Dive Right In Scuba

Category: Dive Gear

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“Cliff Notes” of Drysuit Diving

Photo courtesy of Dive Right in Scuba. www.diverightinscuba.com


Drysuit diving is a specialized form of scuba diving where divers wear a drysuit to keep them dry and insulated in cold water environments. In this blog post, we’ll delve into some different aspects of drysuit diving and share tips to make your experience both safe and enjoyable.

Why Choose a Drysuit?

Embrace the Cold: The primary advantage of a drysuit is its ability to keep you dry and, consequently, warmer than a wetsuit in cold water. This is a game-changer in regions where water temperatures dip below the comfort range of wetsuits.

Extended Dive Seasons: With a drysuit, you’re not limited to warm weather or tropical destinations. You can dive year-round, even in icy conditions, opening up a new world of diving opportunities.

Getting Started: Training and Certification

Drysuit diving does require some additional training. It’s not just about staying dry; it’s about managing buoyancy and understanding the suit’s mechanics.

Drysuit Specialty Courses: These courses are offered by most diving organizations. They cover topics like buoyancy control, suit maintenance, and emergency procedures.

Key Skills and Considerations

Buoyancy Control: Mastering buoyancy in a drysuit is crucial. Unlike wetsuits, drysuits use air for insulation, which can shift within the suit, affecting your buoyancy and trim.

Understand Your Suit: Know the material of your suit (neoprene, trilaminate, etc.), as each type has different characteristics in water.

Safety First: Always dive with a buddy, carry a dive computer, and have a surface signaling device. Be prepared for potential suit malfunctions.

Dressing for Success: Undergarments

The secret to staying warm in a drysuit lies in what you wear underneath. Depending on the water temperature, you might need anything from a light base layer to thick, insulated undergarments. It’s all about layering effectively.

Maintenance: The Key to Longevity

Drysuits are an investment, and like any good investment, they need care. Regular maintenance, including washing, checking seals and zippers, and storing your suit properly, will extend its life and performance.

The Environmental Aspect

Drysuit divers often find themselves in pristine, fragile underwater environments. It’s our responsibility to protect these ecosystems. Practicing good buoyancy and being mindful of our surroundings are key.

Final Thoughts

Drysuit diving is not just about staying warm; it’s about expanding your horizons as a diver. It can be a doorway to new adventures, such as ice diving, wreck diving in colder waters, and exploring regions that few have witnessed. The initial learning curve is worth the unparalleled experiences that drysuit diving offers.

For those looking to embark on this exciting path, connect with your local dive community. There’s a wealth of knowledge and experience to be tapped into, and the diving community is always eager to welcome new enthusiasts.

In closing, drysuit diving is more than just a diving style; it’s a gateway to new experiences, friendships, and perspectives on the underwater world. Whether you’re a seasoned diver or just starting, consider giving drysuit diving a try – the wonders of the cold-water realms await!

Keep diving, keep exploring, and stay warm out there!

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    Guarding the Depths: How Anarchy Scuba is Tackling the Surge in Facebook Sales Scams

    There has been an increase in FB sales group fraud where scammers duplicate someone’s Facebook page using their pictures and copy their sales posts in an attempt to trick people into buying high-ticket items, taking their money and then not delivering the product.

    As the creator of Anarchy Scuba Swap (which started all this “Anarchy” crap lol), my moderator team sees this frequently and do our best to remove these posts as they are identified/reported. Unfortunately these scam posts are posted simultaneously in many gear swap groups where they can claim multiple victims with a single post.

    A friend of mine found a FB group called, “Exposing Scams and Fraud in Beekeeping” where people can report these profiles and posts. He suggested we collect and share the same data in the dive community.

    We’ve created a form where you can anonymously report suspicious gear sales posts found in any Facebook group. We will review submissions and share a database of fake accounts or those who have been copied to decrease the number of successful fraud attempts.

    Why not just report them to Facebook, you ask? You absolutely should. The problem the Bee Keeping groups identified was that the slime-balls committing these crimes would just make new accounts, often using the exact same names/posts and would end up back in some of the groups that don’t screen new members as well.

    Anarchy Scuba Swap’s commitment to keeping you safe: We don’t allow suspicious account into the group, decreasing your chances of getting scammed. The group is not here for popularity. It’s here to provide a safe and unbiased place to purchase used dive gear from the community. Every member is screened and misconduct is taken seriously. Read/listen to “Let’s Talk About ASS” for the story about how the group (and pretty much everything else) started.

    If you have a suggestion for how we can make this process better or if there are additional data points we should be collecting, please let me know.

