What has changed in the Scuba industry in the last 10-15 years?

[PuyallupCoug]

I'm just starting to get back into diving after a 15 year break and I'm curious how things have changed in the scuba industry in the last decade in a half? I started diving in 2006, stopped in 2008 and am just now getting back into it. So...what did I miss?

I'm curious on any advancements/changes in gear, technique, computers (I'm loving all the wristwatch styles that seem to be available now), and understanding where the industry has headed the last few years. Are split fins still a thing? Is the DIR method still around? Any and all insights are welcome - thank you in advance!

 

[Cheizz]

Air Integration (transmitters) are much more reliable and abundant now, color screens are more of a standard in higher-end dive computers. CCR (rebreather) diving seems to be much more widely spread.

 

[xan]

DIR is still a thing, with GUE, ISE, and UTD as the main agencies teaching that approach. I think backplate / wing setups are much more common outside pure DIR practitioners, too. We've now got Carbon Fiber travel backplates coming in under 1lb, to make even the traveling diver happy! It's possible the hose routing and approach to lift cord management might've changed a bit, as did some of the drills.

Split fins are still around, though frequently derided. ScubaPro has tried some new approaches for fins in general in their Seawing line, including some you can take apart for travel. Many divers (inspired by or enamored with DIR) prefer jetfin style fins, like Apeks RK3 or Deep 6 Eddy.

Sidemount is probably more popular these days on account of enabling divers with back problems to dive, but that's not the sole purpose of it, of course.

Our understanding of decompression science is slowly improving, thanks in part to DAN. A recent summary of what we know and how we got here is Mark Powell's "Deco for Divers", which I recommend even if you're not planning on doing deep dives. After all, every dive is a (minimum) deco dive.

Helium is expensive and makes deeper diving much more costly, outside of CCR (although the cost of CCR + training might take a decade or so to amortize, depending on your diving frequency).

 

[Cheizz]

In some cases I wonder WHY some things are still around. Yoke regulator-tank interfaces, for example

 

[OTF]

Dive lights are a LOT brigther and more reliable. Maybe too bright.

Deep stops / bubble models have fallen more and more out of favor.

The majority of gear manufacturing, even "high end" stuff, has moved overseas to China, Thailand, etc. Only a few brands still make their stuff in 1st world countries.

There's a greater emphasis on teaching good trim and neutral buoyancy skills in open water courses.

Like any industry the landscape of equipment manufacturers is constantly changing as they come up, mature, get bought out, and slowly decrease in quality. In my humble opinion Aqualung made some of the best stuff 10-15 years ago, not so much anymore.

Smart phones in housings are now a serious contender for underwater video.

Shearwater is nearly universally lauded as the best computer company.

Solid state sensors and improved CO2 monitoring are about to revolutionize the next generation of rebreathers.

 

[sea_ledford]

DIR is still around, but it is not the "DIR" of 2006-2008. The days of people learning DIR from reading GI posts on forums, then pontificating that you are a stroke and are going to die because you use a dive computer and you don't use a long hose (usually as they had custom mouth pieces on both regs and had no idea how to run tables) is mostly a thing of the past . Fortunately. The perception that that is still around hangs on though.

 

[rongoodman]

Deep stops / bubble models have fallen more and more out of favor.

And Buhlmann GF is appearing on more recreational computers, in addition to being the standard in the tech sphere. Related to the above, GF Lows are trending higher.

 

[Marie13]

eLearning has taken over in a big way, even for tech class book work. Instructors say, at least for OW classes, students come having done the book work, compared to some not doing anything when it was all classroom.

 

[happy-diver]

Well if you are doing a course any course and do not already know what the instructor is talking about

You are unprepared

And girl oh girl did some not do anything when it was all classroom

 

[happy-diver]

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https://ww2.scubapro.com/en-GB/HKG/essentials/fins/products/seawing-supernova.aspx

Scubapro Seawing Supernova FULL FOOT POCKET

The Seawing Supernova’s innovative two-piece design, with blade and foot pocket molded separately, allows you to easily replace the open heel foot pocket with a premium Monprene® full foot pocket when you want to do some warm-water diving. Simply disassemble the fin’s Socket-Lock Connecting...

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including some you can take apart for travel