…..and in all honesty a question I really did
not know the answer to!
If the scuba diving grapevine has worked well,
you might have heard that Mares recently acquired rEvo. A huge and bold step
for Mares to put themselves right at the heart of the wonderful world of
rebreather diving. This acquisition also puts a statement out there to other
manufactures that Mares are taking their commitment to the continued
development of equipment for underwater diving activities more seriously than
ever before.
Up until recent times, rEvo courses have been
primarily taught through IANTD and ART (TDI). In the background Ben
Reymenents and Andreas Kron; Technical International Training directors for
SSI, have been busy finalizing the SSI CCR course outlines and
preparing to launch rEvo courses under the SSI umbrella. With this in mind it was time for me
to get up to speed with this particular unit so that I would be ready to be
able to answer customer questions about the unit specifics and the course and
for sure to see for myself what it is like to actually dive the unit.
Orca Dive Clubs are one of the largest current diving operators in the Red Sea with
7 locations covering the mainland of Egypt and primarily focused on SSI
training. Orca have a large rebreather department offering training on multiple
CCR units and specializing in the training of rEvo divers. It was at the diving
centre of Orca in El Gouna where I met with owner and rEvo instructor Wolfgang Jocham to begin my CCR
crossover.
If I am honest, all I wanted to accomplish in my
time with Wolfgang was simply to get information on the unit specifics and to
make sure my general knowledge on how the unit has developed and its main
differences in comparison to other units was thorough. The diving part was
secondary to me as I was a happy CCR diver on a different unit. What I came away
with, was something different…..
This rebreather has an “odd” persona to me, in
that, it is complexed, but yet simple. The construction of the unit makes sense
to me. Minimal parts in build up results in an easier initial setup and fewer
failure points. Having the counterlungs completely behind results in a clutter
free front section which is more comfortable when carrying multiple bailouts,
lamps, camera or scooter. After only a short period of time in the water I
found that trim position was very easy to achieve and maintain. It was almost
like I have been diving this unit for years. The hybrid rEvo has a large
emphasis on back up information on the cells, through integrated
electronics, separate rEvodream(s) and a clear HUD. The split scrubber unit allows
for extended diving hours on the same given volume of scrubber being used in
relation to other rebreathers on the market making it financially superior. There are so many other features that I could write about for
hours but I wont, if you want to know more then you should enroll in a rEvo course!
Many thanks to Wolfgang for his time and
unquestionable knowledge on the rEvo units. As much as I do not now pretend to
know all there is to know about the product, I for sure have a solid base to be
able to share information about the unit with others. Extra thanks go to the
groundstaff of both Orca in El Gouna and Orca Soma Bay. Great service and
facilities.
If you would like to learn more about becoming a
rEvo diver than contact Wolfgang on info@orca-diveclub-elgouna.com
If you are an existing rEvo diver and would like
to dive the Red Sea with a rEvo friendly safari boat then contact me info@tekstremediving.com
Cat
12th August 2016
Orca Dive Club, El Gouna, Qesm Hurghada, Red Sea Governorate, Egypt 
