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