Review Diving the Avelo System

[SouthernSharktoothDiver]

@jadairiii While you make a fair point, I could see them trying the market, at some point, if they do well with their current product. After all, they're already selling something expensive with a lot of moving parts intended for a scuba application, with the requisite batteries and motors. In my (wildly uninformed) opinion, DPV's don't feel like that big of a jump, and I can definitely see people who use the jetpack wanting the "avelo brand" DPV, dive computer, rebreather, etc.

Edit: The submarine image did make me laugh though.

 

[scubadada]

Yesterday, Shearwater announced a strategic R&D partnership with Avelo. The Avelo Mode now runs on the Peregrine TX, in addition to the Teric, and will be available soon on the Tern TX and the Perdix 2

Shearwater Research & Avelo Labs Announce Groundbreaking Partnership

This collaboration aims to drive the advancement of diving systems and human performance, uniting Shearwater’s technical expertise with Avelo’s groundbreaking innovation.

shearwater.com

 

[gordonscuba]

We were taught in the Recreational Avelo Diver course to orient the valve forward rather than the regulator, to avoid having the regulator hit you in the head. I have continued to set it up this way and have not tested whether traditional set up would work. I do wonder.

This was the part of the training that made the least sense to me. I have never hit my head on a regulator, and honestly wonder, who are these people who are constantly snapping their neck back and going "Ow! I forgot there was a regulator back there!". I don't see how this is related to Avelo in any way at all, as the top of an Avelo tank looks just like the top of any other scuba tank. On all scuba tanks, it's a terrible idea to have the tank rotated 180 degrees so that the first stage (and hoses) is out, exposed, pointing back away from your head. Not least because if you are in an overhead environment (wreck, cave etc.) the last thing you'd want is to have your first stage (and hoses) being the first part of the system to make contact and scrape against the overhead.

 

[roman50]

I will give Avelo system a big pass. The dive has several parts, the submerged time only being one of them. Avelo does not address time on surface whether the before dive and especially after. So many times the divers find themselves waiting on the surface for RIB to pick them up and there is nothing better like properly inflated BCD helping them - sometimes saving lives - at that time. Add some wind and waves and you get the picture.

Myself I am big advocate for side mount configuration for its air redundancy and overall "glide like" characteristics underwater. I would like to see some development in this area as sliding to water from RIB with side mount and rather larger underwater photography rig is not the easiest feat.

 

[JeffinMichigan]

Roman50: Surface period would presumably be quite similar to the first 10-15 years of scuba. Slightly positive tank buoyancy and an absolute requirement for a snorkel. Not exactly floating on the surface, but a low effort surface swim.

 

[scubadada]

At the beginning of the dive, the positive buoyancy is somewhere around 2 lbs. At the end of the dive, the buoyancy is probably around 7 lbs.

 

[rmorgan]

@scubadada, how does the Avelo deal with an up-or down-current, or maybe adjusting one's kit to accommodate a reef hook?

 

[scubadada]

@scubadada, how does the Avelo deal with an up-or down-current, or maybe adjusting one's kit to accommodate a reef hook?

Hi @rmorgan

I have not used the Avelo system in a strong up/down current system. You remain neutrally buoyant at any depth. I would predict that it would be easy to maintain neutral buoyancy with a reef hook. There is no adding/dumping air at various depths.

 

[gordonscuba]

@scubadada, how does the Avelo deal with an up-or down-current, or maybe adjusting one's kit to accommodate a reef hook?

With a BC, if you start out neutrally buoyant and then a down-current forces you down, you will become negative, and tend to sink further unless you correct. Similarly, if an up current sent you shallower, and you did not react then you would shoot to the surface.

With Avelo, in either case you remain neutrally buoyant. This is safer.

An expert diver having practiced the proper technique will be safe in either case, with a BC or with Avelo. A novice diver isn't really safe in any situation involving vertical currents, regardless of their gear.

 

[inquis]

An expert diver having practiced the proper technique will be safe in either case, with a BC or with Avelo.

Not really. The Avelo diver's range of buoyancy increase tops out at about +2 lbs at the beginning of a dive (assuming a rash-guard). A 30 lb wing would provide far more resistance to a down current, and most jacket BCs have even more lift.