What is scuba diving's orange shovel?

[MSilvia]

Trimix on a 100ft dive always makes me laugh

It always makes me talk like a chipmunk.

 

[PerroneFord]

Yeah, but I can make 3cuft last all day. When I see those expensive bubble going up from what might as well be a snorkel dive a get a chuckle

Yea yea yea. But it'll take a LONG time before my $8 EANx fills adds up to $10k.

 

[EnronX]

Teamcasa, that is a great analogy...Both player love golf and enjoy the equipment they have available. At 22 I didn't have anywhere near the money to buy my own BCD and computer...but after a few years I've upgraded equipment and love the sport just as much.

Nate

 

[TSandM]

When I see those expensive bubble going up from what might as well be a snorkel dive a get a chuckle

You obviously don't hallucinate at 100 feet on Nitrox. I have

 

[shark.byte.usa]

Bright yellow AL80's (those are littered all over on craigslist), many with some clashing neon tank mesh and matching dustcaps

 

[jeckyll]

Bright yellow AL80's (those are littered all over on craigslist), many with some clashing neon tank mesh and matching dustcaps

My buddy just doubled up a couple of those because he had them sitting around ... from 1992

 

[teamgs]

my wallet is already feeling a good squeeze

OMG!!! What a NOOB! You obviously have a "Jacket Style" wallet. Haven't you learned that Backpack/Wing (or at the very least, back inflate) is the wallet of choice? Absolutely no squeeze. Nothing screams "New Diver" more than whipping out a "Poodle" Wallet at the LDS.


BTW, I think that I am falling on the side that thinks that, humorous as it is, this type of post might do more harm than good. As a relatively new diver myself, I can see how one could so self conscious to their appearance/behavior, to the point that diving may not be as fun as it should be.

No one likes to be told they look funny, or that their gear is crap. I think that as long as a person doesn't have malfunctioning/dangerous gear, then let's all get wet and have fun!

BTW, how can I tactfully make my group of dive friends, all with at least 150 dives, aware that they need to get rid of any jacket style BCD's, consoles, clear skirted masks, and for God's sake, stow the snorkels! (non-"dry" models of course)

Regards,

Gary

 

[highdesert]

This whole issue reminds me of when I started in the building trades, and was told by an old-timer that you never show up on a job site with a new set of tool bags, or a new tool. So whaddaya do ... buy the stuff and tie it behind your truck and drag it around for a week? Do you buy your new dive goodies and tie them out on the clothesline for a month til they get all faded?

Yeah, there's no end of widgets out there that have no real use. But I'll stick with my retractor on my console, and having been lost in chop steep and deep enough to hide a dive sausage, I'll stick with my cute orange whistle too.

I think there's more than enough reverse snobbage going on in any sport. I'm betting that a good number of divers who look down their noses at a novice decked out like a Christmas tree started there themselves and shed their own select group of useless ornaments over time.

 

[brdr882]

I think there's more than enough reverse snobbage going on in any sport. I'm betting that a good number of divers who look down their noses at a novice decked out like a Christmas tree started there themselves and shed their own select group of useless ornaments over time.

I'd completely agree. That's where most of us started (and still are). Its fun to talk about all of the things that we find useless and to joke about, mostly sense it used to be us. For the most of us its not an attack at new divers, scuba's a fun sport and from what I've found extremely friendly especially towards new divers.

 

[ams511]

On a different note, I don't care so much for the newbie gear as I do for the "oldie" gear. You can excuse new people and their excitement, but it's hard to excuse people who have been around for a while and either still buy this stuff, or whom haven't updated their [unsafe] gear in 20 years.

If it hasn't killed us in 20 years is it really unsafe?