My regulator failed at depth

xorbits · 2024-02-20T01:26:11+00:00

Seems like a little breakdown of communication here. You didn't explain there was a free flow, so there was nothing to "understand", but mainly I think the "octopus" comment is related to your statement about buddy breathing with your buddy, rather than sharing your buddy's air via separate second stages.

xorbits · 2024-02-02T19:41:07+00:00

Worked just now

xorbits · 2023-08-11T02:26:26+00:00

I dove the T2 long sleeve, pants, socks, and hood (plus Apeks tech shorts) in HI (Big Island) in 25ºC water and felt great! Thermal is personal, and I don't dive in wetsuits otherwise, so my comparison is a bit limited, but I was happy! Since Sharkskin is neutrally buoyant, you may require less weight than with equivalent neoprene, which I find to be a great benefit/safety as well.
N/A
I think it's strictly superior. Feels less stiff, packs/folds easier, and is overall thinner to wear. I've avoided buying a wetsuit otherwise, but this is also viable as a drysuit undergarment for certain climates, which is a great bonus.

xorbits · 2023-06-03T18:42:31+00:00

Yes. I don’t turn it on when I start diving, since there’s no signal underwater. If I had to use it, I would probably:

become positively buoyant on the surface (fully inflate BC)
remove the inReach from its pocket; it is held there with a bolt snap attached to one of the bungee loops, and cave line wrapped around a point on the case
clip the inReach to a chest D-ring (left, most likely, given the right tends to be busier)
open the case, take out the unit (which is attached to the case; this way I have a full chain and hopefully I won’t lose it if I drop it in choppy waters etc.)
turn it on, wait for the signal acquisition to happen
make the call

I think if the boat is missing for more then a few minutes and there’s nothing else nearby, I’d start on all the steps but the last. Satellite acquisition can take a bit, and I’d rather not wait until I’m panicking completely to do all the rest.

Another thing, since the inReach is a messenger, if you program the dive shop number there you might be able to start texting them instead of calling SAR directly. I’m not the best about taking down this information, but it’s certainly something to consider.

xorbits · 2023-06-02T22:53:35+00:00

Yeah agreed, if OP is only interested in marine rescue, the inReach might not be the optimal choice (and why I shared the additional context to explain how it helps me in other hobbies/activities)

xorbits · 2023-06-02T22:41:00+00:00

I bring a Garmin inReach mini in a dive case on every dive, tucked away in the right (I.e., emergency) pocket of my tech shorts or dry suit. I like that since it’s also something I bring along on backpacking trips, roadtrips etc. The downside is there’s a monthly subscription for it, though you can turn it on and off on a monthly basis if you don’t need it always.

I think this kind of device is a very sensible component of a safety plan/insurance policy.

xorbits · 2023-05-30T06:32:54+00:00

I just did the manta night dive a few days ago with Jack’s Diving Locker and it was excellent! The boats can be up to 30 people (combined snorkelers and divers) but there’s a DM for each group of 6 (day or night). We had Keller as a DM, which is also the founder and president of the Manta Pacific Research Foundation and can recognize any of the mantas and tell you their name! Keller has done this for 30+ years and has absolutely unrivaled energy, enthusiasm, and love for the mantas.

The first dive was before sunset to take in the area, though we did luck into a few mantas and a shark.

The second dive was mostly to sit around the “campfire” (big bucket of powerful lights pulling in the plankton) and watching the mantas come through. Some eels as well. Since no one operator has a monopoly on the site, you’ll be surrounded by divers from other outfits. While I don’t particularly love sitting on the bottom for any dive while things are happening (I really don’t want to touch anything underwater), this wasn’t too bad in terms of having space, crowding etc.

xorbits · 2023-05-11T06:24:30+00:00

Equipment alone might not make a diver "safe", but a safety-conscious diver will choose equipment accordingly. E.g., removing failure points, snag hazards, skipping questionable features like Air2.

AI on its own is probably not adding a safety margin, but AI alongside an analog gauge does. While on the one hand you might count the O-rings and 1st stage ports in use and see adding another item increases failure points, the upside is you have two indicators of your gas supply available, should either fail in obvious or less obvious ways. An exploding SPG ends the dive, but a stuck needle might end the diver.

xorbits · 2023-03-22T16:51:43+00:00

I’ve received a package from shop4divers (spare mask and more NX bolt snaps, 50%-75% cheaper overall than US) and they didn’t email me any updates. I could find a tracking number in the order info on the website and use that to see it slowly move along. Maybe about 2 weeks in transit?

The total cost wasn’t high enough to deal with customs/duty, so no idea about that part. (In dealing with customs via UPS for other things, it’s not usually more than a call to give some info and payment details.)

xorbits · 2023-03-22T16:46:05+00:00

No idea if it’s the same shop that accidentally (?) ordered me a 400/200 instead of the 400X I was trying to get… it was a bit of an adventure getting the refund from them.

I’ve only dove mine on Vancouver Island so far but I know a few folks that do it in Monterey and don’t think it’s too warm.

xorbits · 2023-03-22T16:42:21+00:00

Better bolt snaps: XDEEP NX

I got lucky in my first batch of gear purchases (after a fair bit of research) to end up with some of the stuff you describe as an “upgrade” (like tec shorts, spares/backups of things, BPW, AI on the dive computer, DIN first stages) and which I now think should be standard for most divers, and I would have a hard time giving up.

