Hot take: Hard hat vs. hookah for deep water - which side are you on?

I been diving for about 4 years now and always swore by hard hat rigs for anything past 60 feet. Last month a guy I work with in Gulf of Mexico told me I was crazy and he runs hookah down to 120 all the time. Got me thinking maybe I been overcomplicating things the whole time. Anyone here switch from one to the other and regret it or love it?

2 comments

2 Comments

lisa_grant10d ago

Wait, 120 feet on a hookah? That can't be right, can it? I mean I know some people push the limits but that sounds like a death wish waiting to happen. I've seen too many hookah lines get tangled or kinked at even 40 feet to trust one past 60. What kind of setup does this guy run that lets him breathe easy at that depth? I'm genuinely curious because all the training I got said hard hat is the only safe option for anything deep. Does he have some special compressor or something?

robin_foster110d ago

Haven't you ever seen those guys running a gas powered diaphragm compressor on deck with a 3/4 inch ID hose and a proper stainless steel demand regulator? That's night and day different from the cheap 12-volt electric pumps and flimsy clear tubing most people call a "hookah.