Technical divers are increasingly outfitting their second-stage regulators with long hoses, which is a good thing.  This is the one that gets donated in an out of gas emergency. It needs to be readily available and functioning properly for such an emergency. (more…)

A watch. That’s what we’re talking about. Not a dive computer. Not a depth gauge or bottom timer. Simple right? If you think so, you’ll want to have a read through Duane Johnson’s latest “how to” post. (more…)

While women have firmly established themselves in recreational diving, the fairer sex’s profile past the 40-meter mark is considerably smaller. As Lady Divers magazine’s Misty A. Martin points out in an article published this week, tech is still “an all boys club.”

Not only have equipment manufacturers not offered the same range of tech gear designed for the female physique as they’ve done in recreational diving, the entire mindset and impact on physiology are different.

For a guy, her insights both make you go “ewww” and make you go “hmmm.” (more…)

Another of our “how to” TECHnique columns. Today we again visit with Duane Johnson who gives us a primer on finger spools, which can be very useful tools when used properly. But they can be a total nightmare if you aren’t paying attention. (more…)

How narced do you want to get?

If you’re upcoming dive plans include helium you’re paying for out of your own pocket, then the question of how much nitrogen narcosis you can tolerate is a relevant one. If money were no object then, studies show, heliox would be the obvious choice. But when you’re footing the bill, determining your Equivalent Narcosis Depth, or END, is a calculation you need to make. (more…)

With aisles full of over-the-counter medication, self-dosing a stuffy nose, burning stomach or aching back is all too common. In Thailand, and other third-world countries, where the corner phamacy will gladly sell you prescription drugs usually only available after a doctor’s examination, it’s even easier.

While we all know of people who down the Actifed before a recreational dive to beat congestion, popping pills as a technical diver is a mch-different situation. As a post on South Africa’s Liquid Edge’s excellent technical diving blog points out, techies are more prone to side effects due to depth, longer exposures and higher partial pressures of oxygen. (more…)

Reels are essential equipment for technical divers, particuarly for those diving wrecks and caves. Yet, as any experienced techie will tell you, they’re a pain to use. Even the best reels will jam, foul, tangle, warp, drop, swing, trap, ratchet, keyhole, bind and bascially drive you nuts.

Today’s TECHnique post attempts to make reeling in a good dive easier by teaching you how and when to deploy a reel and which type of reel is the right one for the job. (more…)

Today marks the first post in a new section on Thailand Tech Diving called “TECHnique,” devoted to tips, tricks, education and “how to” information for the technical diver. While not Thailand specific, we think all of the knowledge can be of use to tech divers in- and outside The Kingdom.

Any (good) technical-diving classes will teach students to track their oxygen exposure. Both deco and bottom mixes can subject divers to high partial pressures of oxygen, so measuing PPO² is essential to avoid CNS oxygen toxicity. (more…)