CCR - Which one would you buy?

[padiscubapro]

The Buddy was like a door on my back. I will carry a Ex1 as well, so this is not an option. The KISS sounds good, hardly no electronics but not available in Germany.

Its not directly available in germany, you have to import it yourself due to CE regs, but training is available..

you can contact helmuth biechl at ANDI europe.. he is an instructor on teh KISS..

 

[Jill Heinerth]

We have posted many times on the subject of which rebreather to buy. There are many factors to consider, including the type of diving you will be undertaking, training, availability of service, etc...

Here's a link: Which Rebreather to Buy?

Google that term and you will get dozens of good returns.

Cheers,
Jill Heinerth and Robert McClellan

 

[Scuba Cowboy]

I did a lot of research & watching others before I bought & I went with the rEvo. I know 2 now ex-KISS divers that switched to rEvo's & are very glad about it. The rEvo is upgradable from mCCR to a hybrid or full eCCR, the manufacturer is constantly working on & improvingstuff. Paul Raeymakers is a great guy, send him an email & you get a response from the owner. Try that with KISS or APD or just about any other scuba manufacturer. Maintenaince is way easier on the rEvo. rEvo is a slimmer more compact unit. There is nothing wrong with the KISS, just doesn't hold a candle to a rEvo if you look at the big picture.

 

[mrfixitchapman]

DC

 

[NorthWoodsDiver]

Hi,
I sold my Draeger Dolphins last week. I enjoyed diving with it but I have to pause 2-3 years with rebreather. This is why I sold the equipment. But I would like to use the time to get an overview which CCRs are available and what others like or don't like. The only CCR I tried until now was the Buddy Evolution which I didn't like to much.
I know some rebreathers from the UK, from Germany but there are some more in the US which I maybe don't know. The KISS looked good.

I too would recommend Mel Clark's book "Rebreathers Simplified", if your going to potentially spend $10,000 on a unit then spending $100 researching the models is peanuts in comparison. Though several ccrs are not in the book it covers the major units fairly well.

Another good idea is visit a dive show. I visited "Dive Into the Past" a couple months ago and was able to test out a Kiss, Meg, and Evo and also for trial was something called the Frog but it didn't interest me. On display or for examination were several others including an Inspo and Evo, Revo, Sentinal, and Ouroborus rebreathers. At bigger shows I'm sure you would see others like the hammerhead and dive rite units among others.

I have spent a great deal of time researching online and in person about the various units and settled on a Evo+/Inspo (basically the same, only different size tanks) but ... I am never happy with anything off the shelf so I plan to modify nearly every function and component to meet my needs.

So why the Ambient Pressure products? This can be a complex thing to answer but I have several reasons:

-most of my local "dive buddies" who dive CCR already own a evo.
-availability and customer service
-availability and selection of aftermarket accessories
-customizable
-vision electronics including "temp stick"
-recognized globally and parts availability
-works with shearwater and has adaptability to 4th cell or independent 3 cell monitoring.
-etc

I cant say I would be happy with any of the stock units right out of the box so it was a toss up between the AP units and the Revo units. Right now the AP ones have been out longer and offer the higher degree of customization ability.

I can run the Inspo mCCR I can or I can make it eCCR, if I want backmount counterlungs I can get them, if I want to make a dual rebreather out of the system I can, if I want to remove that stupid harness and use an ordinary plate and hog harness I can. If I don't like the yellow box I can switch it for a wide variety of aluminum or stainless or even titanium travel friendly frames. If I want to monitor all 3 cells with a 3rd part computer I can. If I wanted to make it into a sidemount rebreather I probably could.

I'm not saying other units cant do those things, they probably can. It all comes down to personal choice and for me its the AP rebreathers.

 

[jepuskar]

Paul Raeymakers is a great guy, send him an email & you get a response from the owner. Try that with KISS or APD or just about any other scuba manufacturer.

Paul seems like a nice guy, don't know him. However, I have sent emails to Kim Smith and Martin Parker in the past and have received replies.
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Anyhow..

They all do the same things, some go about it a little differently than others, it should always come down to what you are most comfortable with or what you see yourself being most comfortable in. That is really what it's all about.

 

[Jeff Toorish]

Like everyone else, I am biased toward what I own, which is a (highly modified) KISS Classic. I find for my diving it is exactly what I want.

I think for questions of this nature, the first question is, what do I intend to do with this equipment. If you are planning deeper dives, then you can safely rule out certain CCR units. If you want a CCR that is can be modified to suit your specific needs, then there are certain units that will work better. If you don't plan anything out of the ordinary, that opens up the spectrum.

As I said, I am biased toward the KISS but that happened only after I did a great deal of research on rebreathers. Initially, I ruled out the KISS because I didn't want a manual unit. Later, upon researching all sorts of rebreathes, I concluded that I did, in fact, want a manual unit as I did not intend to dive an eCCR ever.

Consider what you intend to do with your rebreather and you will find making the seclection much easier.

Jeff

 

[DevonDiver]

My friend dives a Hammerhead....I want one now!

 

[padiscubapro]

I did a lot of research & watching others before I bought & I went with the rEvo. I know 2 now ex-KISS divers that switched to rEvo's & are very glad about it. The rEvo is upgradable from mCCR to a hybrid or full eCCR, the manufacturer is constantly working on & improvingstuff. Paul Raeymakers is a great guy, send him an email & you get a response from the owner. Try that with KISS or APD or just about any other scuba manufacturer. Maintenaince is way easier on the rEvo. rEvo is a slimmer more compact unit. There is nothing wrong with the KISS, just doesn't hold a candle to a rEvo if you look at the big picture.

Dale,
I would have to agree with you that a rEvo is a fine unit.. (I was the first IT/Instructor in the US) but I would not say the KISS can't hold a candle to it they both have their plusses and minuses, overall I prefer the rEvo but the rEvo still doesnt come with a BOV which the KISS does... Personally I prefer OTS counterlungs so that makes the rEvo my second choice for a CCR with the HammerHead being the first.. I have owned, still own or have lots of experience of every major CCR out there... For my own diving history I have the most dives on a classic Inspo or Inspo with HH electronics..

for the record... I own a rEvo that came without a shearwater which I added and then removed recently.. I own several Inspos, The rig in my profile is a conglomerate rig with parts from several different manufacturers... I currently also own a Sport Kiss, O2ptima, ut-240 and A Hammerhead CCR..

I have a reasonable amount of hours on a Meg and have a few dives on a PRISM..

 

[padiscubapro]

My friend dives a Hammerhead....I want one now!

I am assuming you are speaking about T.M. He flew to NY last year for training and the water was about 4c but he took it like a trooper... It had to be hard for someone used to diving in water like a bath tub..