What is your personal "Helium" Depth?

[rjack321]

We use 25/25 and can make a deco dive into a no-deco dive in the 25 to 40m range. But usually we just bring O2 and have 5 or 10mins of deco. Works great for dives in that range where 35% helium is a bit overkill. ~$25 less for a fill does add up over the course of a year and if you end up being able to afford to dive more that's a reasonable trade off to me - without feeling like your doing something patently absurd END-wise.

 

[Makhno]

I don't do a lot of diving below about 40m (about 130") so I rarely use trimix, and because I often dive in places where helium is relatively expensive I usually don't use it in the 40-50m range (to around 165" I guess). However, as others have said, current and cold and visibility and whether or being in a solid overhead environment: those all tend to magnify my narcosis. Last month I did ap week of wreck dives at 50-54m depths and was glad to be breathing trimix the whole time. I've done dives like that on air, but it sure was nice to have all my wits about me, especially during tight, silty penetrations with spooky war grave stuff lying around.

That said, a week on trimix was a splurge for me, and I do get my back up a little bit about the socioeconomic class presumptions of some divers who willingly embark upon quite challenging and quite risky dives in terms of deco and oxygen exposure and restrictions, but who get all uppity about working class folks like me diving air. You choose your risks, and I'll choose mine, and

 

[Makhno]

Oops: edit; I was suggesting that in a sport that's inherently risky, how about we let each his or her own type of risk, and keep the religion in church. Plenty of divers go deeper than 30m or 40m every day with no problems, and plenty of divers who wouldn't do those dives on air end up with other problems. Live & let live

 

[nadwidny]

Live & let live

Or "Live and let die".

 

[Makhno]

well hopefully not, but yup: by definition that's part of the deal.

 

[kathydee]

It really depends on the dive. Dark cave and strong current, I switch to 30/30 around 80-85 feet. In open water with little current, I'll switch to helium when deeper than 100 ft. Sometimes I'll dive 30/30 in OW if the current is ripping.