Question Choptima Rebreather Users and Trimming

[Michael Greenberg Manfish]

Hi,

"and raising the chop as high as possible (almost to the point where I can't unclip the top clips)" : why are you doing that? the higher the choptima is, the more feet heavy you become, even if the loop volume is kept to a minimum ...

I also dive my Choptima with Xdeep Stealth and I do not use anymore the drop (square deco) Drings to attach my Choptima but 2 additional Drings on the waist strap instead. Drop Drings were too low for proper attachment.
Trim control with a Choptima is always dual : The Choptima loop is a kind of a second wing : if you become feet heavy : make sure you keep the Choptima loop to its minimum volume (you do not want positive buoyancy in front) and inflate a bit your Xdeep (add buoyancy on the back).
It was already said, but do not use heavy rubber fins if you are feet heavy. The best "not heavy" fins with true power I could find for myself are the DiveRite fins : you can not go wrong only 1 model!

PS : btw why other manufacturers like Aqualung/ScubaPro have dozens of fins/regs/BCD models!!!

I also had / have difficulty clipping in the top of my choptima on a boat. The Fat Lip clips helped a lot. Too bad Diverite did not make the bungie adjuster for Fat Lip Clips. My solution is to clip it first, loose and tightned up underwater. Or Put the rig on inwater.. which is what I am doing from now on when possible.
It requires a 5 min prebreath out of the water with the pre jump list and again while still at the surface once the unit is on.. prebreath and PreJump checklist X2 to be sure. I have moved to a 30cf OXY and 30CF Dil back mounted using a special bracket that joins and mounts on my backplate made by Crush Depth Diving.