Dive Technology
There is a well-known phrase for anglers, walk into a tackle shop and it’s the angler who gets hooked – I think it’s safe to say it is probably the same for divers and new dive technology. With so many things to catch the magpie’s eye, we can draw a lot of parallels to diving.
I know my wife’s worst fears are when I get chatting with another technical diver about their equipment and the new ‘stuff’ that is out there. However, there are probably just as many conversations about the ‘why/who would buy….? Let’s take a look at some of the diving industries treasures.
Snorkelling Revolution
It seems many divers question the need for a snorkel. Whether it is just plain uncomfortable, gets tangled in long hair or worst of all, keeps getting water inside. In all honesty, snorkelling as a pure-hearted SCUBA user is more cumbersome and uncomfortable to me. Well, lady luck has just walked around the corner and provided the ultimate solution to my snorkelling concerns and fears – (SERIOUSLY, WHO BUYS THIS???) – introducing the latest and greatest in diving technology……the full face snorkel. With a snorkel tube reminiscent of a……. (wait, I don’t think I can say that) and a dead air space greater than Narnia this truly is an impressive design.
To quote “Tribord Company has come up with a rather simple yet brilliant design whereby you are not required to breathe through your mouth while wearing this mask, which, in turn, eliminates any chance of misting.” Finally – a solution to a problem that never really existed! Phew
This is a genuine review of the product. I love to imagine this person product testing this in the bath!!
“Only arrived a few days ago and tried it out by sticking my head in the bath, so can’t say I’ve tested it fully. It is infinitely more comfortable than a conventional snorkel. Once you get over looking like a storm trooper and breathing like Darth Vader, I’d imagine properly snorkeling in it is brilliant.”
In the event of emergency
OK, so maybe slightly controversial on this one but I have got an engineer’s mindset so please forgive me.
SpareAir – there I said it. Didn’t quite catch it – SpareAir. Wow, these things are impressive.
If you actually work out relative breathing rates and the available gas volumes (then you aren’t using one of these) you would be more than disconcerted to hear that your whopping 200bar gives you about 30 seconds of breathing time in a REAL emergency situation at depth.
How did you get that low to begin with? Where was your buddy to begin with? You chose the smallest possible bailout strategy. Call me crazy.
Fortunately, one plucky Amazon reviewer tells us exactly how: “Bought this years ago for its purpose: emergency air. Saved my bacon when I got lost (my fault) following a newbie in a cave system off Malta.”
Wait, wait, wait….just hold on a second. Fantastic, this product managed to save your life – but how/why did you end up in this situation to begin with. It seems like an attractive prospect to those that clearly don’t know any better.
And a closing thought, it comes in about $100 more than a new 11l / 80cuFt cylinder.
For anyone who is interested: (Average/normal breathing rate at rest rate at the surface) 20l/min SCR x 4ATA (30m)= 80l/min breathing rate at depth – that is one breath (ONE!) from your spare air. This did NOT account for an increased breathing rate due to stress.
Can (not) be seen from outer space
Finally, a technical divers treat…the BLACK dSMB!! Wow – what an innovation. In my mind, the fluorescent yellow and orange surface markers were just too hard to see. Supposedly designed for a bright and sunny day when glare would make it too difficult to see a fluorescent SMB.
As one diver online said “Perfect for the Red Sea. Never been there but I assume the black would stand out against the red better than an orange one?” or my personal favourite “it’s perfect for night diving (or so I’ve been told!)”.
I think it is safe to say that if you walked out of a dive store with one of these recently, they saw you coming! You were had. Never mind, there is a lot of ‘stuff’ out there to dupe and target the unsuspecting diver – just make sure you are not ‘one of those divers’
Jim
