Library
This is a collection of direct links to our knowledge base of educational content that appears on the Dive Gear Express website mostly in the form of brief blocks of diving related information that are distinct from our product descriptions and administration content. This knowledge is primarily focused on experienced sport and technical SCUBA divers. It may not be useful to those just now learning to dive, and in some cases might even contradict instructor recommendations to entry level divers.
Our popular Tek-Tips are product independent information attached to the bottom of various category and product pages. There is some product related information, such as our opinions on specific product selection or usage, that we list in a separate Product-Tips category. We have a few longer discussions that we list under the Articles category.
The Dive Gear Express YouTube Channel contains a library of our in-house produced information videos. Each video is focused on important facts for a single topic, omitting extraneous promotional content and excessive detail. The videos are fast paced to keep them compact, about one to three minutes in length with pause and rewind controls always available during viewing.
TekTips
- Compressor Lubricants and Diver Safety
- Compressor Lubrication for SCUBA
- Nitrox and Compressor Lubrication
- "OMG" Is your QR insurance paid up?
- Marine Grade Stainless Markings Must Be Annealed
- Your Hands and Feet Can Be Larger When Diving
- Is My HP Tank 3/4 NPS or 7/8 UNF Neck Threads?
- Seriously, Do Not Pee On That...
- The 411 on Dive Instrument Consoles vs Wrist Mounts
- High Pressure Swivel Spindles aka 'Air Spools'
- Helium Penalty? What Penalty?
- Using a Signal Mirror for Rescue
- Handling Emergency Oxygen Kits
- How do the grades of compressed oxygen differ?
- Units of Pressure in Diving
- Servicing SCUBA Hoses
- Damaged 300 bar DIN valve outlets
- Can Nitrox or Trimix be run through a breathing air compressor?
- Bühlmann versus VPM Decompression Schedules
- About Gas Time Remaining (GTR) Calculations
- Open Water Students and Modern Equipment Configurations
- Aluminum vs. Stainless Hardware
- Single-Tank-Adapters or Assembly Screws Are Often Counterproductive
- A unified and robust solution for dive logging software
- Sunscreen and Dive Computers
- How do you stay warm in a neoprene wetsuit? Take it off.
- Do I really need that big NITROX wrap decal on my tank?
- Advice for Flying with SCUBA tanks
- Calibrating Oxygen Analyzers for Diving
- How to use a twist-on handheld dive light or strobe
- Diving and Blue Pills
- Rigging the SPG on Stage and Sidemount Bottles
- Line Markers
- Divemasters Should Ask 'Is Your Oxygen ON?'
- Dust caps with DIN-to-Yoke adapters are not best practice
- The R-22 and R-17 type oxygen sensors in diving
- Lubrication and SCUBA Valve Installation
- Using PTFE (aka Teflon) Thread Seal Tape with Oxygen, Nitrox and Trimix
- Metric vs Imperial SCUBA Cylinder Sizes
- Rechargeable Battery Chemistry for Dive Lights - Lithium Ion
- ADVISORY: Oxidane and Diving
- Many Mass-Market Cleaning Products Can Damage Your Dive Gear
- 'The Skinny' on Snorkels and SCUBA Diving
- Quick-Disconnect Compatibility and Lack Thereof
- Helium Grades for Breathing Gases in Diving
- SCUBA Cylinder Neck Threads and Pressures in North America
- When is Enough... Enough?
- Soft Plate Systems and Metal Backplates
- Where do I get replacement batteries?
- The Original Sidewinding Style Cave Reel
- What is the knob and lever on my second stage?
- Orange or Yellow, which is better?
- BC, HP, IP, LP and MP
- Environmentally Sealing SCUBA Regulators
- How Deep is DEEP and How Cold is COLD?
- The History Behind the K-inflator and Drift-Pin vs. Schrader Inflators
- A Battery Warning Means You Are Diving On Borrowed Time!
- A Common Mistake When Using Tables for Repetitive Dives
- Backup Second Stages
- Buddies and BC Integrated Regs
- Choosing the Best Inflation Hose Length
- Choosing the Best Primary SPG Hose Length
- Cleaning Low Current Electrical Contacts
- Compass Balance Zones
- Just Say No to Deep Air
- Do You Know Your Right From Your Left?
