Today we’re going to do something a little different. While I could sit here and write a blog post on how Regulators are made… SCUBAPRO has made a video. To top that, they have a video by Rene Dupre discussing the differences between Diaphram vs Piston first stage. It is always fun to learn about the pieces of equipment that allow you to see the underwater world. So grab your favorite beverage and sit back and relax. The first message is a little over 8 minutes and the second is a little over 2 minutes. So 10 minutes of relaxing while learning about regulators. Continue reading
Category Archives: SCUBA Product Education
What Mil Dive Suit for the Lake?
If you’re Dan La Due you dive year round, whether the ocean, the lake, or places like Mermet Springs. And I know we point out that Dan dives year-round, a lot… but he tends to be the one who started this tradition. That and it’s fun to pick on Dan. He dishes it right back, don’t worry!
The thing is, I wouldn’t ask him for recommendations on diving wet suits in year-round water. I saw him dive in a 1.5 Mil at Mermet Springs off a dare. Okay, so you could ask him, he is an assistant instructor after all… but. Haha.
Seriously though, there are different types of wet and dry suits for different water conditions. So, what would we recommend?
Wet and Dry Suits for Diving in Beaver Lake
What is the purpose of a Wet Suit?
A wetsuit is worn for thermal protection as well as protection against the elements. The form-fitting neoprene that a wetsuit is made out of minimizes water flow next to the diver’s skin, helping to retain heat at the same time.
1.5 Mil
Wetsuit Maintenance
It’s that time of year when it’s cold everywhere. It’s cold inside, it’s cold outside, it’s just plain cold. And you may not be thinking about SCUBA diving or maybe you are. We do have a trip that is headed to Cozumel next month while the rest of us freeze here in the midwest. But the one thing that you should be thinking about is the proper storage of your wetsuit.
Whether you are storing you thin mil wetsuit ready for Cozumel or you are storing your heavy mil wetsuit used for Mermet Springs, the most important thing is proper storage. While a wetsuit won’t last forever, the better you store it, the longer it will last. Let’s restate that, good maintenance won’t make them last forever, but it will prolong their life. Continue reading
Storing Equipment
Truthfully, this might have been a post we should have worked on last fall since some of you are ready to pull your equipment out and dive right now. In fact, some of you even went and enjoyed a nice cool dip in the lake on New Year’s Day. But none-the-less, it’s never too early or too late to make sure your gear is stored properly so that when you make that first dive, it’s there, ready for you, in tip-top condition!
What is the proper way to store your SCUBA Diving Equipment when not in use?
First and foremost, your equipment should be stored in a cool, dry, non-dusty area. When it comes to storing equipment, you have a couple options. The options most people use are either a gear bag (like for travel), a mesh bag, or a large plastic tub/crate. There was also the ultimate SCUBA equipment holder that went around Facebook a few years ago, but most people don’t have that luxury. So, we’ll stick to the previously mentioned options.
We’re going to lump the travel gear bag with the plastic tub/crate. For the most part, they are similar in storage options/limitations. Remember, that keyword there is similar.
Preparing for Storage:
Why Service My Regulator Set Regularly
This is the time of year that we start working equipment maintenance. Last week we looked at why we do maintenance on our SCUBA tanks. Today, let’s look at the regulator.
Now, if you have parts for life through SCUBAPRO, please, by all means, make sure you keep your regulator service up-to-date so that you don’t lose the parts for life. If you don’t have parts for life on your gear, you still want to make sure that you keep regulator maintenance up-to-date on your gear.
Why?
There is one main reason that matters for having your Regulator Set Serviced regularly and that is, your regulator set is your life support system. You rely on this to keep you in air during your exploration of the underwater world. They are the work-horse of diving if you want to look at it that way.
What Happens when you bring your regulator set to Extreme Sports Scuba for servicing.
Cylinder Maintenance VIP
When you take your Open Water Scuba Class, one of the things we talk about is Visual Inspection (VIP) on cylinders, the Cylinder Maintenance VIP. You learn this must be done annually and hydrostatic testing is done every 5 years. A lot of times when you are in that class, this doesn’t always make sense or you are learning so much new information you may not always remember this portion. That anticipation to get out into the water takes over! But, this is a very important piece of gear maintenance you should learn about. Let’s learn a little more in-depth about what happens when you bring your tank in for the yearly/5 year maintenance of your SCUBA tank.
So what happens we a VIP is done.
Save-a-Dive Kit
Let’s picture this for a minute. The hype is there, the excitement… of going diving. You get to the dive, put your gear together, and BAM, you’re missing something. Something important such as an O-ring, you have dead batteries, you’re diving with a DIN and need to make the valve fit… endless possibilities. So no dive for you, right? SAD! Oh, wait… SAD could be an acronym for Save-A-Dive Kit! No more “sad day” for you!!
You’ll get into your Save-a-Dive Kit, pull out what you need, save the dive, and have fun. But you say you don’t have a Save-a-Dive Kit? Never Fear! We’re here to help you create a SAD (no more) Kit so you won’t have to be sad. (I wonder if Deb is shaking her head at me… for my punniness…)
Save-A-Dive Kit – Per Grady
5 Reasons to Buy from a Dive Shop vs Online
Since the invention of the internet, everyone has the world at their fingertips these days. You can do anything from research to reviews to buying and anything in-between. With everyone buying on the internet these days, why not buy SCUBA equipment too? Here are Five reasons not to buy online. Continue reading
What SCUBA Gear Should I Buy First?
You are getting certified to SCUBA Dive, the question is, what SCUBA gear should you buy first? Dive Boots, Wet Suit, Computer, Mask, etc. It can all be so overwhelming and there is so much out there on the market, how do you know what you want? First things first. Sign up for your open-water SCUBA certification classes with Extreme Sports SCUBA.
Now, that you are signed up for classes, we can help! Our recommendation is always to try as much dive gear as you can before you buy. There are a few things though that you should buy first. Here is what we recommend as your first pieces of dive gear, in the order you should consider them.
How Often Should I Service My Dive Gear?
How often should I service my dive gear?
Every year around this time you hear, bring in your SCUBA gear to get serviced. Don’t forget, etc etc. Then Grady puts on a SCUBA gear maintenance class. This usually is a couple hours one day. He goes over everything that needs servicing and the y’s as well as how to keep your gear clean. There is a reason we service and maintain our gear like we do.
One reason there is a push for servicing gear in January is that this is the SCUBA off-season. For the most part, your SCUBA gear lays dormant, waiting for warm water or the air temperature to rise.
Primary Reasons for Servicing Your Gear Regularly
No matter how clean of a person you think you are or how good of care you think you take of your equipment, it still builds up grime over time. This is especially true if you dive primarily in salt water. Salt water is extremely hard on dive gear. It is always best to bring your dive gear home and dive in fresh water. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t get your gear serviced, it just helps keep it clean.