Best CCR in 2025-2030 Rebreather Markets

[BoltSnap]

There are reasons to choose rebreathers other than rEvo

Like what, please?

 

[mr_v]

Like what, please?

Multiple lung and scrubber configurations that allow you to optimize the unit for various dive profiles.

@Wibble and I are friends IRL, and so I say this lovingly: his incident summary did not do the unit or training justice.

You can dive a moderately flooded rEvo without drinking the caustic cocktail. If a flood is significant to the point where your can and scrubber are flooded, then BO is the best option on most units. You may remove water from the exhaust lung on many CCRs, but once the water is in the can... Well, it is in the can. I believe SF2 is the only exception.

 

[macado]

No, it does not happen frequently, let's stop this FUD. There are reasons to choose rebreathers other than rEvo, but water removal from the unit is not the top one.

I don't even know why I am still responding to this thread but I find myself coming to defend the rEvo. I agree with @mr_v

Many consider the ability to de-water a rebreather a very important critical safety feature. I wont argue that but it is not the panacea that people make it out to be. It's one of the reasons I like diving my IQsub-made rebreather. It has the ability to de-water very easy and will tolerate a large amount of water ingress without delivering the user a caustic cocktail. Plenty of other units that share similar design attributes are no different (JJ / X-CCR / Meg, Inspiration just to same a few). They can all claim the same thing.

There are also several super popular units on the market right now that have very little to no flood tolerance or direct de-watering abilities. That hasn't stopped their popularity or "cool kid" status.

The KISS Sidewinder, Fathom Gemini are two such examples. They're both popular rebreathers where any water will dump directly into the exhale scrubber. More or less, the same as the rEvo. One can argue they can take a decent amount of water but I know more than several people who have gotten caustics on both units. Still there are plenty of people who swear by them and will do very long dives on them. Without sounding like a broken record, there is no perfect unit. If there was then we would all be diving it.

Most times I would say a flood is caused by user error however sometimes something as innocuous as ripped mouthpiece, ripped loop hose, ripped counterlung or rolled o-ring can cause it.

I just find it ironic that half the people that hate on the rEvo mostly because of "dive politics" are usually diving a Sidewinder or Gemini. Both units which have arguably less flood tolerance than a rEvo.

 

[rjack321]

@Wibble and I are friends IRL, and so I say this lovingly: his incident summary did not do the unit or training justice.

My sincerest condolences

 

[Pavao]

Most times I would say a flood is caused by user error however sometimes something as innocuous as ripped mouthpiece, ripped loop hose, ripped counterlung or rolled o-ring can cause it.

In the past I’d agree that ripped mouthpiece would not be user error, but now that I have experienced a ripped mouthpiece in a 5 hour dive, right from the start, I know now the difference and should be able to catch it were it to happen again. I had a lot of water in the can and since it was uneventful I’m glad I saw my unit (Fathom) can tolerate it.

Loop hoses, counterlung, o-rings should be caught on positive/negative, that’d certainly be user error, unless it happens during the dive if that’s what you meant.


And yeah, why are we still in this thread, we must like being trolled from time to time.

 

[stuartv]

@stuartv had a similar experience a while back. This is concerning if it happens this frequently.

My issue was only similar in that my rEvo flooded during a dive. Otherwise, it was totally different.

My rEvo flooding (to keep it short) was totally user error during the build. I.e. it was my fault. I screwed up during the build and checklist. It slowly flooded during the dive.

Fortunately, and contrary to what people keep posting, in my opinion anyway:

The rEvo is very flood-tolerant. My unit had a shload of water in the inhale counterlung (the worst place to have it) and it had so little effect on the work of breathing that I wasn't even sure anything was wrong. I only KNEW it was flooded when I had ascended to about 30 feet (IIRC) and rolled on my side to look up the anchor line to make sure I wasn't about to run into anyone.

That is when the caustic finally got on some of my sensors and they went out to lunch. Thanks to the rEvo having (in my case) 5 sensors in it, with a completely physically isolated O2 sensor monitor, I lost the 3 sensors connected to my controller, but still had 2 good sensors connected to my NERD monitor and I was able to complete the dive on the loop and with good, correct deco information still displayed to me.

The rEvo is also very flood-resistant (if you are not a total dumb@ss during the build). It has the least number of O-rings/connections in the loop of any unit on the market (I think). I.e. the least number of places to have a leak. The counterlungs are also the best protected against damage. Some other units are equally well protected, but obviously units with exposed external counterlungs are more at risk for a torn/holed counterlung during a dive.

It is flood-tolerant and flood-resistant. It only lacks a good ability to get water out during a dive. Fortunately, thanks to the aforementioned characteristics, not being able to de-water it is really a non-issue (in my opinion). I mean you ARE always prepared to finish your dive on bail out if necessary, aren't you?

My sincerest condolences

lol! To which one?

 

[Dsix36]

A rEvo CAN be dewatered if you want to badly enough. It is not easy, particularly pretty, or safe but it can be done. I have done it several times and still do it occassionally just to keep my skill current. I would venture a guess that other units that are accused of not being able to dewater can also be done if the desire was there.

 

[Mas.]

Thanks to everyone. If dewatering is a non-issue for a diver, does anyone know any reason to choose any other rebreather, other than the rEvo iii?

It is flood-tolerant and flood-resistant.

A rEvo CAN be dewatered if you want to badly enough.

Multiple lung and scrubber configurations that allow you to optimize the unit for various dive profiles.

 

[stuartv]

A rEvo CAN be dewatered if you want to badly enough. It is not easy, particularly pretty, or safe but it can be done. I have done it several times and still do it occassionally just to keep my skill current. I would venture a guess that other units that are accused of not being able to dewater can also be done if the desire was there.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you mean that you CAN get the water out if it's in the exhale lung. But, if it's in the inhale lung (as it was when I flooded mine), there is no getting it out and, really, you need to bail to avoid possibly inhaling caustic.

Thanks to everyone. If dewatering is a non-issue for a diver, does anyone know any reason to choose any other breather other than the rEvo iii?

The rEvo III is the first CCR I learned to dive and still my main unit.

But, for cave diving, I much prefer my Choptima. The Choptima breathes perfectly fine in just about any position, including perfectly horizontal flat. The rEvo breathes fine when I'm just slightly head up in my trim. The rEvo is totally fine and still my preferred unit for everything else. But, for cave diving, I found that a 2+ hour swim against current on the rEvo while trying to stay perfectly flat in trim became very unpleasant for me. With the Choptima, I can do the same dive and the breathing remains as easy as sitting on my couch the whole time.

As someone else already said, there is no "perfect" CCR.

 

[mr_v]

Thanks to everyone. If dewatering is a non-issue for a diver, does anyone know any reason to choose any other rebreather, other than the rEvo iii?

There are several, but the answers won't mean anything to you. Get CC training. Then come back with questions.