CCR: Tool or death trap?

[Rick Murchison]

John, I don't agree and personally feel that continuing to use words like "death trap" tend to continue the perception...

While I understand where you're coming from, in this case I don't think it applies. Those who have enough understanding of RB issues to have an opinion that matters aren't going to be put off by it, and those who are put off by it have no business messing with RBs anyway.
(my opinion, of course)

Rick

 

[Slamfire]

IMHO it's easy to give that reply when you aren't really having to decide. I think we all know people who have had DCS or some other event that had caused an MD to recommend they not not dive or not to the extreme that they are used to and yet they continue to dive. Call it denial, stupidity, hardheadedness or whatever, but it happens frequently.

I know one that is an MD himself. He's "trying" to stay on the light side of diving, but he does get tempted and sometimes gives in to temptation. I don't blame him at all. I can sympathize with him -- if I were in his situation I'd probably fall into temptation as well.

In my opinion the level of attention required to safely dive a RB also requires frequent diving with the unit.

I'm really attracted to RBs, but it's not prime time for me either... yet. If/when I get a rebreather I want to be able to dive the heck out of it. But I also have a family, a Mon-Fri 9-5 job, and I like flying planes recreationally, canoeing, hunting, hiking, shooting. At this point in time it looks like a rebreather is feasible time wise around retirement, which would put me in the typical age group of rebreather owners.

 

[gkndivebum]

[...]In my opinion the level of attention required to safely dive a RB also requires frequent diving with the unit.[...]

Amen.

 

[fdog]

Bill, I'd agree that the title is just a bit on the lurid side...




However, I, too, have been...concerned...by the list of giants in the diving world that have succumbed while diving a RB in the last couple of years. Folks that I wouldn't have expected to have an issue. Yet, the incidents are there.



I for one will continue to dive strictly OC, because I like knowing my gas composition won't change unexpectedly.

I'm willing to accecpt the mission limitations that OC places me under. It's just in my mind the failure scenarios are less numerous, and less grave, on OC than with a RB. This isn't a WAG uninformed opinion, I do use a RB at work, and put dozen underwater hours on a RB quite a while ago.

May divers I know and respect dive RB's all the time, as is their right, and I support them in that decision. It's just not for me.


All the best, James