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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

  1. Compressor Lubricants and Diver Safety
  2. Compressor Lubrication for SCUBA
  3. Nitrox and Compressor Lubrication
  4. "OMG" Is your QR insurance paid up?
  5. Marine Grade Stainless Markings Must Be Annealed
  6. Your Hands and Feet Can Be Larger When Diving
  7. Is My HP Tank 3/4 NPS or 7/8 UNF Neck Threads?
  8. Seriously, Do Not Pee On That...
  9. The 411 on Dive Instrument Consoles vs Wrist Mounts
  10. Using a Signal Mirror for Rescue
  11. Handling Emergency Oxygen Kits
  12. How do the grades of compressed oxygen differ?
  13. Units of Pressure in Diving
  14. Servicing SCUBA Hoses
  15. Damaged 300 bar DIN valve outlets
  16. Can Nitrox or Trimix be run through a breathing air compressor?
  17. About Gas Time Remaining (GTR) Calculations
  18. Aluminum vs. Stainless Hardware
  19. Single-Tank-Adapters or Assembly Screws Are Often Counterproductive
  20. A unified and robust solution for dive logging software
  21. Sunscreen and Dive Computers
  22. How do you stay warm in a neoprene wetsuit? Take it off.
  23. Do I really need that big NITROX wrap decal on my tank?
  24. Advice for Flying with SCUBA tanks
  25. How to use a twist-on handheld dive light or strobe
  26. Diving and Blue Pills
  27. Divemasters Should Ask 'Is Your Oxygen ON?'
  28. The R-22 and R-17 type oxygen sensors in diving
  29. Lubrication and SCUBA Valve Installation
  30. Using PTFE (aka Teflon) Thread Seal Tape with Oxygen, Nitrox and Trimix
  31. Metric vs Imperial SCUBA Cylinder Sizes
  32. Rechargeable Battery Chemistry for Dive Lights - Lithium Ion
  33. ADVISORY: Oxidane and Diving
  34. 'The Skinny' on Snorkels and SCUBA Diving
  35. Helium Grades for Breathing Gases in Diving
  36. SCUBA Cylinder Neck Threads and Pressures in North America
  37. When is Enough... Enough?
  38. Soft Plate Systems and Metal Backplates
  39. Where do I get replacement batteries?
  40. Environmentally Sealing SCUBA Regulators
  41. How Deep is DEEP and How Cold is COLD?
  42. The Original Sidewinding Style Cave Reel
  43. Line Markers
  44. The History Behind the K-inflator and Drift-Pin vs. Schrader Inflators
  45. Bühlmann versus VPM Decompression Schedules
  46. Open Water Students and Modern Equipment Configurations
  47. High Pressure Swivel Spindles aka 'Air Spools'
  48. BC, HP, IP, LP and MP
  49. Helium Penalty? What Penalty?
  50. White, Orange or Chartreuse; which is better?
  51. Quick-Disconnect Compatibility and Lack Thereof
  52. Calibrating Oxygen Analyzers for Diving
  53. Dust caps with DIN-to-Yoke adapters are not best practice
  54. Rigging the SPG on Stage and Sidemount Bottles
  55. Many Mass-Market Cleaning Products Can Damage Your Dive Gear
  56. What is the knob and lever on my second stage?
  57. Make Your Own Custom Length LP or BC Hose
  58. Decompression Sickness and Arterial Gas Embolism
  59. A Battery Warning Means You Are Diving On Borrowed Time!
  60. Backup Second Stages
  61. Buddies and BC Integrated Regs
  62. Choosing the Best Inflation Hose Length
  63. Choosing the Best Primary SPG Hose Length
  64. Cleaning Low Current Electrical Contacts
  65. Compass Balance Zones
  66. Just Say No to Deep Air
  67. Do You Know Your Right From Your Left?
  68. DPV Battery Technology Tradeoffs
  69. Evolution of Manifolds and Bands
  70. Full Face Masks and Recreational Scuba
  71. Gearing Up With a Long Hose
  72. Get the Lead Out!
  73. History of the Finger Spool
  74. How Long is Your Hose?
  75. How Much and Where to Use Lubricant
  76. How to Overhaul a Power Inflator
  77. Independent Twins Are Not Doubles
  78. Regulator Intermediate Pressure (IP)
  79. Tang? Pommel? Drop Point? Swage? Spine?
  80. Leaking Mask? Loosen The Strap!
  81. Candela vs Lumen
