Great Lakes CCR

[Nosmosis]

I am researching rebreathers and like some of you, I frequent the cold depths of the Great Lakes. Out of curiosity, for my fellow Great Lake Divers -particularly those using CCR - which unit did you choose and why specifically given the environment, support/service or community in the area? I am particularly interested in Liberty, JJ and Meg - but honestly don’t see them around too much. I guess I see lots of Prism2s more than anything…some Revo and occasional KISS or AP.

What did you invest in an why?

 

[FF / EMT]

I am researching rebreathers and like some of you, I frequent the cold depths of the Great Lakes. Out of curiosity, for my fellow Great Lake Divers -particularly those using CCR - which unit did you choose and why specifically given the environment, support/service or community in the area? I am particularly interested in Liberty, JJ and Meg - but honestly don’t see them around too much. I guess I see lots of Prism2s more than anything…some Revo and occasional KISS or AP.

What did you invest in an why?

Haven’t made the leap yet, but I would want instructors as a leading factor in my devious.
The instructors I’d potentially look for the Great Lakes, in no particular order would be Rich at divers inc, @Tracy
Or Becky.

 

[Whitrzac]

Unit popularity depends on location. Here in WI/up kiss units are more popular than any others.

Diversions scuba out of Madison is a dealer/training for kiss and dive rite units.

 

[Marie13]

I am researching rebreathers and like some of you, I frequent the cold depths of the Great Lakes. Out of curiosity, for my fellow Great Lake Divers -particularly those using CCR - which unit did you choose and why specifically given the environment, support/service or community in the area? I am particularly interested in Liberty, JJ and Meg - but honestly don’t see them around too much. I guess I see lots of Prism2s more than anything…some Revo and occasional KISS

What do your dive buddies dive? There’s a number of Kiss divers on the western side of the Great Lakes (WI, northern IL, MN), trained out of Diversions in Madison, WI. I primarily dive with WI buddies who dive Kiss, so that’s what I went with. Madison is 2-3 hours from the Chicago area, depending on where you are. Two hours from me in the NW burbs. I have the Kiss Spirit and just got trained last fall, so my first Great Lakes dives will be this year.

 

[Minion_Diver]

I went with the Optima mainly because the people I know diving breathers are diving the Optima. It is nice whenever everyone on the boat has the same unit and something breaks. I had my controller flood right before a trip and was able to borrow one from my buddy and did not lose out.

In my neck of the woods (Ohio/SE Michigan) the Optima is popular and growing with @Tracy teaching in the area as well as Kevin Marks at Gilboa. The Prism has been popular in the area longer due to having an instructor in the region longer.

 

[grantctobin]

Within a 120ish mile radius of downtown Chicago (which includes Madison), I can think of:
8 KISS Classic
8 ISC Megs (2 15, 2 Tiburon, 2 2.7, 2 COPIS)
5 KISS Sidekick
5 KISS Spirit
5 (Ch)Optima
4 JJ
3 KISS Sidewinder
2? Revo (can't recall who ended up with the Winn's units)
2? Prism2s
1 XCCR
1 Poseidon 7
1 Fathom
1 Gemini


Instruction within that same radius is roughly limited to Dive Rite and KISS. As you head north from there, you pick up some additional units but I would (bias) probably encourage different instructors if the northern units are the units you're wanting.

Kieren has a solid note here:

CCR Selection priorities

There have been plenty of "how to choose a rebreather" or "help me choose my first rebreather" type threads over the years, with a couple of great discussions happening recently. So I decided to be completely redundant and start yet another one with what I've deemed some of the most important...

scubaboard.com

I remain a believer that you won't know what suits you until you've taken a class and that no unit is perfect. I also think most people should start in a BM unit. In a perfect world, find a used unit either recently serviced or one your instructor can look at, buy it, take MOD1, get 100 hours, and then decide again. A new-ish Poseidon or a Prism (or some Optima and Revo) depreciates 30+% once it hits the used market. A solid used Meg 2.7 might be had in the 4000 range and still sell for 3500-4000 after another year of use and you'll be in a better spot. Same story for a KISS Classic.

 

[Nosmosis]

What do your dive buddies dive? There’s a number of Kiss divers on the western side of the Great Lakes (WI, northern IL, MN), trained out of Diversions in Madison, WI. I primarily dive with WI buddies who dive Kiss, so that’s what I went with. Madison is 2-3 hours from the Chicago area, depending on where you are. Two hours from me in the NE burbs. I have the Kiss Spirit and just got trained last fall, so my first Great Lakes dives will be this year.

Thanks, Marie. Most of my buddies dive Prism 2. At least 3. Another one dives an Inspiration.

 

[211ratsbud]

A new-ish Poseidon or a Prism (or some Optima and Revo) depreciates 30+% once it hits the used market. A solid used Meg 2.7 might be had in the 4000 range and still sell for 3500-4000 after another year of use and you'll be in a better spot. Same story for a KISS Classic.

Used Prisms are anywhere from 2500-4500 and seem to settle in that area for resale. No doubt about the Meg theory though. Note there is limited support for the 2.7 these days. Most things can be sorted out pretty easily but not all.

 

[grantctobin]

Used Prisms are anywhere from 2500-4500 and seem to settle in that area for resale. No doubt about the Meg theory though. Note there is limited support for the 2.7 these days. Most things can be sorted out pretty easily but not all.

Yep. Have been offered near brand new ones in the $3500 range.

Units that hold resale well in the US:
Choptima
Tiburon
Fathom
JJ
X
SM Liberty
Some BM Liberty
Sidewinder (with the current backlog)

Those that really don't:
Prism
Poseidon
Revo
New KISS Classic


TLR go buy a lightly used Optima or Prism or Classic for ~50% or less of retail, take a class, and go from there. Local support, local instruction.

 

[rjack321]

Those that really don't:
Prism
Poseidon
Revo
New KISS Classic

Revos hold their value just fine, it's just the starting prices which are out of line with their actual value