Review Diving the Avelo System

[WildHog]

It's very true, but what I was getting at is that if you don't dive consistently in one of those 4 centres, at the moment, the certification has no purpose.
I love Bonaire. I got Open Water and Advanced certifications there.Been there twice in 2022 and 2023. I'd like to do an annual trip to Bonaire. So I might pull the trigger for my wife and I to get Avelo certified. I don't understand why this cloak & dagger for the future of this system. Nobody can buy it (yet) and no rental outside the 4 centres.

 

[Still Kicking]

I don't understand why this cloak & dagger for the future of this system.

This is pure speculation so take it for what it's worth ... but I would imagine they don't have the capitalization to take this to a mass market level. Now that they have demonstrated the concept on a small scale, I bet they are hoping a well funded partner will come in and do the heavy lifting of mass production/marketing/distribution/training/maintenance etc.

 

[ABay Diver]

Its all going to come down to entry cost. Sounds like there are some benefits to Avelo but if entry cost is significantly more expensive than traditional open circuit, its not going to get any traction. Supply and demand. If divers have to spend substantially more for Avelo, demand will be smothered and they’ll avoid it. Unless its disruptive technology, i.e. cheap and superior ala Uber, they’ll go the traditional route and dive shops won’t support it. Sounds like entry cost will be announced later this year. Time will tell.

 

[lowwall]

Its all going to come down to entry cost. Sounds like there are some benefits to Avelo but if entry cost is significantly more expensive than traditional open circuit, its not going to get any traction. Supply and demand. If divers have to spend substantially more for Avelo, demand will be smothered and they’ll avoid it. Unless its disruptive technology, i.e. cheap and superior ala Uber, they’ll go the traditional route and dive shops won’t support it. Sounds like entry cost will be announced later this year. Time will tell.

Uber was only cheap (initially, it's now more expensive than taxis where I live) because early investors were willing to take huge losses to build market share. It's hard to see tech investors willing to do the same for such a niche market.

 

[ABay Diver]

Uber was only cheap (initially, it's now more expensive than taxis where I live) because early investors were willing to take huge losses to build market share. It's hard to see tech investors willing to do the same for such a niche market.

Agreed. The more niche the market, the more “disruptive” i.e. beneficial the new technology must be to take hold. From what I’ve read Avelo is marginally better. Personally I don’t see it taking off but I've been wrong before.

 

[scubadada]

Avelo now has 5 dive centers. In addition to Australia, Catalina California, and Bonaire, there are new centers on Oahu and at Rainbow Reef Dive Center in Key Largo.

There will be a six center Florida tour this summer, June through August, from the Keys to the panhandle. Divers can take the Recreational Avelo Diver certification course and do additional dives.

A series of webinars are available for divers wanting to get additional information regarding Avelo. Registration is on the Avelo website

Avelo

diveavelo.com

 

[KeelsonGraham]

Great write up.

What about surface buoyancy? How good would this system be in supporting an unconscious diver. Not naysaying it, just genuinely curious.

 

[scubadada]

Great write up.

What about surface buoyancy? How good would this system be in supporting an unconscious diver. Not naysaying it, just genuinely curious.

That's a good question.

We started our dives a little bit positively buoyant. After a single pump, we were neutrally buoyant to start the dive. At the end of the dive, after purging the ballast, you have additional positive buoyancy related to the amount of gas you used from your cylinder. We dived the equivalent of an AL80 down to about the reserve pressure, so about 5 lbs. of gas. I would estimate that we were about 7 lbs. positively buoyant on the surface at the end of the dive. We were quite comfortable on the surface, conditions were quite calm. This is considerably less buoyancy than one could achieve with an inflated BC and/or dropping weight.

 

[lowwall]

IMO, they could solve some of the major issues of this system by having a small wing or bladder on the harness for surface use only. They could use a Mares Hub type of inflator/deflator control to keep the look clean.

 

[Still Kicking]

IMO, they could solve some of the major issues of this system by having a small wing or bladder on the harness for surface use only. They could use a Mares Hub type of inflator/deflator control to keep the look clean.

True but it would undermine their whole marketing strategy of "revolutionary buoyancy control" with "maximum streamlining."

And the Hub concept came and went pretty quickly. I don't think anyone misses it.