  82. Mixing Brands or Ages of Oxygen Sensors
  83. Dispelling the Myth of the Simple Oxygen Flush Test
  84. Burst Disks in SCUBA Valves Are Not What You Think
  85. Rebreather Training
  86. Self-Operated vs Pilot-Operated
  87. "Sidemount diving makes technical diving easy" - Jeff Loflin
  88. Sidemount Configurations
  89. Who's Your Buddy... Han?
  90. SPG Floods
  91. Time to Fly? Maybe Not.
  92. What Color is Your Parachute Bag?
  93. What Happened to Low-Pressure (LP) Cylinders?
  94. What if you donate your primary?
  95. What Size Fins Do I Need?
  96. Choosing the Best Regulator Hose Length
  97. Optical Coating Masks Are Not "Cool"
  98. Plan Your Dive - Dive Your Plan
  99. Looping Hoses Under Hose Retainers
  100. Does the Vindicator knob make sense for experienced divers?
  101. Valves for Sidemount
  102. Single Tank Mounting with Backplates
  103. Bad BCD Maintenance = Provoking Instead of Preventing
  104. Types of Back Inflation BC Systems
  105. The Origin of Hogarthian Configuration
  106. Interchangeability of Backplates and Wings
  107. Which Wing Do I Need?
  108. Helmets Have Their Place In Diving
  109. How to Glue On Your Glue-On Pocket
  110. Why Black Dive Masks Are Better
  111. Beware of Fin Hyperbole
  112. Ordering Vision Correcting Lenses for Dive Masks
  113. Mask Defoggers Explained
  114. Give Tank Boots the Boot, Decals Too!
  115. Installing Valves in SCUBA Cylinders
  116. What Happened to My Gas?
  117. Perfect Positioning of Decals
  118. Common Uses for Stainless Steel Snaps
  119. Canister vs Handheld Lights
  120. The Best Things in Life are FREE
  121. Oxygen Sensor Life in Rebreathers
  122. Piston vs Diaphragm... Does it really matter?
  123. Upstream vs Downstream
  124. Long Hose Regulator Configuration for Single Tank Diving
  125. Do You Sidemount Up or Down?
  126. Choosing Stage/Deco Regulators
  127. Bailout/Deco Regulators
  128. Inspect Your Regulator Mouthpiece
  129. Hose Protectors Don't
  130. The Oxygen Shutoff Is a Mixed-Bag
  131. Take Only What You Need, No More and No Less
  132. Tiny Bubbles?
  133. Mr. Cleaning Your Dive Slate and Wetnotes
  134. BCD Bladder Repairs
  135. Blame Normalization of Deviance, Not "Complacency"
  136. ZHL, VPM, RGBM, DSAT, DCIEM, DCAP ... Does It Really Matter?
  137. Manifold Crossbar Isolator Valves May Not Improve Safety
  138. Sanitizers, Disinfectants, Antiseptics and Your Rebreather & Regulators
  139. Finger Spools Are Not Reels
  140. SCUBA Regulators and Hoses Nomenclature
  141. Fixed Port vs Swivel Turret
  142. Lumens, Lux, Burn Time and Kelvin - Caveat Emptor
  143. Open Circuit Etiquette with Closed Circuit Divers
  144. StainLESS does not mean StainPROOF
  145. Form vs. Function in Dive Masks
  146. About the U.S. Diver Down Flag
  147. Using the metal grommets......
  148. Will back inflation float an unconscious diver face up?
  149. Stage Straps
  150. You Can't Get Everything On-Line
  151. What about "black face" instruments?
  152. OOPS.... NOT!
  153. Hogarthian Regulator Configuration for Doubles
  154. Learning From Analysis of Rebreather Deaths
  155. Gradient Factors
  156. Sidemount Diving Has Gone Mainstream
  157. What is the difference between "200 Bar" and "300 Bar" fittings?
  158. Threading a 3-Slot Quick-Release Belt Buckle
  159. Regulator Necklaces
  160. Selection, Care and Maintenance for Reels
  161. Nitrox? Heliox? Helitrox? Triox? Normoxic Trimix? Hypoxic Trimix? Heliair?
  162. Care and Feeding of Lithium Chemistry Rechargeable Batteries
  163. Are Rebreathers Safe?
  164. Uncoupling DIN Fittings From SCUBA Valves
  165. Inside Submersible Pressure Gauges
  166. Streamlined Open Water Regulator Configuration
  167. Sizing and Selecting O-Rings for SCUBA
  168. How to Choose Between Lift Bags and Marking Tubes
  169. A Gas Booster Reality Check
View All 169 articles

