Do you read dive magazines?

[Grateful Diver]

Do you read dive magazines?

How seriously do you take what they tell you?

Maybe it depends on the magazine? What about a magazine that calls itself "Dive Training"?

What do you think of this picture?



... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[Lonestar]

I was just reading that very article in the ol WC! Bet you don't like their choice of walking shoes huh?

[Nwbrewer]

Hey I saw them at the T-dock on Sunday! It must have been a long walk to the geodome.

And no, the only dive magazine I read is DAN's mag, and articles online from Advanced Diver. The rest as far as I can tell are full of terrible articles and adds for whatever latest dangly thing that's been added to the trident catalog.

[spatman]

i flip through Dive Training occasionally, and usually cringe when i get to that section, honestly.

not too many good diving magazines anymore, especially now that ADM is online only.

anyone read Fathoms when it was in print? that one i enjoyed.

[ktb]

Reading "Dive Training" usually reaffirms for me that if you can dive in the PNW, you can dive anywhere. (Recreationally speaking, of course.) I haven't done much dive traveling yet, but wow--I am soooo thankful for the training I've received and the experience I've accumulated in the PNW. And I'm also thankful for this community of divers who push me to be better.

But mostly I just look at the hot guys in wetsuits.

[Blaiz]

But mostly I just look at the hot guys in wetsuits.

Same here.

[Grateful Diver]

And no, the only dive magazine I read is DAN's mag ...

I've pretty much given up on Alert Diver, after the article about the dude who lost his dive buddy, kept diving and eventually ran out of air.

DAN's advice for that fellow?

Get a pony bottle ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[Nwbrewer]

And no, the only dive magazine I read is DAN's mag ...

I've pretty much given up on Alert Diver, after the article about the dude who lost his dive buddy, kept diving and eventually ran out of air.

DAN's advice for that fellow?

Get a pony bottle ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Yeah, that article an "What to do if your computer fails" wasn't great either, but hey, they DID have a fair article about BP/w's. If they made it an option, like add $5 to your DAN membership to receive Alert Diver, I'd probably opt-out. Though some of the photo's in the "new" AD are pretty nice to check out.

[LCF]

I read them, but I'm not sure why, except that I find it difficult to resist anything having to do with diving.

Dive Training's articles by Brylske are generally pretty good, though.

And I always have to remind myself that technique articles are really aimed at PADI's "active diver", who does nine dives a year . . .

The only really good dive magazine I've read is the NAUI professional's journal. THAT actually has some good educational material in it. I wish it were generally available by subscription, because I would take it. Oh, and Quest frequently has some good stuff in it, although the philosophy articles are WAY out there.

[eliseaboo]

The boat's anchor is a good starting place for sure. Helps if the boat is attached to it too...

[John Rawlings]

The "general public" dive mags are pretty much fluff and nonsense. Every now and then there will be a gem hidden away in them, but you have to shovel through so much BS to find them that I rarely bother.

Now that Advanced Diver Magazine has gone completely over to an on-line version, the only "hard-copy" magazine that I avidly read is Wreck Diving Magazine. Though limited in scope to only articles about wrecks, it's a great read:

http://wreckdivingmag.com/

Like ADM, it's owned by a husband and wife team and comes out quarterly. It's definitely worth a look for those of you searching for serious "dive fodder"!

- John

[Sounder]

The only really good dive magazine I've read is the NAUI professional's journal. THAT actually has some good educational material in it. I wish it were generally available by subscription, because I would take it. Oh, and Quest frequently has some good stuff in it, although the philosophy articles are WAY out there.

I'll change my address and have my copies sent to you. I don't find them of much use, and usually the quick thumb-through is all they get before hitting the recycle bin (if that).

I used to read all the dive rags, but it seems like Dive Training is cyclical in content. Last year I had a morning coffee meeting with the publisher of Dive Training, and he confirmed my impressions - they aim at divers in the first 12-18 months of their diving career, so there are several common subjects that come up every 24 months or so. It's a model that works for them, but I found the timing just about perfect - I became less interested about 24 months into reading it.

I also used to get the NWDN and DT mags at my local dive shop, but as I don't go into a retail store now as often as I used to, I have less opportunities to pick them up.

[lizard0924]

But mostly I just look at the hot guys in wetsuits.

Yeah, the downside to PNW diving....all the hotties are bundled up in Weezles and drysuits. LOL.

[H20doctor]

the only one i read is Northwest dive News ... they have great dive write ups

[SeattleYates]

Most of the dive magazines seem so beholden to their advertisers that it's hard to feel like you're getting much more than ads (even in the "articles"), whether it's about equipment or dive destinations. I recognize that economic realities may have made that necessary, but it's still frustrating. Nevertheless, I occasionally find an interesting article about safety, studies, etc. here and there, so I still subscribe to several of them (Alert Diver and Scuba Diving come to mind). But it's interesting that you raise this topic, because I've been thinking lately of dropping them, too.