- DPV Battery Technology Tradeoffs
- Evolution of Manifolds and Bands
- Full Face Masks and Recreational Scuba
- Gearing Up With a Long Hose
- Get the Lead Out!
- Gradient Factors
- History of the Finger Spool
- How Long is Your Hose?
- How Much and Where to Use Lubricant
- How to Overhaul a Power Inflator
- Independent Twins Are Not Doubles
- Regulator Intermediate Pressure (IP)
- Tang? Pommel? Drop Point? Swage? Spine?
- Leaking Mask? Loosen The Strap!
- Candela vs Lumen
- Mixing Brands or Ages of Oxygen Sensors
- Dispelling the Myth of the Simple Oxygen Flush Test
- OOPS.... NOT!
- Burst Disks in SCUBA Valves Are Not What You Think
- Rebreather Training
- Self-Operated vs Pilot-Operated
- Sidemount Diving Has Gone Mainstream
- "Sidemount diving makes technical diving easy" - Jeff Loflin
- Sidemount Configurations
- Who's Your Buddy... Han?
- SPG Floods
- Time to Fly? Maybe Not.
- What about "black face" instruments?
- What Color is Your Parachute Bag?
- What Happened to Low-Pressure (LP) Cylinders?
- What if you donate your primary?
- What Size Fins Do I Need?
- You Can't Get Everything On-Line
- Choosing the Best Regulator Hose Length
- Optical Coating Masks Are Not "Cool"
- Plan Your Dive - Dive Your Plan
- Looping Hoses Under Hose Retainers
- Does the Vindicator knob make sense for experienced divers?
- Valves for Sidemount
- Single Tank Mounting with Backplates
- Bad BCD Maintenance = Provoking Instead of Preventing
- Types of Back Inflation BC Systems
- The Origin of Hogarthian Configuration
- Will back inflation float an unconscious diver face up?
- Interchangeability of Backplates and Wings
- Which Wing Do I Need?
- Helmets Have Their Place In Diving
- How to Glue On Your Glue-On Pocket
- Why Black Dive Masks Are Better
- Beware of Fin Hyperbole
- Form vs. Function in Dive Masks
- Ordering Vision Correcting Lenses for Dive Masks
- Mask Defoggers Explained
- Give Tank Boots the Boot, Decals Too!
- Installing Valves in SCUBA Cylinders
- What is the difference between "200 Bar" and "300 Bar" fittings?
- A Gas Booster Reality Check
- What Happened to My Gas?
- Stage Straps
- Perfect Positioning of Decals
- StainLESS does not mean StainPROOF
- Common Uses for Stainless Steel Snaps
- Threading a 3-Slot Quick-Release Belt Buckle
- Regulator Necklaces
- Canister vs Handheld Lights
- About the U.S. Diver Down Flag
- The Best Things in Life are FREE
- Are Rebreathers Safe?
- Oxygen Sensor Life in Rebreathers
- Piston vs Diaphragm... Does it really matter?
- Upstream vs Downstream
- Long Hose Regulator Configuration for Single Tank Diving
- Hogarthian Regulator Configuration for Doubles
- Do You Sidemount Up or Down?
- Choosing Stage/Deco Regulators
- Bailout/Deco Regulators
- Inspect Your Regulator Mouthpiece
- Inside Submersible Pressure Gauges
- Hose Protectors Don't
- The Oxygen Shutoff Is a Mixed-Bag
- Take Only What You Need, No More and No Less
- Tiny Bubbles?
- Mr. Cleaning Your Dive Slate and Wetnotes
- BCD Bladder Repairs
- Using the metal grommets......
- Open Circuit Etiquette with Closed Circuit Divers
- Blame Normalization of Deviance, Not "Complacency"
- ZHL, VPM, RGBM, DSAT, DCIEM, DCAP ... Does It Really Matter?
- Uncoupling DIN Fittings From SCUBA Valves
- Streamlined Open Water Regulator Configuration
- Nitrox? Heliox? Helitrox? Triox? Normoxic Trimix? Hypoxic Trimix? Heliair?
