Why did you start rebreather diving / what do you love about it ?

[nadia_amphibio]

Hi all,
I'm from a start-up developing bio-inspired materials tech for the diving and water-sports industry.

I'm doing some background research into rebreathers and was hoping to get the community's opinion on:

- Why you initially switched to rebreather diving? ( e.g..... for the experience, challenge, for work)
- What you love about rebreather diving and what are the most frustrating things ?

Also, if there are any industry experts/ enthusiastic divers/ instructors willing to have a quick chat about their diving please also leave a comment or fill out our online survey https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScXq1-EYfbiW0EGpDtdtjkK1WNwuDvDYZYtOlgy1T9Y_bd_fA/viewform?usp=sf_link

We really appreciate your help!

- Nadia & Amphibio Team

 

[helodriver87]

Switched for gas economy. I moved to a location with a couple good deep sites, but very difficult access to helium. The rebreather lets me stay active with trimix diving and really simplifies logistics. Long term goals have always been cave and wreck exploration. Eventually rebreathers become a necessity. So I'm just trying to learn on a more gradual curve at the moment.

I love the efficiency. It's also cool to feel true neutral buoyancy when it's all balanced out. I like that it offers more options and time to deal with issues. And the complexity is fun. I really enjoy doing the setup checklist, predive checks, etc. I really enjoy gear and technology, so it's fascinating to me.

The frustration was largely initial. It felt like relearning how to dive. Now, the only real irritant is traveling with the thing and the increased maintenance compared to OC gear.

 

[JahJahwarrior]

I wanted to dive with helium without spending a lot per dive, for future deeper dives as well as minimizing any narcosis on shallow dives. I also like the aspect that it gives you more time to solve issues underwater, assuming the issue is not something that forces you off loop without ability to return, in which case it is no worse than open circuit. Lastly, I like gadgets.

People have said something along the lines of "at 10 hours I was an expert, at 100 hours I was a newbie," and that's very much the case. I do feel like it's not something you can easily take a year off and then jump right back in, you need to be consistently diving with one. My biggest fear is getting in the water with my oxygen valve off.

I don't mind the maintenance, I enjoy those sort of tasks, but I do wish the counter lungs dried faster. I can fix that with a fan, a funnel, and some hoses, though.

 

[tbone1004]

survey filled in

 

[sunnyboy]

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So I'm done.

 

[OTF]

Is this your project? AMPHIBIO — Jun Kamei

It's... a pretty industrial design...

Be aware that people on this forum have a very high bar for their sniff-test of new revolutionary underwater breathing technology, and have seen a lot of wild claims from heavily-hyped failed startups over the years. Not that groundbreaking innovation isn't possible, but the technical people around these parts are going to demand extraordinary evidence for extraordinary claims and probably try to fight you.

The idea of 3D printing "perfectly packed" blocks/matrices of sofnolime might be sorta interesting. Pulling enough dissolved O2 out of the water to supply a human is HARD to say the least.

 

[rddvet]

Is this your project? AMPHIBIO — Jun Kamei

It's... a pretty industrial design...

Be aware that people on this forum have a very high bar for their sniff-test of new revolutionary underwater breathing technology, and have seen a lot of wild claims from heavily-hyped failed startups over the years. Not that groundbreaking innovation isn't possible, but the technical people around these parts are going to demand extraordinary evidence for extraordinary claims and probably try to fight you.

The idea of 3D printing "perfectly packed" blocks/matrices of sofnolime might be sorta interesting. Pulling enough dissolved O2 out of the water to supply a human is HARD to say the least.

I hope that's not what this is about because that's a ridiculous idea that will never ever come to fruition in our lifetime.

 

[Superlyte27]

Got offered a free class. I love never having to look at thirds

 

[nadia_amphibio]

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So I'm done.

Sorry for the tech glitch. It did work however I got your answers, thank you.

 

[broncobowsher]

That won't work for any penetration dives where the water is stagnant. Now I would have to worry about the water quality at the dive site. And not just the overall water quality, location specific as well.

A rebreather itself is rather simple, the redundancy and backup systems are what add to the bulk and complexity. The pretty pictures show the simplistic system without the redundancy we require in real diving situations.