Just had a rebreather demo

kawasakign

So just had a demo day on Sunday and got to try out a bunch of units. Before the event I was most interested in an Optima. Unfortunately, an Optima was not avail for demo so I'm still very interested in it. My impressions of the units before actually testing them out were as follows (and probably using the Optima as a benchmark):

Inspiration: Not that interested...really not liking the single display or that later mixes would require more money to "upgrade".

Meg: Again electronics was my big concern seeing as how the standard doesn't include all that is included with the Optima for the price.
Copis: Interested if I wanted to go manual route

Kiss Classic: Something I could like if I wanted to go the manual route
Kiss Sport: Same as classic, but would prob. go to the Classic

rEvo: To new to really consider and training would be the issue

Now afterwards:

Inspiration: Felt great...Handset was a little awkward, but then again I was in a shorty wetsuit and not a drysuit or longsleeve wetsuit that I would prob be using in the real world. Like the idea of the temp stick, but not convinced it really adds true benefit.

Meg: I can't really judge this one. The unit being used was donated to be demo'd by a nice gentleman, unfortunately he was probably 2 times my size so the harness when all the way down had lots of slack and didn't fit nearly right...so I'm not making any judgements on this one. Breathed at 3 feet really well though

Copis: This one also felt great and seems to offer no adjustment at all. Felt really comfortable in it.

Kiss Classic and Sport: I just didn't like these at all. The mouthpiece with Bail out OC was a nice idea and something I really liked going into it...but then I felt it in the water and ug I hated it. heavy, big, jaw fatigue in the little time I was on them. Also, wow the counterlung design really makes you go chipmunk when u invert, and it never seemed like I could get the sweet spot with manual injection..(course this could be just cause I was new and hadn't really known how to).

rEvo: Also very nice. Felt good, no real issue when inverting. Looked clucky and heavy, was neither in the water. Felt very stable and very easy to reach buttons on the back. Concern is how I reach the buttons when I have wet or dry gloves on...should have asked more about that. The other issue is training...nothing really on the horizon for the rEvo anytime soon. Sure delivery of the unit would be a month or 2, but training would be much later than that. But overall the unit felt great.

Still really interested in the Optima and really would like to demo one in the pool. Might get a used Dolphin first and do some dives on that while my piggy bank gets bigger and I'm able to demo the Optima, but the experience was top notch.

UW connection had some great people there to answer questions and provide support. Ron B. was excellent in his descriptions and honestly of the units without being biased towards one or the other.
Also, got to try out and see the Shearwater Pursuit. Nice computer and something that I will now look at before a VR3. Still have some questions as to what the different levels of computer are.

So this just got me more hooked on the idea of going bubble-less, or at least semi bubble-less first

paulraymaekers

hello kawasaki... :-)

where are you from?? normally training can always be arranged, whatever location

regards
paul

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Stephane

I dive with dry gloves and don't have any issues reaching an manipulating the buttons.

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Hammer-rEvo powered!

jkaterenchuk

Its not on your list but worth your investigation. Hammerhead CCR. It has the same electronics as the Optima. Similar in design/build to the Meg.

John

mriopel

Yes it is a cool unit. what part of world do you live in? Dive Rite is have demo days down here in Florida on the 15th and 16 ( Ocala Florida) you may still be able to get in, or I can arranged for a pool demo for you to try a optima in Jacksonville Fl It would just cost you a small fee of $25 the same cost if you can make to DR demo days. Then you can decide which one you like and go form there.

Mike

Ben Field

Almost certainly non of the units was set up correctly for you- taking the KISS as my example (because I have one) with the hoses and weights setup correctly the mouthpiece can be entirely neutral in the water.

With regard chipmunking- this should happen on any unit when the CL centroid is at a lower pressure than your mouth... of course we all spend alot of time inverted don't we.

Lastly where you in a pool or lake/sea/quarry for a "proper" dive? Only most people find pools very difficult to dive in as you are "too" shallow for the buoyancy/PPO2 control to become balanced.

Just my 2cents worth...

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jradomski

Judging by what demo you probably completed, rEvo training wount be that big a deal... You are a short flight to the ny/nj area and have both Dave sutton and Myself available to conduct training in similiar conditions..

I also agree with Ben.. The KISS hoses probably weren't adjusted for you.. It takes a few attempts to get it right...

I own and teach Classic Inspiration,KISS, Optima, rEvo and HammerHead rebreathers.. Each has a specific audience and each has pluses and minuses..

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Joe Radomski
CCR Trimix Instructor Trainer
ANDI Instructor Trainer Director #10

All posts are personal opinions and DO NOT reflect any affiliated agency unless specifically stated.

Dave Sutton

Training? Do you want to start tomorrow or Friday? . Training is simply not an issue, and they are great rigs.

I saw your button question: In a drysuit with 3 finger, 7mm mitts and thick underwear and a stage bottle (whew) the buttons are easy to reach. In fact they are perfectly placed, zero problem ever finding them even when my hands are freezing.


Dave

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"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others"


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kawasakign

I didn't mean to pick on the KISS. I was merely just putting my observations of the units. I'm sure they can all be "set up" properly to dive great. But from the perspective I had, I just didn't like it. Some things can change, but the weight of the mouthpiece and OC bailout wont get any lighter. I just didn't care for it. As for chimpmunking, from what I'm reading and the physics behind it, it would seem the counterlung placement on the KISS would contribute more to this than OTS type lungs.

Obviously the pool dives are not a "proper" dive. But lets be honest on this one too, with regards to all rebreathers, you can't take the rebreather on a proper dive without getting some actual training on it first. So all us newbie's have is a pool environment or pool type depths. I'll be the first to admit, my buoyancy sucked on almost all the units..talk about sawblade profile. Of course almost all of the harnesses were not to my size, nor do I have any clue what size counterlungs were used on the units.

One, thing to say, none of the units were at all built "cheaply" they all felt very solid and were constructed ruggedly. I do admire the K.I.S.S. principle and I'm sure with more exposure to a properly set up rig I would have felt better on them, but I'm leaning eCCR and this puts the mCCRs lower on my list to begin with. Plus that Copis and rEvo that were there seemed just to feel better on me.

Ben Field

Hey don't worry, I wasn't trying to defend the KISS (it doesn't need my Help!) it was the only one I sufficent expereince on to make comment... bet you never heard that on a forum before!!! HA HA

Well I personnally wouldn't drop several thousand $ on a rebreather I hadn't dived to some extent.... luckily I got to take a KISS for a whole weekend at a (very cold) quarry and did a couple of dives, had a chance to work it hard under the watchful eyes of an instructor.

It might not be common place but IMO its worth pushing for more time on the unit your prefer, contact the local instructors offering assistance above and see what they can offer.

FWIW I had a good drool/look at almost all the units at the two most recent UK dive shows, if I where in the market now the rEvo would likely be at the top of my list.

Good luck

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