What was the most influential development in scuba diving?

[emoreira]

I would add SS spring fin straps. One of my best purchases was those magnificant spring straps. Forget about breaking rubber straps and buckles falling to the bottom.

 

[Pressurehead]

I keep coming back to this subject and I am still surprised "Thermal protection [wetsiuts, drysuits] " is not higher on the list.
Could be some here started diving when this was mostly 'sorted out'.
The thermal protection today is fantastic, and because of it has kept plenty of people diving [now an old 'crock' myself, I love it], not young,dumb and numb to the cold [it's not cold , it's invigorating I was told and told students myself, Duh].
Seals that seal, wetsuits that flex and fit well and drysuits that are amazing, expensive, but what cost not being cold, not forgetting the underwear now.
Just saying....

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[Akimbo]

I keep coming back to this subject and I am still surprised "Thermal protection [wetsiuts, drysuits] " is not higher on the list.

Thermal protection is my choice for the most influential development in scuba diving. It rates right after the half-mask, fins, and open-circuit demand regulator. Everything else is nice to have but far from an enabling technology.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Thermal protection is my choice for the most influential development in scuba diving. It rates right after the half-mask, fins, and open-circuit demand regulator. Everything else is nice to have but far from an enabling technology.

We can thank NASA and the space program for the dry zipper. That alone was a huge deal for revolutionizing dry suits.

 

[Akimbo]

We can thank NASA and the space program for the dry zipper. That alone was a huge deal for revolutionizing dry suits.

I mentioned that in Post 58 but it is well worth repeating:

The innovation isn't really the drysuit, it is the waterproof zipper developed by NASA. Drysuits go back to the 1830s.

Before the waterproof zipper, drysuit entries were all pretty horrible. The worst piece of gear I ever struggled into was the Cousteau Constant Volume suit.

Note that tiny rubber ring around the base of the diver's neck and the hood with built-in mask and mouthpiece for a double hose regulator.

Before that, the suit was just bunched up at the chest opening and clamped shut with a metal screw clamp.

None of them had what we consider a power inflator or OVP (Over Pressure Valve). The Cousteau suit had duck-bill valves at the ankles and the diver blew air past the mouthpiece.