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
- 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?
- About Gas Time Remaining (GTR) Calculations
- 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
- Diving and Blue Pills
- 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
- 'The Skinny' on Snorkels and SCUBA Diving
- 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
- Environmentally Sealing SCUBA Regulators
- How Deep is DEEP and How Cold is COLD?
- The Original Sidewinding Style Cave Reel
- Line Markers
- The History Behind the K-inflator and Drift-Pin vs. Schrader Inflators
- Bühlmann versus VPM Decompression Schedules
- Open Water Students and Modern Equipment Configurations
- High Pressure Swivel Spindles aka 'Air Spools'
- BC, HP, IP, LP and MP
- Helium Penalty? What Penalty?
- Calibrating Oxygen Analyzers for Diving
- Dust caps with DIN-to-Yoke adapters are not best practice
- Rigging the SPG on Stage and Sidemount Bottles
- What is the knob and lever on my second stage?
- Make Your Own Custom Length LP or BC Hose
- Decompression Sickness and Arterial Gas Embolism
- Where do I get replacement batteries?
- Many Mass-Market Cleaning Products Can Damage Your Dive Gear
- Divemasters Should Ask 'Is Your Oxygen ON?'
- How to use a twist-on handheld dive light or strobe
- Quick-Disconnect Compatibility and Lack Thereof
- QC6 Quick Connect System and SCUBA
- Orange or Chartreuse; which is better?
- A Battery Warning Means You Are Diving On Borrowed Time!
- Backup Second Stages
- 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!
- 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
- Burst Disks in SCUBA Valves Are Not What You Think
- Self-Operated vs Pilot-Operated
- "Sidemount diving makes technical diving easy" - Jeff Loflin
- Sidemount Configurations
- Who's Your Buddy... Han?
- SPG Floods
- Time to Fly? Maybe Not.
- 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?
- 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
- 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
- Ordering Vision Correcting Lenses for Dive Masks
- Mask Defoggers Explained
- Give Tank Boots the Boot, Decals Too!
- What Happened to My Gas?
- Perfect Positioning of Decals
- Common Uses for Stainless Steel Snaps
- The Best Things in Life are FREE
- Oxygen Sensor Life in Rebreathers
- Piston vs Diaphragm... Does it really matter?
- Upstream vs Downstream
- Long Hose Regulator Configuration for Single Tank Diving
- Do You Sidemount Up or Down?
- Choosing Stage/Deco Regulators
- Bailout/Deco Regulators
- Inspect Your Regulator Mouthpiece
- Hose Protectors Don't
- The Oxygen Shutoff Is a Mixed-Bag
- Take Only What You Need, No More and No Less
- Mr. Cleaning Your Dive Slate and Wetnotes
- BCD Bladder Repairs
- Blame Normalization of Deviance, Not "Complacency"
- Manifold Crossbar Isolator Valves May Not Improve Safety
- Sanitizers, Disinfectants, Antiseptics and Your Rebreather & Regulators
- Finger Spools Are Not Reels
- SCUBA Regulators and Hoses Nomenclature
- Fixed Port vs Swivel Turret
- Lumens, Lux, Burn Time and Kelvin - Caveat Emptor
- Open Circuit Etiquette with Closed Circuit Divers
- StainLESS does not mean StainPROOF
- Form vs. Function in Dive Masks
- About the U.S. Diver Down Flag
- Using the metal grommets......
- Will back inflation float an unconscious diver face up?
- Stage Straps
- You Can't Get Everything On-Line
- What about "black face" instruments?
- OOPS.... NOT!
- Hogarthian Regulator Configuration for Doubles
- Learning From Analysis of Rebreather Deaths
- Gradient Factors
- Sidemount Diving Has Gone Mainstream
- What is the difference between "200 Bar" and "300 Bar" fittings?
- Threading a 3-Slot Quick-Release Belt Buckle
- Regulator Necklaces
- Selection, Care and Maintenance for Reels
- Nitrox? Heliox? Helitrox? Triox? Normoxic Trimix? Hypoxic Trimix? Heliair?
