SF2 or REvo rebreathers

[mmadiver]

What are the other 4? Anything can be a favorite, depending on what your other experience is.

Mk15, Inspo, Revo, and Drager (maybe it shouldn't count as it's an O2 rig.)

Perhaps it has bearing on this conversation, perhaps not, a casual observation I've made is that the people who have the most vitriol for the revo are:

1) From Florida
2) Are CCR instructors that teach on competing units

 

[Tassi Devil Diver]

a casual observation I've made is that the people who have the most vitriol for the revo are:

1) From Florida
2) Are CCR instructors that teach on competing units

My observations too.

rEvo kept pretty tight reins on unit instruction, sales and distribution in the many market areas and in doing this seems to have pissed a few people off around the place. Personally from a consumer point of view I found this rather refreshing and was good to see a manufacturer having such a hands on approach, however this looks like changing, for better or worse, with Mares buying rEvo.

 

[NAND]

Yeah, the German rEvo page wrote about this years 'boot'-exhibit in Düsseldorf. First time IANTD and rEvo were seperated slightly, with Mares now hosting rEvo.

However, little has changed, some useful upgrades were available for guests (which I unfortunately wasnt part)

http://www.revo-germany.de/images/news/2018_01_Boot.jpg
http://www.revo-germany.de/images/news/2018_01_Boot.jpg
This seems to add up to their market strategy, new rEvos now shown with Mares first stages and black 'arctic' cover. Anyway, I kinda like they test in that environment- very high salt content and low temperatures have killed equipment there before...

Diving/XR

The first stages became standard spares already:

MARES 25CCR First Stage G5/8 Oxygen (NON-CE)

Lets see what the future brings, feeling like a vintage diver already a bit oO

 

[Superlyte27]

I watched the Florida politics unfold. I knew the players, but wasn't a CCR instructor or even a Revo owner.

 

[broncobowsher]

Revo works just fine on the West coast, why do they have problems in Florida? Is there some hidden GPS that we don't know of?

 

[cathal]

I'm no rEvo fan boy and yes its the only unit I've ever used for the last 5 years, the customer service from the factory is appalling, the RMS should never have been released in 2012 due to the constant failing of the probes, RMS boards, I've had bad experiences from two rEvo Instructors but and a big BUT, the thing works, I've had it down to 130M and the WOB was just fine. I've only used it in openwater, I flooded it once at the start - user error, about a litre or so of water but it breathed fine. I have not read of flooded rEvo's during these years. I often wonder if you are using the gag strap how can you flood the unit?
To sum up, everything on the unit other than the RMS has been bulletproof for me in those last 5 years.

Cathal

 

[Superlyte27]

Like I said, flood was from a failed nut inside the counterlungs.

But you bring up another reason why I hate the Revo. Take a look at the depth limitation. It's real. Once you get to about 280' it simply doesn't input O2 into the loop without circumventing the engineering of the CCR.

I'd prefer my CCR to be designed to go to the depth I need it to go without rookie modification. And yes, I know how to make it go deeper. I've done it. But I shouldn't have to is my point.

 

[Superlyte27]

Is it impossible to flood the loop?
No?

Okay then, doing 6-10 hour cave dives, I'm going to need a rebreather that can recover from a flood.

 

[cathal]

Like I said, flood was from a failed nut inside the counterlungs.

Can you elaborate what exactly do you mean a failed nut? had it sheared off? had it become loose?

But you bring up another reason why I hate the Revo. Take a look at the depth limitation. It's real. Once you get to about 280' it simply doesn't input O2 into the loop without circumventing the engineering of the CCR.
I'd prefer my CCR to be designed to go to the depth I need it to go without rookie modification. And yes, I know how to make it go deeper. I've done it. But I shouldn't have to is my point.

Can you point to any other rebreather on the market with a leaky valve that does not have a depth limitation?

Regarding your WOB issues at depth what % helium were you using?

 

[Superlyte27]

The nut came loose and fell off inside the counterlungs. My Revo class was taught by Paul himself. This possibility certainly wasn't covered in class, nor is it part of the build checklist.

As to your leaky valve question, I don't know any leaky valve without the limitation, which is why I'll never own a leaky valve ccr.

Usually 10/65 or 10/70 at 300'ish feet. It's not the helium, it's that back mounted counterlungs suck. Anyone who has spent serious time on bmcl and then switches to fmcl never tries to this point. Again, dive out of trim, and it's not an issue.