Though it would all seem to be the same in the end, the last time I checked (and it has been a while), making stops seemed to lessen risk compared to making a continuous slow ascent. Logically (and who ever said logic applies to these things? ), it would seem that making a continous ascent at a slow enough rate should come out the same. However, as of the last time I read up on the subject, it did not in fact come out the same. This is why even chamber dives use dedicated stops (along with very slow ascents) rather than continous ascents once treatment depths have been completed.