DIR- GUE Tec1 with CCR in the making?

[PEDiver]

but RB's seem to be used more due to the individual diver's SAC rate requirements.

Which I feel like is a poor excuse for lack of training or experience (which then compounds itself with a rebreather).

 

[OTF]

ROI really is questionable. You have to be diving trimix REALLY FREQUENTLY (or have limited helium access) for CCR to be a sound financial decision. The rebreather's hidden costs (expensive repair/maintenance/upgrades/necessary accessories) constantly eat cash (not to mention time). There are some lovely benefits to CCR but it certainly hasn't saved me money.

"mission requires it" is the right way to think about them. However, diving a CCR proficiently and safely requires putting lots of hours on it, which means lots of practice diving it in mellow conditions that don't require it. So in reality the vast majority of my CCR dives have been nowhere close to "requires it" territory, although the occasional dives that really would be impossible on OC are fantastic experiences.

 

[SpeedyJ]

RE: ROI guess it really depends on your cost per cu ft. of helium. The Great Lakes region doesn't have super cheap helium, but at the T1 level, I think the cost gets blown out of proportion.

I had a set of doubles that got filled once and simply topped off after each mix dive. This certainly helped keep the cost down vs. having to fill 200+ cu ft each time. Given the initial cost of a rebreather (call it $10k) leaving that money in the market with 7% growth meant I could spend $800 per year on trimix fills and still come out a few dollars ahead.

 

[Whitrzac]

If the end goal is to dive a rebreather, the sooner you get one(after becoming a competent oc diver) the better.

"mission requires it" is a good way to end up as a poor rebreather diver. I have yet to meet someone* that can switch back and forth and can dive an RB well *that isnt a professional in the water multiple times a week.
If you do one/2 trimix trips a year, a rb never works out to be cheaper. You dive it for all the other benefits.

Make a choice and live with it.

 

[PfcAJ]

If the end goal is to dive a rebreather, the sooner you get one(after becoming a competent oc diver) the better.

"mission requires it" is a good way to end up as a poor rebreather diver. I have yet to meet someone* that can switch back and forth and can dive an RB well *that isnt a professional in the water multiple times a week.
If you do one/2 trimix trips a year, a rb never works out to be cheaper. You dive it for all the other benefits.

Make a choice and live with it.

The goal of diving a piece of equipment is backwards.

The goal should be to go see stuff. If you require a rebreather to do it then ok. But gear for the sake of gear ain’t it.

 

[AJ]

The goal should be to go see stuff. If you require a rebreather to do it then ok. But gear for the sake of gear ain’t it.

Exactly, that's what I tell everyone. Don't to dive a rebreather because it's fun. It ain't, honestly I love to dive OC way more than my rebreather. It takes a lot of money, time and dedication to dive them next to added risk. My advice is to only think about a rebreather if it's the right tool to meet your goal i.e. needing trimix to do the dive to a deep wreck or cave.

 

[happy-diver]

Unimaginative Squares

 

[grantmac]

I don't, currently, dive CCR. But I do take dive trips to locations where fills aren't readily available and nitrox isn't available at all.
I can see where CCR would be a very useful tool for these trips even though the depth doesn't really require Trimix.

 

[PfcAJ]

I don't, currently, dive CCR. But I do take dive trips to locations where fills aren't readily available and nitrox isn't available at all.
I can see where CCR would be a very useful tool for these trips even though the depth doesn't really require Trimix.

If you can’t get a nitrox fill I think you’re going to have a tough time getting RB support

 

[lostsheep]

How has the threshold for “need to” changed over time?

To answer my own question in light of the initial responses, seems to me the only change is changing the prerequisite from T2 to T1.