    Dive safe (and buy safe!)

    Trace

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    Review of the Shearwater Research NERD 2 (Stand Alone) Computer

    Want me to read this to you in my phone voice? It’s your lucky day.

    If you’re familiar with the Shearwater Research NERD 2 computer, you likely know about it because of it’s use in closed-circuit rebreather diving. With a rebreather, the NERD (near eye retina display) is an amazing device that attaches to the diver’s loop and sits directly below their eye. The diver is able to see a small screen that shows all the same screen components as the larger computer sitting on their wrist. This is particularly helpful for rebreather divers because they are constantly monitoring their PO2 on their computer during their dive. Having this information within the diver’s field of vision at all times is incredibly helpful in operating their unit (and therefore keeping them alive lol). While I believe the NERD 2 is an invaluable tool for technical rebreather divers, there is also a place for this computer in open circuit diving.

    Shearwater makes a separate model of the computer called the NERD 2 SA (Stand Alone). This particular model clamps onto the diver’s second stage regulator hose, and displays the same screen they would see on any open circuit Shearwater product. But with a price tag significantly higher than other open circuit Shearwater computers, what real benefit does an open circuit diver gain by sitting the computer directly under their eye, when a quick lift of their wrist will show them the exact same information?

    So the answer to that is the digital compass.

    Let me pause for a moment. If you don’t use a DPV (scooter) in open water, you’re not a fossil diver or you’re not someone who is just into gadgets, this is your stop. (This computer probably won’t impress you…. Check out this one instead: Shearwater Research Perdix 2 computer.)

    If you’re still with me. Let’s talk about the compass. As a recovering “cave-only” diver, I didn’t have much use for a compass in my diving journey. When I started diving for fossils, I had to brush up on my navigation skills. I have found the digital compasses on (all) Shearwater products to be reliable, and I’ve stopped carrying an analog compass for that reason.

    The NERD 2 has the same digital compass as the other Shearwater computers, but putting it against your eye gives both DPV and Fossil divers advantages for different reasons.

    DPV benefit: Its easy enough to mount an analog (or digital) compass on your scooter, however depending on where you mount it, you may have some interference with the electronic components of the vehicle. I don’t think I need to explain why that is an issue lol. Wearing a NERD 2 on your second stage moves the compass far enough away that you don’t have those interreferences. (Its possible your experience may differ, but I have found this to be the case with my diving.)

    Fossil diving benefit: Hands free bitches! Lol. Having to hold your compass in the exact right position takes a hand away from your fossil collecting, not to mention it can be uncomfortable if you’re wearing a wrist-mounted compass and need to hold a heading for the majority of your dive. When the compass is sitting just under your eye, you don’t have to worry about positioning it, or taking the few seconds to orient yourself. You just glace down from time to time and you’re golden.

    “But wait, Tracy, doesn’t the screen get in your way and keep you from seeing fossils?” Not at all. In fact, you have to remember to look at the computer to see it, otherwise it just blurs out of your vision like optical magic.

    If you don’t believe me, here are all the fossils I found on a recent fossil charter with Top 2 Bottom charters in Venice. I didn’t find all of that with just one eye lol.

     

    There are a couple of things to keep in mind if you decide to buy this computer.

    1. There is an internal rechargeable battery. This is becoming more common with dive lights, so remembering to charge your gear before a dive is less of a burden these days. The NERD 2 also comes with an external battery to add juice to your computer if you are on a longer trip, but the battery lasts a decent amount of time. I get 6-8 90 minute fossil dives on my computer before I have to recharge.

    2. There is a short adjustment period to position the NERD 2 right where you want it. This took me one dive/adjustment, which was easily done on the dive boat during a surface interval without the use of tools. I’m only mentioning this because I don’t want someone to open the box and throw the computer on your reg and expect not to have to mess with it juuuust a little bit. But for me, this was a quick set-it-and-forget-it situation.

    3. With a price tag of $1650, this is going to be one of your more spendy gear investments for your open water kit. I still found it to be well worth it to have my hand free and my compass oriented for the entire dive. Don’t forget to use the attached tether string on your regulator hose. This will keep you from losing your investment if something happens to the mount mid-dive.

    There you have it. The NERD 2 stand alone is a great tool for open-circuit open-water DPV or fossil divers. If you find yourself regularly participating in one or both of these small subsets of diving, definitely take a look at this computer.

    As always, Safe diving!

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    How to Buy Dive Gear Like a Pro (…even if you’re a new diver.)

    First time gear purchases for new divers can be frustrating and intimidating, but I’m here to help! Read further for ways to find discounts on your dive gear….