The only one I still find to be objective and useful (recognizing that I damaged my own credibility recently) is Undercurrent (http://undercurrent.org/). Although it is primarily focused on dive travel, as a non-profit publication, it does contain objective, useful info about equipment (e.g., recalls), dive safety, legal issues, etc., in addition to good reviews of dive resorts and liveaboards.

[Grateful Diver]

But mostly I just look at the hot guys in wetsuits.

Yeah, the downside to PNW diving....all the hotties are bundled up in Weezles and drysuits. LOL.

It's a generalization, but I happen to find a woman in a drysuit incredibly appealing ... just the fact that she's willing to go to all that effort to go dive in cold, murky water tells me she's probably someone I'd enjoy spending time with ... a little snot on the face makes her even more so ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[ktb]

But mostly I just look at the hot guys in wetsuits.

Yeah, the downside to PNW diving....all the hotties are bundled up in Weezles and drysuits. LOL.

It's a generalization, but I happen to find a woman in a drysuit incredibly appealing ... just the fact that she's willing to go to all that effort to go dive in cold, murky water tells me she's probably someone I'd enjoy spending time with ... a little snot on the face makes her even more so ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Oh Bob, quit flirting . . . :luv:

[scottsax]

But mostly I just look at the hot guys in wetsuits.

Yeah, the downside to PNW diving....all the hotties are bundled up in Weezles and drysuits. LOL.

It's a generalization, but I happen to find a woman in a drysuit incredibly appealing ... just the fact that she's willing to go to all that effort to go dive in cold, murky water tells me she's probably someone I'd enjoy spending time with ... a little snot on the face makes her even more so ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Oh Bob, quit flirting . . . :luv:

To answer Bob's OP, I have a love/hate relationship with dive magazines. I like the pretty pictures, but there's rarely anything of substance/interest to a cold-water diver in them. They do make my girlfriend want to go to some of the tropical places featured, so that's cool....

Speaking of which, she was a little horrified when I told her there was no greater aphrodisiac than the scent of seawater and neoprene. I don't think she's quite on board with it.






Yet....

[Blaiz]

But mostly I just look at the hot guys in wetsuits.

Yeah, the downside to PNW diving....all the hotties are bundled up in Weezles and drysuits. LOL.

It's a generalization, but I happen to find a woman in a drysuit incredibly appealing ... just the fact that she's willing to go to all that effort to go dive in cold, murky water tells me she's probably someone I'd enjoy spending time with ... a little snot on the face makes her even more so ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Oh Bob, quit flirting . . . :luv:

I disagree... do go on, sir...

[ArcticDiver]

When I got close to being at least the 80% arbiter of my own time I took a good look at all my magazines, including diving. First, question was whether I could get the magazine online. DiveTraining said they had no plans of ever going online. They viewed their market as a marketing aid for dive shops. So, I cancelled my subscription and received a full refund. Frankly I never did think very much of their quality, but the subscription was fairly cheap.

After a similar review I found no dive magazine for which I would pay extra over and above a membership. This includes Alert Diver. I get that magazine because I have DAN insurance. I have DAN insurance because they are currently the best deal. Their articles and pronouncements are well worded inflations; reminds me of one of my professors in undergraduate school who could stretch 15 minutes of information and supposition into an hour lecture and then publish a paper on it.

One of the posts about hotties reminds me of one of my early dives. I was on a dive boat in warm water and having a good conversation with a lady from Chicago who was sharing with me why she became an active diver. "I just love to see the guys get into and out of their wet suits. The guys at home have such guts it is no fun to watch them."

[kat]

i am down with the idea of stripping hotties, though i don't think i would put much thought or care into what they are peeling off...

[nwbobber]

I like NW Dive News, for the local articles, and now and then there is something interesting in alert diver. I enjoy ADM also, but have to be careful, too much interest could be very bad for my finances.

[Mongo]

I am ashamed to say that I have a subscription to Sport Diver.

I took only a couple of magazines to realize they (PADI) don't cater to us crazy cold water divers. In fact, aside from the pretty pictures of tropical dives, it is really just a dive shop flyer - lots of gear advertisments.

Speaking of gear, I am not too crazy about thier gear reviews either. They rarely have anything critical to say about equipment. Appearently, its all good.

[Lonestar]

You forgot the moon boots Bob, Weezles, dry suits and Moon Boots.

[BASSMAN]

I have dozens of Dive magazines Iv'e never even looked at. Or at best, I've flipped through a few to see some great photography. DAN Magazine and ADM are my favorites. Oh, and NW Dive News is good too!