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

[Cacia]

Why do you consider them an improvement over the EDGE (other than battery life)?

low profile, less bulky, small, don't need to put on and off,......

Silicone masks have been around for over 20 years.

oh? time flies

Thery aren't SCUBA gear. EPIRBs have been around a lot longer then 20 years and GPS came out around 20 years ago.

look ya'll. It is debatable. I listed the things that changed HOW I dive. GPS might have been around, but was it affordable and did everyone use it? No. Cameras have had a huge impact on diving and the desire to travel. Traveling divers change the industry.

If you want to just talk regulators, mask, fins, then say so. Hyperstretch is fantastic.

 

[vladimir]

EPIRBs have been around a lot longer then 20 years and GPS came out around 20 years ago.

EPIRBs compact enough for a diver to easily carry them on a dive? This one is 3"x6"x2":

Pains Wessex Fastfind Plus 406 PLB EPIRB

 

[Cacia]

...people like things to stay the same. When I got mine, there were comments like "So, Catherine now you are going to hail the entire Navy with your strokery?"

Divers have them as routine gear in the Galapagos and Co-Cos off commercial boats I think. yea, its legit.

 

[fisherdvm]

On hyperstretch:

It's an improvement as far as ease of donning, but it doesn't keep you as warm.

As 1/2 of human beings are of abnormal size and shapes, and another 1/2 are between sizes, and another 1/2 will soon to sag - hyperstretch accomodates at least 50% more individuals than previous wetsuits.

Although they compress more at depth, as they conform better, I do feel that in some individuals, they minimize water flow, and thus might regain that loss of thermal protection. In shallow diving, up to 60 ft, I am completely comfortable with my 7/5mm full suit, with a 7 mm corewarmer over it - and I am skinny and always cold (even in the pool today, while the girls are in bikinis, and I am in a shortie). I do have to admit, below 60 ft, and 40 degree water, I do have to keep moving to be warm.

Hyperstretch saves my fingernails. My son loves it, and hates his old suit. My old suit has rips from finger nails digging at the calf.

Hyperstretch loves velcro... So your suit will look scruffed up after a few dives.... But I believe that longevity is preserved, as you do not have to pull on the legs and arms soo hard to get them on.

I think this is a significant invention, for those with boobs, guts, and funny shapes!!

 

[Thalassamania]

The only thing hyperstretch (and similar materials) does is possibly obviate a custom suit charge. But fit for fit it does not begin to compare, either in terms of warmth or in terms of resistance to buoyancy change. I will not use it.

 

[underwasser bolt]

The only thing hyperstretch (and similar materials) does is possibly obviate a custom suit charge. But fit for fit it does not begin to compare, either in terms of warmth or in terms of resistance to buoyancy change. I will not use it.

i use it; its ok. i really like the 5/3 hoods. never get sqeezed too much around my big head and neck. other things better or as good if custom fit? maybe, heck probably. but i can order it on line and have it here in two days. the price is right and it functions fine. no custom fitting needed. If i pushed the envelope would it work?? maybe not. but it works for what i dive, and that is enough reason to use it.

 

[fisherdvm]

I am not totally sure if the hyperstretch bouyancy weakness is true or not. Does anyone have data on the compressibility of typical neoprene vs. the hyperstretch variants??

As I understand, typical neoprene loses about 1/2 of their insulation value at 60 ft. How much does hyperstretch neoprene loses at that depth?

Henderson's website claim that their "titanium" hyperstretch has the same insulating value as other suits.... Anyone to objectively claim otherwise. If this is true.... that they are as good as other neoprene, I can not recommend these suits more highly. I have dove enough variety of neoprene suits to say that I love the stuff.

 

[drbill]

I found the hyperstretch suits to be much colder in use here in SoCal. Of course it could have been that they had to stretch to incredible thinness to fit over my massive chest and biceps (or was it my massive gut?).

Now I had a great custom suit (Walter's seen it since I dove in it when he was out a few years ago) that is still among the warmest I've ever had despite the fact it is almost 20 years old and lost its legs (and a few other spots).

 

[Nemrod]

I am not totally sure if the hyperstretch bouyancy weakness is true or not. Does anyone have data on the compressibility of typical neoprene vs. the hyperstretch variants??

As I understand, typical neoprene loses about 1/2 of their insulation value at 60 ft. How much does hyperstretch neoprene loses at that depth?

Henderson's website claim that their "titanium" hyperstretch has the same insulating value as other suits.... Anyone to objectively claim otherwise. If this is true.... that they are as good as other neoprene, I can not recommend these suits more highly. I have dove enough variety of neoprene suits to say that I love the stuff.

I have a new custom suit made of Rubatex G231 N, now like always, Rubatex is not "typical" and retains significantly more thickness and warmth at depth as was discussed in the link I gave several post back. N

 

[Cacia]

I have just one more thing to say about staying warm in Hyperstretch. Yes, the cells compress a little more at depth and don't seem quite as warm, BUT if you find that the key to being warm enough on that second dive is getting dry, getting your core temp back up, then the ease of getting out of it to handle a boat, help a child, have a warm drink, or prep a camera--etc,in time becomes critical. I actually have a second dry hyperstretch suit. (I think of the wetsuit in miles, so it costs the same)

Let's face it, there is usually a timeline involved with surface intervals and other divers---so that interval has a "get warm function" for me. I just don't have time to struggle and hop around, and I almost never stay wet.

I'm sure the physics would back me up, as long as you concede that time is often a factor. If you are diving deep/ shallow, and using an appropriate range of mil, then you are not going to be cold on the first dive anyway. It is the middle of the second dive that will do you in, because you don't have your *reserve,* core where it needes to be before getting back in.

I will have to check that out, if it easy to doff and don (Ruba-tex)