Which practice should be adopted for managing gas use during a dive?

Managing gas use during a dive is crucial for diver safety and enjoyment, and planning conservatively is the best practice for this purpose. This approach involves setting conservative limits on depth and bottom time, allowing for a buffer in gas consumption to handle unexpected situations, such as extended exploration or delays in ascent.

By checking gas levels frequently throughout the dive, divers can make informed decisions about how much gas they have remaining, which helps them avoid situations where they might run low on gas before returning to the surface safely. This practice also allows divers to adhere to a pre-planned dive profile and manage any changes or emergencies effectively.

In contrast, diving aggressively can lead to gas consumption that exceeds planned limits, while only checking gas levels once can result in running low without realizing it. Using maximum allowable depths may also increase gas consumption unnecessarily, putting divers at risk. Thus, the emphasis on conservative planning and frequent checking is essential for safe diving practices.