Why you chose a Classic KISS over a Sports KISS and vice-versa

Paul T

I've recently bought a Classic and completed my Mod 1

I looked at all the popular units available, and even got to try a couple, but i never considered the Sport Kiss.

For me, there was two reasons

1/ The smaller scrubber

2/ The shallower depth rating

I wanted a unit that i felt i could "grow" into, and would suit the type of diving that eventually i hope to be doing. I felt that, as the Sport is aimed more at the Recreational market, the Classic fitted the bill.

Some good points regarding replacement of damaged parts on a Sports have been mentioned (scrubber head etc), and maintaining both of these units has to be given some thought.

For me, once you decide on a Kiss, be honest with yourself, and choose the unit you'll get the most out of.

Paul.

robinfante

I bought a sport kiss while waiting for my prism to come in. I love it, and have taken it to 220' with nary an issue. With 19cf tanks mounted the pods are pretty adequately protected, certainly I've had it inside many a tight place.

On a par with the travel advantages, I like to bring it along on even local dive trips. That way if the prism goes down (which it never has) I just pull out the bin and away I go.

I definitely like and appreciate the simplicity. Twice I've seen divers scrub ck dives because they couldn't pass a positive test. Probably nothing, I'm sure it had little to do with the integrity of the unit, but it made me appreciate all over again how straightforward my sk is.

I think the scrubber is a non-issue. The sk may be rated to 2.5 hours, but that is a joke. Actual duration is a whole different thread, but lets just say it has never been a limitation for my dives. I like too having a backup sk scrubber all packed and ready to pop in, yet more convenience.

Ultimately, my feeling is that the CK costs more, and does have the slight advantage of a small watertrap, and is a bit better protected for an overhead environment. The SK is quite a bit simpler, and saves a fair amount of money. Probably the only factor that would push me to the ck would be if I feared getting limited by captains/dive operations, but this has never been an issue, nor was getting a trimix cert on it.

6 or one half dozen, either way you are going to love diving a KISS.

onetime

I bought a Classic because there was no Sport at the time. Made the decision much easier.

chunter

I love my SK. It is very easy to break down and clean, and general maintenance is cake. I also love the simplicity of the electronics. I use it for most of my dives to 150' or shallower. It is a neat little unit. I would also choose it over the Evolution any day.

For deep diving I use my Inspiration for a few reasons. It is much more tolerant of flooding and moisture. The over-the-shoulder counterlungs are better for long (3 hour +) dives. It has been tested at depth. It is also easier to plumb in off-board gas etc with the Inspo.

I have tried to keep my SK as simple as possible. Having traveled with both the SK and the Inspo, the SK is MUCH easier. No standardized tanks, smaller case, etc.

If I only had 1 unit, and I planned on doing deeper dives, I would likely choose the CK over the SK.

Aloha,
Charlie

Rickoz

Back in those days it was the Classic or nothing
so i went for the Classic
Both are very nice units try to look at both & whatever your first gut feelings are go with that one unless you want to go deep & need the card to get you on to boats, then it's the Classic.
Rickoz

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KISS Rebreather Pilot 109

Dutchy

Both units share a few weaker points....

Getting the o-ring in the display is a PITA. If you don't do it right you'll flood one. (but then again only one per mistake).

The cable and electric connection is a weak point. I had to resolder one cable on the display side (broken) and I had to solder molex pins because of corrosion on the cable. The good thing here is that's all easily done in the field!!!

SK is definately easier to strip and clean. I'm anal about that as I'm susceptible to to all types of lung infections so that being easier is a good thing (didn't know that up front though)...


Off topic: I suspect some of the reported display floods are because ppl drive the screws in with too much force. The o-ring need not be compressed it works axially. I lube the screws and screw them in. No need to apply ANY force at all. So far no floods.

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= This post is environmentally friendly. It is composed of 100% recycled electrons only. = SK #007

rian jordaan

Good Day
I did my full cave and advance nitrox only the other day, so I'm sertified now and a lot of hours away from trimix. I bought a second hand sport because its the only one I could get. I chose the kiss because it is simple and no fancy gadgets. The limitation of your dive is not that much the machene but the amount of gas you can carry to get back if there is problems on the furthest/deepest part of your dive.
If I do upgrade in future it will cost me on trianing only a third.

aquaxel

got the ck because the sk looks ugly.

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rgds aquaxel

www.aquatec-innerspace.com

gibbogeo

Can you put a big flashing announce on the first ppage of Rebreather World when you put online this interview (and the one with B.Stone, the one with R.Pyle and all the other video you made...)?

I can't wait to see all of them.

Thank you.

gibbogeo

I started using a dolphin, then i added a kiss valve to go to CCR. I abused this unit in every immaginable way (i had to buy the aluminum shell from New Zealand because i broke the original).

When i decided to buy the kiss i needed something to go deeper and longer that what i was doing with my Dolphin ccr. And i needed something very strong, simple to repair, and with the possibility to fix it by myself with very simple tools. The classic looked to my more robust, simple, "clean" and easy to fix.

I discovered that the assistance is unbelivable, they do care about what you need and they try really to help you (Mrs. Kim saved my holiday sending me spare parts before receiving my payement, i really was amazed).

I traveled with it to La Paz, Baja California, it fit in an 30 year old samsonite that i had (for some strange reason, the italian airways apply a surcharge on your luggage if they see that is a scuba equiment: no more "scubapro" or "mares" marked bags for me). And in Mexico i found available only 5 liter steel bottles.

Moreover i have at home a lot of dolphin 4/5 liter bottle to use. They fit perfectely on the classic (here in Italy is not so easy to find oxygen in the small island that are the best places to dive, so you have to bring with you all the gases you need, with a CCR it is not so a big challenge, anyway).

In short, the classic fits quite good the need of my diving habits and possibilities. The sport would have not be a so big improvement from my previous dolphin ccr to justify to spend the money to buy one.