Genesis

I was where you were not all that long ago.

I decided instead to attempt BUILDING an eCCR first. If I fail THEN I will buy one of these, and it will likely be a Meg, unless something else comes out first.

Here's why.

1. I like the O2ptima use of the cartridges. I don't like being FORCED to use them. I understand you can get an insert for the Meg to use them (they did for "The Cave"), AND you can use loose sorb. That's a selling point the O2ptima doesn't (at present) have. The O2ptima is supposed to have a loose-pack option - someday.

2. I like the O2ptima scrubber location and short breathing loop this produces. Indeed, this is likely its nicest single feature and one I intend to learn from in building my own. The Meg's loop is more "conventional" in that the scrubber is vertical and between the two tanks.

3. I do not find the argument compelling on entanglement. You can solve this like you solve it with OC if there is a potential line trap on a unit - run the tanks valve-up, cross the supply hoses behind your head. If there's a problem with fasteners and such then change them or case 'em (e.g. in vinyl tubing for screw clamps) so they can't trap line and other "things". I do this already for stages, which otherwise have the same potential issue, and run a piece of inner tube over my scooter latches (same deal along with the risk of them being popped underwater.) I've not STUDIED the Meg enough to know if there is a fastener issue that CAN'T be resolved - but I doubt that is the case.

4. The Meg is expensive for what you get, comparatively. No integrated deco, and priced out its CONSIDERABLY more expensive than the O2ptima when you add additional bits to make an "apples to apples" comparison. Worth it? If you like the unit, it might be. But I'm quite sure I can build one for THAT much money......

The O2ptima sounds like it was where I would have gone. And I would have bought one - except for one problem which I cannot get around.

That is the Farallon-issue version of the Hammerhead.

Let me explain....

I have minor issues with the Hammerhead in all its incantations. I don't like running millivolt level signals down the cable to the handset, for example, or its reliance on waterblocking in the cable instead of isolating it and running logic-level signals you can verify instead. But this is a design decision and it can be debated - what's not arguable is that what Kevin has done WORKS, so there you have it.

HOWEVER, Farallon did what I consider to be a particularly evil thing in that they put in TWO "PINs" in the handset. The first unlocks it, which your instructor gets if you don't have a cert (yet). Ok. I disagree with this on principle (I buy it I should own it - uncrippled) BUT I'll put up with that.

But that PIN only unlocks NITROX - no Helium. Not only does Farallon want what I consider to be an insane amount of money for the upgrade, they won't issue the PIN without proof of a formal Trimix class. Former DIVING Trimix doesn't count.

No formal CCR Trimix class, no PIN. Period.

Now you'd say "why does this matter since you should take one before going real deep anyway?"

My answer is simple - this isn't about going "real deep." Its about diving the safest gas for a given dive, and the fact that you CAN dive Air to its MOD - just like you can dive 21/35 there.....

The argument AGAINST using Trimix on anything over 100' or so on open circuit is simply one of cost. I sometimes dive "Airish" OC in the 100-150ish range in warm, calm water precisely because the money gets to you when you dive a lot, as I do. Is it "smart"? Probably not, especially on wreck penetrations. I had one "dark narc" event a couple of years ago (which I provoked - my fault entirely) and didn't enjoy it one bit.

I'm well-aware that this is less safe than diving 'Mix - and reality is that there's no valid reason not to use 21/35 instead of air on these dives - except for the cost. And on OC, I can and sometimes do whip up a set of dubs full of 21/35 if I intend to do a dive that might be more challenging than a "warm-water-weenie" dive below 100'.

With a CCR the gas cost issue disappears! Since I have my own fillstation, I fill my own bottles with whatever I feel like using; there is no "buying gas" problem.

So - I am now going to be forced to pony up for about $2,000 in additional money in order to actually use a safer breathing gas in the O2ptima. When I plug THAT into the equation, the advantage that the O2ptima has narrows considerably.

Then there is the issue that most of the diving around here is in the 80-130' range. In fact, there are something like three sites that are less than 60' in depth. An expectation that I will spend 100 hours on the unit before breaking the 100' barrier is entirely unrealistic - it simply is not going to happen with me living here, and I have a severe issue with diving a less-safe breathing mix at the time when I'm most succeptable to perceptual narrowing getting me in major trouble - as I'm learning to sort things again. I want all my faculties during that time - not half of them.

As a matter of principle I refuse to spend my money with companies that demand that I do something that in my opinion is less safe for political reasons. I didn't have to provide Delta-P anything except money to buy my OC/CC Trimix VR3.

I can plug that in for deco on a Meg, and use whatever gas I want. Ditto with a homebuild.

Anyway, DiveRite/Farallon lost a sale to me over this.

This may not matter to you, but this additional cost and complete inability until you qualify for the Mod2 class to dive even normoxic Mix as a diluent is something you should be aware of if you intend to use the decompression computer in the Hammerhead. This is apparently NOT an issue for HHs bought directly from Kevin - only for those that are included with the O2ptima.