. It will still be set up and rigged in the most minimal and streamlined arrangment possible. When technology adds to the dive, if you must, then OK.

Like Caddy Shack, Chevy Chase, repeat, minimalsim, nah, nah, ne, ne, nah. Remember. N

 

[drbill]

When you guys started talking about "minimalist" gear, I thought you were referring to my current wetsuit. Heck, there's not much left of it!

 

[drbill]

One other thing, Dr Bill, without his knowing has become my hero. When I get old I want to be like him, dive to 500 feet solo in a Speedo, on air, film giant sperm whales while fending off sharks with his little finger and always has the good looking women waiting for him at the boat. I don't see him using one dem new fangledish HUD masks, so I ain't gonna either.

N

Old? Hogwash... I've got another 25-40 years of diving left in me! But thanks.

I guess I'd better get prescription lenses after all... those were good looking women waiting for me?