First Rebreather Purchase - Lots of Questions

[jgttrey]

You just need one good, enjoyable try-dive to know that you want to pursue it further (though you could still ultimately find that CC is not for you for some reason).

Also, one would want to be careful about ruling out a particular unit based on a try-dive. I ruled out the DR, for me, and I still think my reasons were good ones (for me).

I agree with the latter but not the former. I think try dives are largely worthless. Most people I know, no matter what the unit, would not have pursued CCR after a try dive but for the assurances that "it gets better." Learning to dive CCR is, for most, a humbling and frustrating experience until it begins to click, which assuredly is not the case on a try dive. I think try dives on CCR are about as useful as a trial ride on a unicycle.

 

[stuartv]

I agree with the latter but not the former. I think try dives are largely worthless. Most people I know, no matter what the unit, would not have pursued CCR after a try dive but for the assurances that "it gets better." Learning to dive CCR is, for most, a humbling and frustrating experience until it begins to click, which assuredly is not the case on a try dive. I think try dives on CCR are about as useful as a trial ride on a unicycle.

My try-dive is what got me hooked. One of my buddies did the Dive Rite try-dive on the same day I did. He was also hooked. He just got a Prism a few months ago and is finishing his MOD 1 training now. Another buddy did a try-dive on an X CCR about a year ago. He loved it. 2 months later he bought a rEvo and is my main diving buddy now. None of us needed any assurances that it gets better.

Now that I think about it, it IS kind of funny that none of the 3 of us bought the unit we did a try-dive on. But, really, I think that is mainly because the local shop where we all planned to train (and both my buddies did train or are training) only teaches Prism and rEvo. My buddy that bought the Prism looked at a number of other units that I think he would have preferred. But, he could not find training for any of those units that was reasonable for him. So, the Prism and locally-available training won out.

For me, the try-dive felt neither humbling nor frustrating. The only part of it that I didn't like was how tail-heavy the O2ptima was and how much I had to work to stay horizontal. But, I think that's down to the instructor not taking enough time to get my trim weight truly sorted out before taking me out to swim laps around the hang bar in the quarry. Swimming laps around the hang bar at 15' was pretty easy (to stay +/- 1 - 2 feet of the bar, while swimming).

I think both my buddies felt pretty much the same way about their try-dives. I know that my one buddy that demoed the X did it in the Saint Lawrence River and he loved it. He had zero prior CCR experience, by the way. As did I on my try-dive.

 

[rjack321]

. My buddy that bought the Prism looked at a number of other units that I think he would have preferred. But, he could not find training for any of those units that was reasonable for him. So, the Prism and locally-available training won out.

This is really an under-appreciated element of CCR choice to me. My first unit (Meg 2.7) I found used on the local market and I knew I could take a local class which I was able to schedule within about 6 weeks of buying it. I also knew it probably wasn't my forever choice (it still is for some dives, not for others which is why I got a kiss)

 

[NAND]

...trying OC after some 100s dives on CCR always feels kinda wrong to me. Its somewhat fun as well but its just never is as good as when I was used to OC only.

 

[tbone1004]

I think that a try dive is fine to see if you are interested, but it's also possible that you may get turned off the idea, when it's really just a bad try dive for some reason.

I don't think that it's a good idea to do a bunch of try dives with the idea that you will buy the unit that you like best on those trials, and then get trained on it.

That's what I meant. A lot of people recommend trying out as many units to figure out which one you want then buy, but I don't think that's a good way to choose a unit, especially since they've nearly all normalized with Shearwater electronics

 

[rjack321]

That's what I meant. A lot of people recommend trying out as many units to figure out which one you want then buy, but I don't think that's a good way to choose a unit, especially since they've nearly all normalized with Shearwater electronics

Whatdya you mean? Find yourself a used hammerhead or optima with RevC+ electronics and a VR3. Perfection!

 

[happy-diver]

Have you seen this stuartv, sometimes my favorite poster

light looking & reading and looking

 

[stuartv]

Have you seen this stuartv, sometimes my favorite poster

light looking & reading and looking

I had not. Interesting historical perspective, but very old and quite out of date in much of the information.

 

[broncobowsher]

It looks as though most people scour the interwebs for months on end to finally land on two and then flip a coin on which rebreather they land on. Im hoping I can give a few bits of information and some tried and true experts on this forum can help me narrow the search while my wife will still let me make this purchase.

1. Currently diving with a Shearwater Perdix computer - which I thoroughly enjoy but am not 100% married to
2. Want the ability to travel with
3. Not really into tech diving - looking more for extended bottom times - super deep is not a big concern, but Id like to still have options down the road

Hopefully this narrows the field a bit.

Thanks!

Back to the original post. I've been off the grid (working) for a few days trying to play catch up. Probably missed some of the others replies...

1) Shearwater electronics are the major player and can be found in most brands. The Perdix will make a nice backup.
2) This is the biggest one I would suggest a lot more research on. Traveling has weight and size restrictions. The Revo micro packs small and fairly light, often as a carry on depending on airline. Others are not a travel friendly. So while not answered directly, this would be one to keep an eye on. I did a Revo not because it is the best rebreather, but I plan to travel and it looks like a good balance of travel and function. Unfortunately I have not traveled with it yet.
3) You can dive a tech rebreather recreationally, you can't dive a rec rebreather technically. For what you want to do they will all work fine. Yes, plenty of personal choices. None of them are perfect. Yes, that is correct. Pick the aspects that are important to you and filter that way.

So while I have not told you what to get (a few hints may have been put in there of my taste), hopefully I have cleared up what to look at a little more. Honestly, half of the rebreathers on the market would all fit your needs just fine. And do a few try dives. They are not and end all, but a bit of a sanity check to the piles of research you are about to get yourself into. Also research the instructor. The local instructor may not be the best choice. And while "free training with purchase" sounds good, with a rebreather you really need a good instructor and not just an instructor. So there is a whole pile of added research you need to do.

Just a little notice, for what you are wanting to do it is not the most economical way to dive. Rebreathers are expensive is so many ways. The up front costs are huge. Training is not cheap. And the running costs stack up as well. Getting O2 refills, sorb, regular O2 cell replacements. They can be economical, but that comes when you start going deep and needing Helium. But don't let that put you off. If you want one, you want one. That is all the excuse you need to get one. You have to have a technical background, understand PPO2. There is a lot more to it than open circuit of just attaching a regulator to a tank of air and jump in the water and watch the air consumption. You are making the air you breath, blending the amount of O2 with inert gas. While there are controllers that should take care of this on most models, you have to watch the controllers. Take over when they are not right. You are an active part of the diving system.

And your buoyancy is going to go to hell.

 

[Fibonacci]

Not feeling it?

Buy one like this from the factory
and after you carry it on in a shoulder bag
go and scratch around shallow or at 100M
and never pay new

@happy-diver I like the DSV... what brand is it?