    If you ask a new diver what their biggest turn off is when it comes to diving, one of the first answers you’ll likely hear is how overwhelming it is to decide what gear they need and the cost around the initial investment to purchase their own set of gear. Diving is an extremely rewarding activity, but let’s face it, dive gear is expensive. And as we all know, buying dive gear can be stressful and frustrating, especially in the beginning. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but for the majority of us who dive regularly, gear purchases don’t stop after the initial purchase – they are seemingly never ending. As someone who paid full retail for dive gear for the first decade of her active diving pursuits, including a full sets of recreational and technical gear, I feel your pain. Allow me to share some tips I learned along the way that I wish I knew about when I started my journey.

    Support your LDS, but don’t be afraid to buy gear online

    I’m all about supporting your local dive shop if they are supporting your local dive community. That means that in addition to gear sales and equipment rental, they meet a number other criteria to serve their customers and their community. Some examples include:

    • They have a welcoming and friendly atmosphere. I’ve touched on this in other posts. This is a leisure hobby and your dive shop should be an enjoyable place to visit.
    • They provide meaningful guidance with both dive gear and classes. This often means providing fair and unbiased advice on a brand they may carry or provide references for a class they do not teach.
    • They create a sense of community, which includes organizing local diving opportunities (where possible), socials to bring divers together and help them connect and find buddies and dive travel options to exciting places.
    • They don’t price gouge their customers on dive gear. If they’re selling above MSRP or what you can find online, and refuse to come down, they don’t deserve your money. A well-rounded dive shop makes their profits on classes and travel and not just equipment sales.

    Even more important than supporting your dive shop, you need to make sure you have the right gear for your diving. There are lots of dive shop that only carry a couple of brands, and whatever their reason for choosing those brands (best margins, preferred brand of the owner, demand from community, etc.), this is your investment, not theirs. Remember that what your shop carries may not be the best brands out there, and they may not have what you need.

    Don’t be afraid to buy the specific gear you want for the best price you can find, even if that means shopping online. The internet is a strange and wonderful place, and if you can’t find it in your local shop, order it. If you’re worried your shop will be “mad” at you for shopping elsewhere, find a new shop. They should be competing for your business, not punishing you for their poor business skills.

    Do your research and ask for a price match

    So how do you support local but still get great deals? Well for starters, do your research online and ask your local shop for a price match. There are a number of shops out there that will price match deals you find online – But you have to ask for it. There are even online shops with price match policies where you don’t even have to speak to a human lol.

    Get discounts from online brand affiliates or become one yourself!

    We’ve all seen the scuba influencers, selling their souls trying to get you to buy a cheap light or waterproof phone case with their discount codes on Tik Tok. Eye roll. As annoying as most of them are, affiliate marketing has really taken off and many brands are taking advantage of social media and word-of mouth. There are two ways to take advantage of this marketing trend.

    1. Follow brand affiliates/ambassadors/influencers. Chances are, you’re already doing that. Many of them post regularly about the brands they’re associated with because they usually get some sort of kickback when you make a purchase. Start by looking at their bio – There is often a special link to click or they’ll have a coupon code that gives you a discount. If it’s not clear in their profile, send them a direct message and ask, or look for someone else who reps the brand(s).
    2. Become an affiliate yourself! You don’t have to be a dive pro or have 100k (likely fake) followers to become an online affiliate and make money by recommending products to your friends. My favorite site/shop for this is Dive Right in Scuba. DRIS is not only a great local shop for divers in Illinois, but a phenomenal online shop for those of us outside of the area. They have unparalleled customer service and carry pretty much any brand you can think of (I’ve checked). The way it works – You sign up for their affiliate program using this link. Then you share the link with your friends or post to your social media accounts. When someone clicks on the link and completes a sale, you make a small percentage of that sale. It starts off at 5%, which may not sound like much, but if you’re sharing the link with someone making a big purchase or lots of people place orders through your link, it really adds up. You can also sign up for affiliate programs through Amazon or other businesses, but I find it less complicated to just stick to one.

    Know when to look for sales

    This one may seem a little obvious, but many shops/manufactures have sales on gear throughout the year. Knowing when those sales are likely to happen will help you save big and save you from buying right before something goes on sale. So, when is the best time to look for scuba deals?

