Are 6351-T6 Alloy Scuba Cylinders Safe to Use?

After the rupturing of two alloy scuba cylinders, many wonder if they are safe to use? While cracking was documented in these cylinders, a major issue with their use is lack of consistent training and regulation in the testers, inspectors and fill-station operators.

A Black man inspects a cylinder with a tiny rope light

Decompression, Stage, and Bailout Cylinders

DIFFERENT TERMS CAN SOMETIMES DESCRIBE the same piece of equipment in the dive industry. What some divers call a dive light, for example, others call a dive torch. They are physically identical, so the names are interchangeable …

dive industry equipment terminology confusion; dive industry equipment terminology confusion

The Dive Light: A Tool for All Divers

The dive light is essential equipment that can benefit all divers on most dives. There are several types of lights with various uses and a few key considerations you should make before purchasing. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to dive lights, so each diver must carefully consider their own goals and needs before deciding which model is most useful.

Lights are tools for all divers

Dive Knives and Cutting Devices

THE DIVE KNIFE IS AN ICONIC PART OF A SCUBA DIVER’S GEAR. Since the inception of diving as a recreational activity, the dive knife’s presence in a diver’s equipment has […]

Freediving Fins Reinvented

IN THE 1900s UMBERTO PELIZZARI was a young diver from Busto Arsizio, Italy, who was making headlines by breaking world records in constant weight and variable weight freediving. Needing an […]

Carbon fiber fins, safer freediving, Alert Diver magazine Q4 2023

Go Where No One Has Gone Before

To pee or not to pee? That is not the question for technical divers, instructors, or others who spend long hours in the water. Proper hydration and comfort ensure that urine will flow. The question is, What’s the best way to handle it? 

Andy Pitkin uses a bailout rebreather and dual scooters

Spearfishing Safety

The decision to sustainably harvest marine life can spark vigorous discussions among divers. Regardless of your views, there are benefits to understanding the equipment, procedures, and dangers associated with spearfishing.

There is no catch and release when spearfishing.

Oxygen

Oxygen has long been recognized as the primary first aid for scuba diving injuries. In light of compelling evidence in favor of oxygen first aid, one of DAN’s stated missions is to ensure that oxygen first aid equipment and people trained in its use are at every dive site.

Woman in pink tank top assists man on oxygen tank

Shark Deterrents

Many divers seek interactions with sharks, but others actively seek to avoid them. As long as sharks are in the water, people will look for ways to reduce the lethality of a shark bite or decrease encounters altogether. 

shark feeding

Understanding Oxygen Kit Components

Oxygen is the standard of care for first aid in dive injuries. You do not need to determine if the injured person is experiencing decompression sickness (DCS), arterial gas embolism (AGE), or nonfatal drowning, as oxygen can be beneficial in all these situations.

Assisting with oxygen kit