Is CCR the right route for me?

[davehicks]

You can get a smaller plastic jug, perhaps like a 10lbs Cat Litter jug. I would not consider plastic bags as that will be a messy spill when the bag inflates due to low pressure.

That said, at 20-40 dives a year a CCR does not make a lot of sense to me. That's low frequency to build and maintain skills. I do travel with two CCR units (wife and I) but only to places where it is both very useful and well supported. Places like Truk Lagoon, Socorro, Cocos, etc. I do most of my CCR diving close to home. Local and to destinations I can drive too. That is about 100 local dives a year, maybe 30-50 on fly to dive trips.

 

[justinthedeeps]

There are LOTS of CCR-supportive shops and instructors around the world now. Visit to one or more of these and do try-dives or intro courses. A good shop will have one or more rental/teaching rebreather units for hire on location

No need to fly sorb or cylinders around yet, as long as you pre-arrange in advance with one of countless outfits that already have it sorted. This includes some liveaboards.

Expect to find plenty of suitable aluminium S13, S19, as well as steel 2L and 3L, depending on locations

Backmount units recommend (but not required) for first experiences, well established, best semi-flood tolerance, most stable/familiar breathing characteristics etc

Obvious advantages of CCR: quiet, bubble-free, better gas mix / lower nitrogen load for non-deco diving, extended bottom times possible, more time available for problem solving at depth (for those trained and practiced to notice and respond accurately)

But do not expect to just show up at any shop as a stranger and get all the oxygen, cyls, sorb etc you need and go solo diving wherever you like... Even with a valid CCR certification, you may need to develop a relationship with the shop and/or hire their guides before they will be comfortable supplying you. Typically this is worth it, and in many locations you won't be allowed to dive without some kind guide anyway.