    • Black Friday/Cyber Monday – Just like the rest of the world, dive shops/brands take advantage of this internationally growing “holiday” to discount their products and clear out their inventory. A quick google search will help you find online sales, and your shop’s social media should start advertising what is going on sale a week or two ahead of time, many of them running sales the whole month of November. I also post deals I see in Anarchy Scuba Spot, as do others in the group.
    • DEMA Show (usually the first or second week in November) – DEMA is the Dive Equipment and Marketing (lol) Association trade show for dive pros to check out new gear offerings, take industry related classes, and socialize with other dive industry members. Many manufacturers have DEMA Specials to bring on new dealers or introduce their existing dealers to new products. Ever wonder why your shop lists their new travel schedule in December? It’s got nothing to do with it being the end of the calendar year – They’re finding travel deals at DEMA. Anyway – If you’re looking to make a big purchase, ask your shop if they’re sending someone to the show and ask them to get a price for you on that item – even if it’s from a brand they don’t already carry. You’ll also see online deals from some of your favorite manufacturers during this time. Keep an eye on their social media accounts to snag the best deals.
    • Scuba Trade Shows for Consumers – The biggest one in the US is the Scuba Show in Long Beach, CA in June. Lots of shops and manufacturers have deals, but you need to show up in person for this one. It also looks like Beneath the Sea in New Jersey is back after skipping last year. Their show is in March.
    • Time to Dive Show (April-ish) – This is an online show hosted by Dive Right in Scuba where most of the big scuba brands do a web presentation about their latest and greatest products, answer questions, and raffle off prizes (like, good prizes) to people who tune in. DRIS also runs great discounts during the show and does a big raffle at the end. This one is a must for divers interested in dive gear and deals.
    • Memorial Day – Beginning of summer season sales in most local dive shops to get divers ready for local diving.
    • Labor Day/End of Season sales – Shops moving the extra inventory dive shops had stocked up during the dive season.
    • “Sale” sections of online stores – Most online stores have these and you are likely to find some really great deals if you check the Sales page from time to time.

    Buy used gear from quality sources

    Used dive gear can be intimidating to a new diver, and with good reason. You want to know your life support gear is going to… well, keep you alive. There are some good options to buy safe and reliable gear at really great prices, if you know where to look. (Disclaimer – “Always have used dive gear serviced so you know it works and doesn’t actually kill you… blah, blah, blah…”) Okay, where were we? Where to buy used gear:

    • Your local dive shop – Many dive shops have a bin in the corner with used gear for sale. Make sure you ask them if the gear has been serviced and/or comes with a warranty – or if it’s being sold “as is”.
    • Online dive shops – Same idea. Local dive shops with a strong online presence usually have a section on their page for used gear.
    • Facebook – Out of the slow decline with online scuba forums there has emerged the beast that is Facebook gear swap groups. There is likely a regional group in your area for local swapping. And then of course there are the larger, national (or international) swap groups. I obviously am going to recommend Anarchy Scuba Swap. This was the original group that started the whole online Anarchy Scuba presence. The group is frequented by some pretty great, well-known divers, and has gear ranging from open-water recreational gear, to advanced technical diving gear. When I’m looking for something I want to buy used but can’t find it, I post what I’m looking for and 100% of the time (at current writing lol) I’ve found what I was looking for. The other advantage to the group – While I don’t see every listing that goes up, there are a number of moderators who keep an eye on what’s going on and will remove suspicious posts or call out items that are overpriced or look like they’re dishonest in some way. (If you ever want me to review an item in there, just send me a message on Facebook and I’ll vet the item and the seller – quite a few of whom I can personally vouch for.)

    So there you have it. Some sure-fire ways to save some cash on dive gear. Keep an eye out for future posts relating to dive gear and let me know in the comments if you have any other recommendations for saving money on dive gear. I hope some of this information was useful to those of you just starting out with your diving.

    Dive Safe!

    Trace

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    Underwater Light Dude – Technical Dive Lights

    As a cave diver, I get asked about what light I choose to dive quite a bit. As most of you know, underwater caves have no natural light, so we have to bring light with us. Outside of maybe regulators or a mask, light is THE MOST important piece of gear we have. So important, that we carry not one, but at least two backup lights as standard procedure. As you can imagine, the quality of our primary light has to be top notch. A light failure typically means the end of a dive, and no one wants that! There are many factors to consider when purchasing a technical dive light. Obviously battery life, size, brightness, quality of components are on that list. I have dived all of main light brands available in the United States, and my favorite by far is the UWLD (Underwater Light Dude) Gen 6 LD-40 with a tall can. I’m writing this review because I post about my light a LOT… and I’m lazy, so now when people ask me why I like it I can just send them this link. I know, I know. I’m Brilliant. 😛

    So here it is…. The many reasons I am in *love* with my UWLD “Bobby” light! (In no particular order.)

