On the question of helmets, Jesse is correct in pointing out that there is not
logical reason to 
wear them, unless they are required for safety reasons (ie. working dive,
obstructed area, impact 
hazard(s)), in which case you should be wearing a Superlite or other helmet
with surface supplied 
gas, electronic communications, surface support team, etc., and steel toed
boots.

As for helmet mounted lights, there are circumstances where these are the most
appropriate tool, 
such as working dives with commercial equipment as mentioned above, or for
search and rescue.  
Canadian Coast Guard SAR divers use a light mounted on the frame of an AGA full
face mask (no 
helmets).  We frequently dive in zero visibility environments or in overturned
vessels for the 
purpose of recovering survivors.  Stabilizing these vessels and aircraft to
prevent them from 
sinking or changing attitude requires the strategic placement of lift bags or
preventer lines which 
must be placed by divers, a task which is complicated by the use of hand held
lighting.  As well, 
searches, both in open water and inside vessels and vehicles, necessitate the
use of both hands for 
an effective reconnaisance by touch, especially in zero vis, and for using
extrication and other 
tools.  The mask mounted light is the best option for these working dives when
the visibility 
conditions are not known before the dive.

For non working dives, including wreck penetrations or ice dives, I use a hip
mounted canister 
light, no exceptions.  This whole helmet thing was created by people looking
for a way to use their 
cheap dive lights by mounting more of them, because they are not using the
right equipment in the 
first place.  Golf anyone?

-Sean



On Wed, 7 Jan 1998 05:39:17 -0600, Jesse Armantrout wrote:

>There just is no good reason to have them.  Scooters, thought they may seem
>fast, are traveling at around 150 feet per minute, or 1.75 miles per hour. 
>That is the speed of a SLOW walk.  Now if I bang my head while moving at
>that speed on land, I may let out a few choice words, but I doubt I will do
>any real damage.  In fact, if I walked around on land with a wetsuit hood
>on and banged my head, I might only say "darn!"  If you are only swimming,
>and not even scootering, well, you get the idea.
>
>The bad point is that if your long hose is where it should be, (behind your
>neck) the helmet is a snagging point as you go to give it up.  Same with a
>proper light.  When surveying or writing notes, the light cord goes behind
>the neck.
>
>As for helmet mounted lights, well, that just shows a complete lack of
>thought about ones gear.  How do you signal "OK" with a helmet mounted
>light?   Or distress? Everytime you look at something, your buddy is going
>to think you are signalling and everytime you look at your buudy you will
>blind him.
>
>In short, it may seem to some that helmets look "tech chic" but there
>really just is no reason to have them in a wet filled cave.
>
>Trout
>----------
>> From: Pete Young <youngpk@in*.bt*.co*.uk*>
>> To: gmirvine@sa*.ne*
>> Cc: techdiver@aquanaut.com
>> Subject: Re: Scuba World Interview with George Irvine
>> Date: Wednesday, January 07, 1998 3:19 AM
>> 
>> 
>> Incidentally George, what is it that you don't like about helmets?
>> Streamlining, or is there something else?
>> 
>> Regards
>> 
>> Pete
>> 
>>   ____________________________________________________________________
>>   Pete Young     pete.young@bt*.bt*.co*.uk*      Phone +44 1473 605525
>>       "Just another crouton, floating on the bouillabaisse of life"
>> --
>> Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'.
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>Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'.
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