I can't really see what benefit a rebreather would have to the typical recreational diver. They're expensive to buy and the training is expensive. For technical diving, I totally get it. Optimizing deco times and they're much cheaper to run than open-circuit trimix.....
Curiosity is one thing but unless the prices have fallen drastically since I looked into it, a person could make a lot of dive trips for the amount of money it would take to get started.
Thoughts?
R..
A KISS GEM can be bought for mid $3000s. Training is less than $1000. Total cost less than $4500. Yes, that's more than some trips but not all that bad.
The advantage of a rebreather for recreational divers is the lack of or minimized bubbles. It really does make a difference when on a reef. I had all but written off reef diving until I did my last reef dive on a rebreather and none of the life swam away from me. They actually came over to check me out! Now I can't wait to do my next reef diving vacation so I can dive my rebreather the entire time.
---------- Post added November 22nd, 2013 at 10:36 PM ----------
I am the OP, and no I don't work for my LDS. The owner has been talking about getting into these rebreathers, (selling, training and servicing) for a while now. And I was very interested in getting involved. But I don't know everything there is to know about RB's, or the differences between systems. But I do know enuf to know that the Explorer isn't what I expected in a RB. I just want to know what is supposed to be so great about it? If there are better, safer and more tried and true systems out there, in the same price range. Why is he pushing this one? What would be a better unit that I could start with and grow with? One that isn't so limiting, yet rec friendly.
The KISS GEM is a great unit to start out with. Relatively inexpensive and also modular. There are prototypes right now of the GEM as a full CCR unit. KISS plans on offering the full CCR conversions in the future. So you can have a unit that can eventually be a CCR and can always be converted back and forth between both, depending on what your needs are. Sometimes it's just easier to dive an SCR because you can't get 100% O2 at your destination.