    Customer Service

    Okay no particular order after this one. UW Light Dude has hands down THE BEST customer service of any light manufacturer. Don’t believe me? Ask anyone else who dives and UWLD light and they’ll tell you the same thing. Think “Shearwater Customer Service” level. Yes. That good. Why is this important? Well despite being the most durable light I’ve found…. Sometimes things happen and when they do, you need those “things” resolved very quickly. Bobby has super fast turn around times, the best warranty on the market, and above all else, excellent communication with his customers. I wish the other give gear brands were half as responsive and supportive as Bobby is. If you couldn’t tell, I’ve been hurt before…

    Durability/Quality of components

    I am not gentle with gear. I dive in harsh environments, and sometimes my light ends up at the bottom of my pile of gear. And even when I’ve gone out of my way to be gentle with other light brands, their cords just never seemed to hold up. Bobby uses the highest quality parts and components, and after almost a year with and UWLD light, my light has held up against everything I’ve thrown at it. It is quite literally Tracy-proof. Lol.

    Lightweight light head

    I never realized how much strain I was putting on my left arm whilst scootering through the caves with my previous lights until I slide an LD-40 on my hand. That may not seem like a big deal, but long exposure times with constant muscle strain can lead to DCI symptoms, and Decompression Illness is nothing to mess with, not to mention a sore arm can be downright uncomfortable. But there are other advantages of a lightweight light head. ULWD light heads are PERFECT for photographers pushing already-heavy gear through the water. It’s great to attach to a scooter to light up a passage whilst videoing (Bobby makes a great 5k video light – on my list to upgrade to, or you can buy a third party diffuser to a primary light). I’ve also seen cave divers who wear a helmet add an attachment point to quickly clip their light to the side of their helmet. Definitely something you couldn’t do with a larger light head. While I don’t wear a helmet when I cave dive (you know, because I watch where I’m going and know how to control myself in high flow lol), I starting to put together a helmet set up for fossil diving, which will allow both my hands free to snatch up lots of pretty shark teeth <3.

    Beam Angle/Light Output

    The new Generation 6 light, which hit the shelves in 2020, has a new and improved tight 6° angle beam, that helps cut through murky water and pesky particulates. In all honesty, this is a big one for me. I really didn’t like the Gen 5 light because of its wider beam (sorry Bobby). The good news is you can upgrade your older version model light to the tighter beam 🙂 The beam doesn’t have hot spots and is fixed at the optimal beam angle so you don’t un-focus your light light like some of those “focusable” lights out there do!

    Battery Indicator Ring

    Another fancy new feature that appeared in the Gen 6 version of the light is the battery indicator ring. It’s easy to see and easy to read, appearing right around the piezo switch on the (lightweight) light head. This is a nice feature that you don’t see on the other big brand name lights… Although there are lots of other innovative attributes you see on UWLD lights.

    Stackable caps/Interchangeable Battery Options

    Speaking of innovative…. Likely my FAVORITE design/functional feature of Light Dude lights is its stackable cap system. If you’re a cold water diver or a photographer… Pay attention this one. Stackable caps allow you to use multiple devices on one battery pack. This includes your primary light, video lights, and heat controller (the UWLD heat controller is SIIIICK). You can mix and match what you take on you’re dive based on what you need for that particular dive and can easily add or remove additional devices.

    External Sealed Charging System

    This is just downright fancy. Opening your can, causing more wear on your o-rings, exposing the interior of your light to water/the elements is SO ten years ago.

    Battery life for DAYS

    With multiple battery size options, you can customize the perfect set up for your style of diving. The mini, short and tall calls fit all of the current light heads and the head controller, and the adjustable power settings allow you to summon just the right amount of power from your badass light 🙂 If you ever get to the end of your battery life (aka you forgot to charge your light lol) there is an end of battery warning, that flashes the beam multiple times and then turns the power down to low, to allow you extra power efficiency to help you end your dive before your light shuts off.

    Things that Don’t get a Full Explanation but are Still Noteworthy

    Latch less System – LED over-heat Protection – Redundant Sealing throughout the light – Safe for Air travel – Piezo cover – In house, innovative engineering – True advertised light output – Upgrade path for previous generations – Bobby’s wife does an excellent Borat impersonation – Heat Controller – 5k Lumen video lights – 10k Lumen video lights – IT’S BLUE – Corded Can Light (I’ll do another post on the benefits of this one at some point, and maybe another one about video lights when I go down that route) – Included soft and hard goodman handle (the hard goodman is the best, fight me.) – The light is beautiful and sleek 🙂

    So where do you buy one of these fabulous lights?

    Reach out to me if you want more information about a light or to be connected with a dealer 🙂