The band mask was the size of a dinner plate when I started in 1999

First job out of dive school was a pipeline crossing in the Gulf out of Morgan City, and we were still running a heavy gear hat with a neck ring bigger than my shoulders. Last week I watched a kid on my crew pull a lightweight band mask out of a bag with one hand and I just shook my head. We used to spend 20 minutes just getting dressed and another 15 on the comms check. The new gear is safer and I get that, but I miss knowing that if the surface went quiet, my hat alone would keep me breathing for a bit. Any old timers here still keep a spare neck ring in their truck just in case?

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carr.brooke11d ago

Honestly I used to roll my eyes at the new lightweight stuff too, figured it was made for guys who couldn't handle the old hats. Then a buddy of mine got tangled up on a job and his band mask let him slip out of a pinch I don't think a heavy rig would have. Changed my mind after that, lol. Still keep my old neck ring in the truck though, some habits you don't drop.

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