Decompression 40: When Recreational Limits Aren’t Enough

Decompression 40: When Recreational Limits Aren’t Enough

There comes a point in many divers’ journeys where dives start to feel different.

You’re comfortable at depth.
You’re calm on air or nitrox.
You know your limits, but you’re starting to brush up against them.

Bottom time matters more. Ascents require planning. Gas choices affect safety, not just comfort. And “no-stop” diving no longer tells the whole story.

This is where Decompression 40 (Air & Nitrox) fits.

What Is Decompression 40?

Decompression 40 is designed for divers who want to safely move beyond no-decompression limits and learn how to plan, manage, and execute controlled decompression dives to 40 metres / 130 feet using air or nitrox.

It’s not about chasing depth.
It’s about structure, discipline, and decision-making as dives become more complex.

This course introduces planned decompression in a deliberate, conservative way, building skills that make you a more capable, self-reliant diver, not just a deeper one.

What You’ll Learn

During Decompression 40, you’ll develop the knowledge and practical skills needed to manage decompression safely and confidently.

You’ll learn how to:

• Plan and execute decompression dives using air, nitrox, and oxygen

• Manage ascent profiles with appropriate gas reserves, including contingency planning

• Use higher-oxygen nitrox (up to 100% O₂) in a single stage cylinder to optimise decompression

• Apply clear PO₂ limits for both bottom and decompression gases

• Maintain precise buoyancy, trim, and control throughout complex ascents

• Execute safe gas switches and shutdown procedures

• Deploy SMBs, manage team positioning, and handle simulated and real decompression stops

This training is about doing the fundamentals properly, under increasing task load, so your responses become automatic when it matters.

Who Is This Course For?

Decompression 40 is aimed at divers who already have:

• Solid depth experience

• Nitrox certification

• Good in-water control and situational awareness

If you’re regularly diving near recreational depth limits and starting to feel that your dives need more planning, more gas awareness, and more margin, this course is a natural next step.

Both Sidemount and Twinset configurations are fully supported, and configuration training can be integrated where appropriate.

What Does Decompression 40 Training Look Like?

Certification involves a blend of theory, skill development, and real-world application.

You’ll complete:

• Comprehensive online academics covering equipment, physics, physiology, and dive management

• Confined water training to refine precision skills before depth is added

• Multiple open water dives, including at least one actual decompression dive

• Progressive skill development including gas sharing, shutdowns, controlled ascents, and decompression protocols

All dives are conducted with conservative profiles and clear depth limits, under the direct supervision of a RAID Decompression Instructor.

Why Divers Choose Decompression 40

For many divers, this course represents a turning point.

Not because it unlocks depth, but because it changes how you think.

You plan more carefully.
You understand gas in a deeper way.
You ascend with intention, not hope.

For some, Decompression 40 becomes the bridge into further technical training.
For others, it simply means safer, more controlled diving at the upper end of recreational limits.

Either way, it strengthens your foundations and gives you tools you’ll carry into every future dive.

If you’re ready to understand decompression properly, and approach deeper dives with clarity and confidence, Decompression 40 may be the right next step.

You can explore how this course fits within the wider RAID pathway here:

👉 https://diveraid.com/raid-new-tech-pathway-0/