Hey Eric,
Perfect for whom I guess is the question. Is there a unit that is perfect for everyone, I doubt it. Is there a unit that (with some customization) will be perfect for you? I'd say probably yes.
The KISS seemed like the right unit for me when I looked at all the others. I wasn't convinced that CCR was going to be right for me so a lower investment cost with very straightforward bits and pieces was the path I chose.
Is the unit perfect for me out of the box? Not even close. I don't like the stock frame, the manifold, the hoses, the balance, etc. Fabricating a new frame has helped but that prototype left a few things to be desired.
Would an ECCR be a better choice? Maybe but I kind of like the manual nature of the KISS and it doesn't take much to monitor your PO2 and adjust accordingly.
Is it the easiest to maintain/field service? Not right out of the box. There are additions to the unit you can make to limit the number of tools you need to break it down but, like everything, that's more $.
What was the wait time like for my KISS? About a month IIRC. That was several months sooner than the other units I called around about.
What about the depth limit on the KISS? I've found plenty of stuff in the shallows that interest me. The deep stuff hasn't caught my full attention yet so that isn't an issue for me. If I were regularly doing 300+ ft dives, I probably would have chosen another unit (although the KISS can be modified to do them, the changes necessary are just enough to push me toward the Meg or Evo).
Well, enough about the KISS. No doubt you already know what your goal(s) are with regard to an Rebreather. You know the diving you're looking at doing and the next step is picking the RB that's closest, in stock form, to meet your needs. Now, go out there and buy one you know you want to.