- Care and Feeding of Lithium Chemistry Rechargeable Batteries
- Are Rebreathers Safe?
- Uncoupling DIN Fittings From SCUBA Valves
- Inside Submersible Pressure Gauges
- A Gas Booster Reality Check
- Streamlined Open Water Regulator Configuration
- Installing Valves in SCUBA Cylinders
- Buddies and BC Integrated Regs
- North is 180° with Tiny Bubbles?
- How to Choose Between Lift Bags and Marking Tubes
- Canister vs Handheld Lights
- Rebreather Training
- ZHL, VPM, RGBM, DSAT, DCIEM, DCAP ... Does It Really Matter?
- Sizing and Selecting O-Rings for SCUBA
ProductTips
- R-22 Oxygen Sensors - 'D' type vs 'S' type
- DGX No Longer Sells SAFT Lithium Batteries
- How are the DGX Premium O2 Valves different from DGX Premium Nitrox Ready Valves?
- Dive Rite XT Regulator Differences
- How to resurrect a completely dead Poseidon Smart Module
- Regulators and Required-stop Accelerated Decompression
- Garmin Descent Mk2/Mk2i/Mk2s Model Differences
- Backplates and Your Height
- Apeks XTX Series Second Stage Differences
- Apeks XTX Series First Stage Differences
- Characteristics of Line on Dive Reels and Finger Spools
- Differences of Petrel vs Perdix Dive Computers
- CO2 Absorbent: 797 vs 812 vs 1025
- Why Choose SI TECH?
- Garmin Descent G Series vs Mk Series Differences
- Choosing Between the DGX Gears 1000-6 and 1000-8 Handheld Lights
- Drive Gas Options for the Booster
- Peregrine vs Perdix 2
- Differences of Teric vs Perdix 2 Ti Dive Computers
- Why Choose Apeks?
- DGX Gears brand D6 and XTRA regulators
- SCUBA Regulator DIN Connector O-ring Sizes
- Differences Between DGX and Thermo Brand Valves
- Alternative hose configuration for your Poseidon DSV/ADV/BOV
- Maintaining Poseidon Cable Connectors
- Why Choose DIVESOFT?
- SPG Depth Ratings
- Why we are ashamed to sell these...
- Why Choose XR by Mares?
- The NERD 2 from Shearwater Research
- Low-Pressure Breathing Gas Fittings on SCUBA Regulators and Hoses
- Basketball Shoes for Diving... Seriously?
- Compare the DGX 300 - 600 - 800 lights
- TransPac, TransPlate, and Hydro Lite Sizing
- DGX Custom Regulators - Have It Your Way
- Dive Rite's Gusset Control System
- Why Choose G-Dive?
- Recreational Nitrox Configuration of Shearwater Perdix
- Advice regarding travel with Sofnolime
- Replacing Air Cell Inflation Assembly Elbows
- Why Choose DGX Gears™ Brand Products?
- Why Choose Shearwater Research Dive Computers?
- Why dive Poseidon?
- Dive Rite Dual Armored Wing Options
- Why Choose Analytical Industries?
- Light Mount Sizing Chart
- Why Choose Dive Rite?
- Why Choose Ocean Management Systems?
- Why Choose Omni-Swivel International Products?
- Aluminum Cylinders at Dive Gear Express
- Steel Specialty Cylinders by Faber
- Dive Rite Air Cells Overview
- Steel High Pressure Cylinders by Faber
Articles
- Z Factors for SCUBA
- Choosing Your First Rebreather
- How to Select a SCUBA Tank
- Calculating SCUBA Cylinder Capacity
- CCR FAQ - Poseidon Se7en+
- Understanding Nitrox Ready and Oxygen Service
- Sofnolime Absorbent Selection And Handling
- South East Florida Diving Logistics
- O2ptima Scrubber Duration Test Results
- DGX Gears Harness Assembly Instructions
- About Oxygen Disclaimers
- Suggestions for Selecting a Wing
- What is a Rebreather?
- Assembling Double Cylinders
- Oxygen Sensor Handling
- How to Attach a Snap
- SCUBA Valves
- Lift Bags versus Marking Tubes