Divers who are skilled in technical diving will need a wide range of equipment. Backplates, which are used in conjunction with a harness, can be made of stainless steel or carbon fiber. Diver gear that isn't technical includes lights, rebreathers stage tanks, safety boss buoys, bailout bottles, and dive knives. These items are necessary to ensure your safety while diving.
Equipment used by technical divers
Technical divers often use more advanced equipment than recreational divers. It can include specialized gear that can be used when conditions are hazardous and sophisticated computers that assist in monitoring their decompression as well as other dive-related data. Multigas dive computer allows divers to modify gas blends in real time and regulate their decompression. Submersible pressure gags are also vital. They help divers check the amount of air in their tanks. Dry suits are essential for long-duration dives and provide a layer of insulation to the wearer. Other diving equipment includes a slate, compass, and delayed surface marker buoy. A decompression trapeze can help divers maintain correct depth during in-water decompression stops. A lift bag is also used to carry the equipment.
A full face mask is used by technical divers to cover the nose, mouth and eyes. It can also be used to lift the diver from the water. A buddy line or shotline is another item technical divers may require. A shotline is a line connected to a shot weight to give a diver a reference point for their descent. A buddyline connects two divers in shallow water to one another and prevents them getting separated. A jonline attaches the diver and to a shotline. A surface marker buoy shows the position of divers to the people at the top.
Equipment used by ice divers
For safety reasons, ice divers may use several types of equipment. They generally use two-stage regulators. This allows the diver to switch between the two without the need for a second tank. In the event that the first-stage regulator fails, the diver can easily attach the second stage regulator to the damaged one. Double tanks, which are redundant air supply systems and air delivery systems for ice divers, are common.
Support personnel must be accessible above the ice when ice diving. The safety cord is attached to the diver’s harness. This acts as a communication tool in an emergency. Safety lines can extend up to 150 feet. In some cases, the two-person team may use separate lines. The line tenders must be dressed in thermal protection and may need to enter the water if the diver becomes separated from them.
Before going ice diving, teams must prepare the area by cutting a hole in the Ice. The most common tool used for cutting the ice is a chainsaw. However, it should be used carefully. The hole should not be too rough to cause damage to the equipment or diver. Many ice divers opt to cut triangle-shaped openings, which offer safer entry and exit.
Decompression divers use equipment
Special equipment is used by decompression divers when they're underwater. Multigas dive computers track divers' decompression needs, and permit them to switch between the different gases in a tank. The submersible pressure indicator shows how much air is left in the cylinder. Decompression divers also use a dry suit to provide insulation for long dives.
A diver can also use equipment that connects directly to a support platform. Divers can use this equipment to adjust the stop depth and monitor their depth. The umbilical provides the breathing gas for the diver's helmet. It may also contain two way communications, a depth measure tube, a camera, or hot water to warm his dive suit.
A jonline, a long-lined instrument used by divers to aid in their search and work sessions, is an important piece. A lifting bag is another important piece of equipment. This is an airtight bag which is attached to a heavy line and suspended at bottom of diving chamber. These tools allow divers to lift heavy objects out of the water and then use them as floats when filled with air. Shot lines are also used by decompression divers. They consist of a weight and a line that allow them to navigate to the surface, and then make a safety stop.