Posted by Chirs on June 30, 2003 at 00:04:33:
In Reply to: Re-thinking Nitrox posted by Karl S. on June 29, 2003 at 15:19:43:
I find that the use of EAN32 is especially useful for the first dive, or for all dives on a trip.
During bug season, I find that the use of EAN32 gives me much more bottom time, especially when the bugs are deep (but less than 130 ft.)
By the second, and always third dive I the divers using EAN32 will have a significant advantage over those who don't use. This advantage includes greater bottom times, and the option to do a deeper profile on a third or subsequent dive.
I find that using it for the first dive, and deepest dive of the day, then using air still gives me a bottom time advantage over air only divers.
Besides EAN32 is what is easily available.
Any use of tri mix for recreation diving is ridiculous. It is far too costly and cumbersome to ever be of any use except for extended range diving where it is needed. Those who push the notion of tri-mix for recreational diving are just blowing smoke. The cost alone will prevent its adoption. Nitrox, while available in places is not widely available. Only a few boats in California have it, and many other places I have been it is not available at all. If it were profitable for dive operators to provide Nitrox, it would be more widely available. Tri-mix technology is even more complicated and costly. Thus there is no chance it will gain wide acceptance, except for extended range diving where it is mandatory.