Poll on the use of Nitrox

[Freedive WI]

I use nitrox on all dives less than 90'. It makes a huge difference down in the islands when doing 5+ dives a day. I acutally have energy at the end of the day to go dancing with my wife- and not pass out in my dinner like I used to when diving air all of the time. 8)

Up here I use it on all the shallow training dives that I do with students. Even if your only in 30' of water, you can get really tired, sub-clinical DCS, from all of those out-of-air ascents that you must practice over and over with each set of students. :-[

For dives btween 90'-130' I have switched to TRIOX. That is a nitrox/helium mix. It allows for shorter deco than just standard nitrox or air at those depths, plus it keeps my head clear when entering a wreck with students in tow. I usually dive a 30/30 or a 28/30 mix for these depths and my bottom times can easily go up to an hour- not including deco.

As far as dedicated cylinders go, it really depends upon your shop that you go to. In southern Wisconsin many shops offer BOTH. They will have large banks of 40% premix that the can be diluted down to whater ever you need. Plus, they will partial pressure mix all of your deco gasses with higher than 40% 02 in them. This way they can keep everybody happy. The recreational user can get the added benifits without lots of extra cash invested and the tech-head can get what ever they want in their own dedicated cylinders.

Plus, many of the shops rent any kind of tank that you want- doubles, stages, deco bottles.

Jon