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The old Mk 2 did, and the single HP port MK 5 has the 3/8"HP port as well. The later Mk 5 had two HP ports, like the Mk 10, and they are the larger 7/16" size.

I like the NERD and I love the concept. However, I also know three separate divers who have had NERDs go black on them during dives, one of them has had this occur more than once. Based on that, I would not recommend a NERD as your only method of monitoring the loop. If you go that route...

Exactly. The problem is if the cells are "current limited", that's exactly what it means. The fuel cells, when exposed to a given elevated PPO2, are no longer generating enough current for the calibrated computer to reflect the correct PPO2. Whether it's expressed in millivolts or PPO2 is a...

I see it as two separate issues: 1) redundant loop monitoring 2) redundant deco information. We chose to go with a Smithers code HUD for redundant loop monitoring. Marci is more inclined to use it to reference her loop PPO2 on a regular basis than I am, but I do greatly appreciate it in...

I read the first edition shortly after it came out, 4-5 years, after I took a certification course for the Drager Dolphin, Atlantis and Ray. It helped me confirm that I hadn't missed anything leaving those SCR units in my wake. I re-read it before we moved to CCR about 2 years ago. I have...

Tom, Ken Gordon and Ken Sallot all addressed aspects of what's wrong with some of your assumptions. When we bought rebreathers, the folks I know who liked to do deep 300-500 foot dives all made recommendations based on the deepest perceived dive, and this focus on "deep", and in particular "too...

Whether you're doing individual bailout or team bailout, if you take a CO2 hit you're going to use a lot more gas than normal. In that regard, a team bailout approach should be based on at least 2x the normal gas needed to exit, not 1.5. However, once you're talking a team bailout of 2x the...

Not all rebreathers are the same and the failure modes and vulnerabilities of each can be slightly different. If you dive an eCCR, the risk is complacency in letting the unit manage the PPO2, which works great until the unit fails and either stops adding O2 or adds to much. If the diver isn't...

Pete pretty much nails the primary reason I don't post much here anymore, and the same issue essentially killed the Cave Divers forum. It comes down to personality traits and having too many cave and technical divers that are way too ego driven. The smallish percentage who cause this...

I changed my routing slightly to allow the bungee to be free floating from side to side. However that was designed to allow me to carry my Sidekick higher on the side than I could otherwise. Essentially I clip the CCR on the right side, and then once I am in the water, I pull the free floating...

Regardless of whether you choose to do your cave training in back mount doubles or side mount doubles, you need to be competent in the configuration before you show up for a class. Otherwise, you'll be spending time fixing the configuration rather than actually learning cave diving skills...

Tighter isn't always better. It really depends on the application. I some cases tighter is better (within reason). The Scubapro Mk 10 for example is a great design, but it was designed for 3000 psi pressures. With a DIN conversion kit they *usually* work just fine at 3600-3800 psi pressures...

I didn't forget one. Atomic is in the same category as Scubapro, which "assembles" their own regulators in their factory in Italy - but the actual parts are made by Tabata. There is a big difference between making and assembling a regulator. It makes no sense for Scubapro - or Atomic - to...

This is exactly right. You can get basically the same OEM regulator design in several brands. Dive Rite for example, sells the same basic first stage design that can be had from other companies. There are however differences in the details and more importantly in the specified tolerances...

Those are pretty typical conditions in the summer in many of the smaller and or shallower lakes in the area. You got lucky last year if you had better viz at Sylvan Lake. Shallow lakes, or lakes with large areas of shallow water in that area end up with higher water temps, and warmer water has...

I don't visit Scubaboard much any more either. I got really tired of the drama. I mostly log in after someone PM's me for input or when I have a very specific reason for looking for a particular topic in one of the sub forums. But...having been invited I'll put in a few thoughts on S600...

Halcyon and Scubapro developed an agreement several years ago where Scuabpro would sell rebranded Halcyon back plates (and wings, but Scubapro made some not so great changes to them) while Halcyon would sell the Mk 17 and Mk 25 first stages and the G250V and R390 second stages with some minor...

That's welcome news. There is some good diving in the area, and there used to be a fair number of active dives. Things started sliding down hill when the area lost one of it's shops and quickly plummeted over the edge when Mike sold the remaining dive shop. It's new owners offended me enough...

I can add a few comments about Cold brook. The outlet is basically a stand pipe where water flows over the top, maintaining a constant maximum water level. It's not a threat to divers and there are usually some large fish hanging out around it. The bottom is generally sand and silt with a...

This is my last comment on the topic - the thought has been thrown out there and it'll either resonate or it won't. Please read what you just wrote, and think about the message you just sent: "As you know, you put 5 cave divers in a room, and you will probably get (at least) 10 solutions. We...