To Nitrox or not to Nitrox..?

[JackSpearo]

I'm thinking about getting my nitrox certification, but wanted to get yalls opinion on using nitrox. Is it really more helpful than just using regular air? When exactly would you want to use nitrox? Is it worth it?

thanks

Jack

 

[fire_diver]

I'm thinking about getting my nitrox certification, but wanted to get yalls opinion on using nitrox. Is it really more helpful than just using regular air? When exactly would you want to use nitrox? Is it worth it?

thanks

Jack

Lets see......

Yes
every dive between 60 and 120 feet
Yes

Any more questions?

Comrade Stroke

 

[String]

Depends entirely on the type of diving you aim to do.

If going for repeat dives over multiple days its worth it, if you're not maybe it isnt.

If its available cheaply where you dive it could be worth it, maybe its not.

Impossible to say without more details.

 

[The Kraken]

Jack, you'll get a lot of different answers on this one.

If you're doing a lot of diving in the 60' to 100' range, Nitrox will increase, significantly, you NDL times. HOWEVER, all things being equal, you probably won't be able to take advantage of the increased no decompression limit times unless you have access to higher volume tanks.

If you are doing these dives and still using an Al 80, the main advantage will be found in reduced surface interval times.

Remember, Nitrox doesn't reduce the amount of gas you consume, it merely lengthens the amount of time you can stay at a specific depth given that you have sufficient breathing gas.

(There is no empirical evidence on this claim, but if I do 3 dives at the 100' level, I feel a whole lot better afterwards if I did the dives on Nitrox)

the K

 

[johnny_bravo]

Lots of threads debating Nitrox's merits do a search. It has definite benefits no matter what the gurus say. Especially in 60-80 foot range for repetitive diving with short surface intervals.

Go for it.

Cheers.

-J.-

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

Yep. There are people who claim that feeling better when diving Nitrox is strictly a placebo effect, but I tend to disagree. Nitrox is a shallow-depth gas, for the most part, but if you're doing lots of repeat dives, as in the case of a Dive Master/Instructor doing cert dives with students, or diving a live-aboard, or doing something like underwater boat cleaning, then yes, it's worth it.

 

[JackSpearo]

well I'll be in Bonaire for probably a week in August, and was curious if I'm just doing shore dives would regular air be better or should I try nitrox...

 

[Footslogger]

I feel better when I use Nitrox ...but it's all in my head. Well ...not really, but Nitrox is one of those things you either believe in or you don't. In my opinion the trade-offs favor Nitrox for most recreational diving, especially when you're doing multi-day rep dives on a liveaboard.

Personally, the only change I've made in my diving habits since getting Nitrox certified several years ago is to purchase a dive computer that is Nitrox capable. I believe in and respect the long term effects of lower nitrogen loading, especially at my age.

Do your homework and then make an educated decision.

 

[String]

well I'll be in Bonaire for probably a week in August, and was curious if I'm just doing shore dives would regular air be better or should I try nitrox...

Air wont be better but depending on the number of dives, depths and so on it maybe no different to nitrox. Need to consider that and the extra cost of nitrox before deciding.

 

[JackSpearo]

when I read about nitrox it always says you can stay down longer...can someone give me an example of how much longer you could stay down using nitrox vs air?