- Manifold Crossbar Isolator Valves May Not Improve Safety
- Care and Feeding of Lithium Chemistry Rechargeable Batteries
- Learning From Analysis of Rebreather Deaths
- Sizing and Selecting O-Rings for SCUBA
- Sanitizers, Disinfectants, Antiseptics and Your Rebreather & Regulators
- Finger Spools Are Not Reels
- How to Choose Between Lift Bags and Marking Tubes
- SCUBA Regulators and Hoses Nomenclature
- Fixed Port vs Swivel Turret
- Lumens, Lux, Burn Time and Kelvin - Caveat Emptor
- Selection, Care and Maintenance for Reels
ProductTips
- About Our Hi-Viz Line
- Why Choose XR by Mares?
- The NERD 2 from Shearwater Research
- Basketball Shoes for Diving... Seriously?
- DGX Gears brand D6 and XTRA regulators
- Differences Between DGX and Thermo Brand Valves
- Drive Gas Options for the Haskel Mini Sport Booster
- Low-Pressure Breathing Gas Fittings on SCUBA Regulators and Hoses
- DGX No Longer Sells SAFT Lithium Batteries
- Garmin Descent Mk2/Mk2i/Mk2s Model Differences
- Garmin Descent G1 Series vs Mk2 Series Differences
- Alternative hose configuration for your Poseidon DSV/ADV/BOV
- How are the DGX Premium O2 Valves different from DGX Premium Nitrox Ready Valves?
- Dive Rite XT Regulator Differences
- Differences of Petrel vs Perdix Dive Computers
- Differences of Teric vs Perdix 2 Ti Dive Computers
- Peregrine vs Perdix 2
- SCUBA Regulator DIN Connector O-ring Sizes
- Regulators and Required-stop Accelerated Decompression
- Apeks XTX Series Second Stage Differences
- Why Chose Apeks?
- Apeks XTX Series First Stage Differences
- How to resurrect a completely dead Poseidon Smart Module
- Maintaining Poseidon Cable Connectors
- Backplates and Your Height
- Why Choose DIVESOFT?
- Why we are ashamed to sell these...
- What Micro SD-card should I use with Paralenz camera?
- SPG Depth Ratings
- CO2 Absorbent: 797 vs 812 vs 1025
- Why Choose DGX Gears™ Brand Products?
- Aluminum Cylinders at Dive Gear Express
- Light Mount Sizing Chart
- Recreational Nitrox Configuration of Shearwater Perdix
- Advice regarding travel with Sofnolime
- Steel High Pressure Cylinders by Faber
- TransPac, TransPlate, and Hydro Lite Sizing
- Dive Rite's Gusset Control System
- Replacing Air Cell Inflation Assembly Elbows
- Dive Rite Air Cells Overview
- Why Choose Shearwater Research Dive Computers?
- Why dive Poseidon?
- Dive Rite Dual Armored Wing Options
- Compare the DGX 300 - 600 - 800 lights
- Why choose Omni-Swivel International products?
- DGX Custom Regulators - Have It Your Way
- Why Choose Analytical Industries?
- Steel Specialty Cylinders by Faber
- Why Choose G-Dive?
- Nomad XT/LTZ/LT/LS Tank Mount Configuration Options
- Why Choose Ocean Management Systems?
- Why Choose Dive Rite?
Articles
- Z Factors for SCUBA
- How to Select a SCUBA Tank
- Calculating SCUBA Cylinder Capacity
- CCR FAQ - rEvo
- How to Attach a Snap
- DGX Gears Harness Assembly Instructions
- South East Florida Diving Logistics
- Sofnolime Absorbent Selection And Handling
- Assembling Double Cylinders
- SCUBA Valves
- CCR FAQ - O2ptima
- CCR FAQ - Poseidon Se7en+
- Lift Bags versus Marking Tubes
- Oxygen Sensor Handling
- Suggestions for Selecting a Wing
- Understanding Nitrox Ready and Oxygen Service
- About Oxygen Disclaimers
- What is a Rebreather?
- O2ptima Scrubber Duration Test Results