ProductTips

  1. Characteristics of Line on Dive Reels and Finger Spools
  2. Low-Pressure Breathing Gas Fittings on SCUBA Regulators and Hoses
  3. DGX No Longer Sells SAFT Lithium Batteries
  4. How are the DGX Premium O2 Valves different from DGX Premium Nitrox Ready Valves?
  5. Dive Rite XT Regulator Differences
  6. How to resurrect a completely dead Poseidon Smart Module
  7. Regulators and Required-stop Accelerated Decompression
  8. Garmin Descent Mk2/Mk2i/Mk2s Model Differences
  9. Backplates and Your Height
  10. DGX Gears brand D6 and XTRA regulators
  11. Apeks XTX Series Second Stage Differences
  12. Apeks XTX Series First Stage Differences
  13. Differences of Petrel vs Perdix Dive Computers
  14. SCUBA Regulator DIN Connector O-ring Sizes
  15. R-22 Oxygen Sensors - 'D' type vs 'S' type
  16. CO2 Absorbent: 797 vs 812 vs 1025
  17. Why Choose SI TECH?
  18. Garmin Descent G Series vs Mk Series Differences
  19. Why Choose Apeks?
  20. Choosing Between the DGX Gears 1000-6 and 1000-8 Handheld Lights
  21. Drive Gas Options for the Booster
  22. Peregrine vs Perdix 2
  23. Differences of Teric vs Perdix 2 Ti Dive Computers
  24. Alternative hose configuration for your Poseidon DSV/ADV/BOV
  25. Why we are ashamed to sell these...
  26. Differences Between DGX and Thermo Brand Valves
  27. Why Choose XR by Mares?
  28. SPG Depth Ratings
  29. Why Choose DIVESOFT?
  30. The NERD 2 from Shearwater Research
  31. Maintaining Poseidon Cable Connectors
  32. Basketball Shoes for Diving... Seriously?
  33. Recreational Nitrox Configuration of Shearwater Perdix
  34. Advice regarding travel with Sofnolime
  35. Replacing Air Cell Inflation Assembly Elbows
  36. Why Choose DGX Gears™ Brand Products?
  37. Why Choose Shearwater Research Dive Computers?
  38. Why dive Poseidon?
  39. Compare the DGX 300 - 600 - 800 lights
  40. Why Choose Analytical Industries?
  41. Why Choose Omni-Swivel International Products?
  42. Why Choose Dive Rite?
  43. Why Choose Ocean Management Systems?
  44. Aluminum Cylinders at Dive Gear Express
  45. Steel Specialty Cylinders by Faber
  46. Dive Rite Air Cells Overview
  47. Steel High Pressure Cylinders by Faber
  48. Dive Rite Dual Armored Wing Options
  49. Dive Rite's Gusset Control System
  50. TransPac, TransPlate, and Hydro Lite Sizing
  51. Nomad XT/LTZ/LT/LS Tank Mount Configuration Options
  52. Light Mount Sizing Chart
  53. Why Choose G-Dive?
  54. DGX Custom Regulators - Have It Your Way
View All 54 articles

Articles

  1. Z Factors for SCUBA
  2. Choosing Your First Rebreather
  3. How to Select a SCUBA Tank
  4. Calculating SCUBA Cylinder Capacity
  5. CCR FAQ - rEvo
  6. CCR FAQ - O2ptima
  7. SCUBA Valves
  8. How to Attach a Snap
  9. Oxygen Sensor Handling
  10. Assembling Double Cylinders
  11. What is a Rebreather?
  12. Suggestions for Selecting a Wing
  13. Sofnolime Absorbent Selection And Handling
  14. About Oxygen Disclaimers
  15. DGX Gears Harness Assembly Instructions
  16. O2ptima Scrubber Duration Test Results
  17. CCR FAQ - Poseidon Se7en+
  18. South East Florida Diving Logistics
  19. Lift Bags versus Marking Tubes
  20. Understanding Nitrox Ready and Oxygen Service
View All 20 articles