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Tech diving… sounds intimidating to some, but what is the difference between technical and recreational diving? Simply put, it’s a matter of a few feet or minutes; diving beyond the 130ft (40 meters) recreational limits or longer than no-decompression limits. A tech diver crosses that imaginary line, whether it is depth or time, between the ability to make a direct ascent to the surface and being required to make decompression stops.
Seems like no big deal, but once a diver decides to cross that line into technical diving, it opens the door to an extensive list of requirements they need to meet.
Training:
Every technical diver starts out like every other diver, with the basics. Once they master those, they continue their training into understanding decompression, how and why to switch to different gas mixes, and how to handle problems at depth, manage the extra equipment and practice advanced dive skills.
The path of a recreational diver may lead to fish identification or rescue diver, while a technical diver may head towards Trimix diver or Rebreather diver.
Equipment:
Tech divers and recreational divers carry the same gear, but tech divers carry more of it. Because you cannot make a quick ascent, you need to have the equipment required to solve problems at depth. Multiple cylinders of gas, regulators, dive computers, cutting tools, SMBs, and even masks… Redundancy is the name of the game when it comes to technical diving.
Backmount and sidemount diving use similar equipment, but it is usually configured differently.
Backmount BCDs: Backmount BCDs are what most divers picture. There is a mount for the tank directly on the divers back, and a bladder in either a donut or wing shape. Technical BCDs allow for extra space in the back to accommodate twin tanks, allow for more lift, offer multiple attachment points for storing tools, stage bottles and more. BCDs for technical diving are often more modular, so a diver can customize their set-up to meet their needs and ensure a perfect fit.
Sidemount BCDs: Sidemount BCDs offer attachment points, bungees, clips, CAM bands and more to secure the tanks to the side of the diver. The bladder is shaped differently to promote proper horizontal trim. Sidemount BCDs accessory attachments points are configured to not conflict with the side mounted tanks.
Regulators for tech and recreational diving have similar designs with a few differences.
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- More of them: Because technical divers require more gas, they carry more tanks. A regulator is needed for each one of them. It is not uncommon for a technical diver to have 3 or more complete regulator sets.
- Configuration: With all those regulators comes a lot of extra hoses. Hoses need to be routed to remain organized. Hoses of different lengths and attached to various ports in the first stages are used to achieve this.
- Oxygen Regulators: Technical divers use different gas mixes; Gases with higher O2 concentrations are most often used. However, O2 can react with certain elements, so, O2 compatible regulators are needed. These regulators are usually designated with green for easy recognition on land at depth.
Accessories found on a tech diver:
Reels: Reels are used in both tech and rec. The difference is the size of the reel. Reels are used in caves, wrecks and drift decompressions, which require more line than on recreational dives. In the name of redundancy, tech divers carry multiple reels and finger spools.
Lights: Caves, wrecks and deep water offer little light, so technical divers bring their own… and a lot of it. Canister lights last the longest, but hand-held lights are quick, secure back-ups. The goodman handle is a common sight for tech divers. Hard or soft, the goodman handle straps the light to the top of the hand, making it hands-free.
Fins: With all that gear a tech diver is hauling around underwater, they need fins that will move a lot of water, are comfortable, allow for alternative kicks, and are easy to don and doff even with thick gloves.
Tech divers need their gear durable and reliable. That is why you’ll often see simple designs. Analog gauges won’t run out of batteries in 200ft of water. Fins with spring straps won’t snap a buckle while in a cave. Since tech divers can’t end the dive and go directly to the surface, they need their gear simple dependable. Now, that doesn’t mean tech divers don’t appreciate shiny gadgets and aren’t interested in new technology, but often it’s used alongside the other gear. After all, redundancy is the name of the game. Redundancy is the name of the game.
Is technical diving safe?
Our understanding of diving and decompression has grown substantially over the years. With the proper training and equipment, technical diving can safely take divers to places they cannot go as a recreational diver.
Who should try technical diving? Not all technical divers are adrenaline junkies. They are the curious divers that want to see what is beyond recreational limits. They are advanced divers that want to explore more and stay longer. They are divers, possibly you, that want to know more and continue their education.
By Megan Ehrenberg
Megan Ehrenberg joined the diving community in 2001, falling instantly in love. She is an accomplished technical wreck diver and enjoys all types of diving. She has worked throughout the diving industry and is knowledgeable in diving and dive equipment.