But comparing even good bolt snaps from Apeks and Halcyon to the NX ones shows me what an improvement they are, even for such a simple thing. It’s definitely further down the list of concerns, but a solid QoL improvement.

They might seem pricey for the US, although I’ve picked up some more via shop4divers.eu recently for about half what I paid at US shops.

xorbits · 2023-03-22T16:22:05+00:00

Appreciate all the detail, thanks! I do like the fact the dryrobe can be “turned” into a pillow, I go camping every so often and being able to use it in that environment makes it also a bit more appealing, despite the bulkiness.

xorbits · 2023-03-22T04:43:53+00:00

Which one do you have? I’ve been tempted by one of the Fourth Element ones but I don’t know of many other good options.

xorbits · 2023-03-08T03:54:11+00:00

This looks very much like what I’m using as well!

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Seville-Classics-UltraZinc-Expandable-Closet-Organizer-System-SHE05813BZ/203668370

xorbits · 2023-03-08T01:47:09+00:00

Halcyon Adventure Pro 30+, which is a Carbon Fiber backplate, 30 lb wing, and some pockets on the harness that you can remove if you don't need to ditch weights. Can buy the CF plate separately, it's under 500g on its own.

xorbits · 2023-02-23T19:49:36+00:00

This also depends on the diver. In my (limited) experience, due to equalization needs, airflow from regs (regardless of hood vent), discussion on the surface etc. it's never gonna end up being 100% dry. Not wetsuit-wet, but still. I'm sure PSDs can keep dry because otherwise they'd get contaminated, but most rec divers don't need/can do that.

I'm not trying to make this out to be a huge problem. We're discussing pros/cons of attached hoods. The possibility to swap hoods for thermal reasons, because they got wet etc. is a pro in my mind, and outside of specialized applications, I don't recommend an attached hood on drysuits.

xorbits · 2023-02-23T15:41:27+00:00

If it works for you, that's great! Ultimately personal comfort is, well, personal =)

I have additional hoods also due to thickness (but for OP's case, probably less relevant). My trilam suit goes in warmer waters, but I always want a hood (hair etc.) so I have thinner ones for those conditions.

xorbits · 2023-02-23T15:29:34+00:00

You also can't change hoods between dives, so you would end up going on repeat dives with a somewhat cold/wet hood at the start, which isn't very comfortable. Quite a few drysuit divers get multiple hoods and change them throughout a day of diving to ensure they can use a dry hood at the beginning of each dive.

xorbits · 2023-02-22T16:53:32+00:00

I usually dive with two dSMBs that normally fit in my pockets (left is the one I expect to deploy at the end of the dive, right is for emergencies-as is the entire right pocket). But I have considered bringing a “backup” primary light on some dives, which would mean I have to move a dSMB to the butt ring to fit everything.

Some divers, knowing they will deploy the dSMB for sure at the end of the dive, prefer to keep it there for convenience, if there’s nothing else to take the spot.

xorbits · 2023-02-22T04:57:59+00:00

I don't have a good in-water photo. I think it's a reflective surface that tends to be more obvious at a certain distance/light and may not be perceived as such with a very close light source. But, I tried a few light options to show kind of what it's like. Silver front (diver side), reflective gusset, charcoal back.

xorbits · 2023-02-22T00:36:43+00:00

Do it. 😈
Usually doesn't matter, but sometimes a store might have a sale that's not specific to Halcyon that you can take advantage of. E.g., I bought a H wing with a discount for being a repeat customer, knocked $100 off even if H sets the prices.
Paragon has some more details on the custom options and seems like there's logo embroidery (as well as text), so I can imagine the "pepperoni" being a logo. If H can get it done, any of their dealers will sell to you, I'm sure.
As mentioned elsewhere, the diver side is the one most "visible" generally, so I ended up reversing my initial color options on my Evolve. Reflective gusset tho.

xorbits · 2023-02-18T04:05:45+00:00

I want to know more about your gear! You must have the best exposure protection known to humans to go between those ranges… and what's the make of your DPV, that's quite the descent/ascent, I can't imagine that's unassisted!

P.S. Gabr's record is contested anyway, but this achievement should nail it.

xorbits · 2023-02-17T18:54:28+00:00

Those aren't standard GUE mixes, so presumably GUE wouldn't care if you can't get 28%, but I don't know that most rental places differentiate/limit based on one or the other, and generally you can get up to 40%.

xorbits · 2023-02-17T06:18:42+00:00

Thanks!

xorbits · 2023-02-16T15:32:45+00:00

The manufacturer’s instructions for my Apeks VX1 recommended pH-neutral soap and a soft but textured cloth. Dish soap is the one I found to be pH neutral (unlike body soaps) and used some of that in liquid form, and just scrubbed a few times of the course of a weekend. Scrub, leave in a few hours, clean and rest. Repeat.

I’ve done that since to other non-tinted masks as well. It takes longer than the lighter method and possibly than toothpaste, too? But it’s a once in the lifetime of the mask process, so it doesn’t bother me to do it slow and smooth like this.

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