Chest Mounted Rebreather Dive! Choptima (O2ptima CM) Action!

[@jhgt2d]

I am still 3-5 years out from buying a rebreather but I love to hear opinions and learn where strengths and weaknesses of the units are. I live near the great lakes and LOVE wreck diving so hopefully you will keep up the CCR reviews and pointing out the most useful environments for the different units. Look forward to more videos and CCR content.

[@akant74]

Hahahah the movie reference with the elevator doors closing in both windows was genius.!!!

[@robmichaels4728]

Would love to see more CCR content on your channel. Great video, love Horizon Divers and their entire crew, especially Jeff.

[@DiversReady]

Thanks Rob!

[@0nBe1ay]

Thanks Rob! Hopefully we'll get James on more CCR dives ;)

[@SimonAmazingClarke]

Excellent episode. I love the fact that there are no, or few bubbles. I like that this one xan be connected to the main tank so one less tank and you still have full back up.

[@Yggdrasil42]

Very interesting. Slim sidemount CCRs like the KISS Sidewinder and front-mount like this are much more appealing to me than the large metal caged backmount units.

[@Robert_H_Diver]

I would love a side winder

[@0nBe1ay]

Yggdrasil42 its a great time for CCR. New blood, new ideas, and new units are shaking up the market. The Choptima makes things way more adaptable for divers.

[@shakascuba]

Love Dive Rite gear and their CCR's. I've been diving the O2Ptima for a couple years now and recently got Cave CCR certified on it! Working on the hours so I can be an instructor! Would love to get a Choptima next! Love your content, keep it up!

[@jamesaurich501]

really nice intro to the unit. looking forward to a ccr video also. thanks for the update.

[@lydialeigh4]

Hey James, off topic here, but wanted to comment that it is nice to see Jeff on one of your videos! He took my dive buddy and I on our first two dives on the Spiegel Grove last December. Not having a lot of experience in rough seas up to this point, I was definitely nervous about the waves (4 - 5 foot) and current. Jeff was super chill and reassuring - did a great job getting us in and down to the wreck. My jitters immediately disappeared. That first glimpse of the Spiegel as we came down the line just rocked my world. Love that wreck! Thank Jeff again for a very cool introduction to that wreck. We went back down to dive it a couple days later and had an absolute blast. Can’t wait to come down to dive Spiegel again!

[@0nBe1ay]

Thanks so much Lydia! You and Jeff were awesome to dive with. I look forward to diving with you soon.

[@steeltillery]

Not sure how I feel about the Gas Hog comment while there was footage of me diving. Haha

[@DiversReady]

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahaha! Thought you'd catch that! Ha!

[@0nBe1ay]

Own it ;)

[@ΓεώργιοςΜπρίνταλος]

So correct me if I'm wrong... The frontmount CCR is optimal for using with a regular backmount tank or twinset (or even sidemount) because like this you don't have to change anything in your standard dive gear. The cylinder on your back takes the roll of the bailout that any CCR diver has to carry and at the same if you want to dive with open circuit, you just leave the rebreather on the the boat. Also it could be possible to donate the rebreather to another diver if the situation requires (of course someone with proper training and according to specific dive plans) So this CCR becomes a very flexible tool!

[@toriless]

Yes, they are also still expensive, this unit sells at Dive Rite for $6300.

[@0nBe1ay]

Yes, yes, and heck yeah! You could have a rebreather on your back, a Choptima on your chest, and two OC Bailout tanks. So many options!!

[@Collinator1000]

Excellent work with the system! Thought your video was well balanced with fun shots and information

[@gsddad120]

Great video James, Thanks for doing a CCR video! I'm getting certified on the choptima in 3 weeks in Florida, can't wait. I plan on getting back to Horizon Divers next fall to do some more time on the Spiegel.

[@seriously_what_the]

I am a technical rebreather diver, I’m certified in the O2ptima CM. It’s not just a recreational ccr. It’s a full-fledge technical rebreather. Just commenting on the beginning of the video.

[@donr3407]

Thank you and keep up the great work brother.

[@blueskyscubanut]

Enjoyed it!

[@parkerschmitt1594]

You kept your promise!!! So excited to watch!

[@tristanlambert2258]

Loving the Grivel Mont Blanc sticker

[@HorizonDivers]

Not everyone started their adventures below sea level ;)

[@michaelgalietti4490]

Jeff is a awesome funny guy!! Great vid again James. Thats the ccr I've been looking at. Cant wait for more ccr stuff. Look like you got a little positive a couple times, but you looked great!!

[@odessusinc6890]

thank you. buying it!

[@ScubaHockeyDoc]

I have been thinking hard about CCR, this may now have pushed me over the top $$$

[@0nBe1ay]

Give me a shout Steven and we can talk training and the bubbless lifestyle.

[@ScubaHockeyDoc]

@@0nBe1ay thanks Jeff, I will actually be at HD with James over thanksgiving week doing my Trimix training.

[@andrecandrade]

Great video Guys!

[@DiversReady]

Thanks Andre!

[@willsmooth45]

Just got a scr drager dolphin going to convert it to ccr eventually but I got it for the steal of 500 dollars! Having my instructor teach me how to rebuild it so excited

[@pinnacledivingco]

I am amazed that he never mentioned static-lung loading as an answer for why chest-mounted units have an advantage over back-mounted units.

[@ramytk1]

That looks like fun. Me Next!

[@0nBe1ay]

Say when Ramy ;)

[@1989Goodspeed]

16:20 one word: Briliant!

[@sammoyers905]

🙄 Oh, gee thanks James... Another course and equipment set to add to my Diving Bucket/Must-have list..... 🤪😎 Are you planning on becoming a CCR Instructor?

[@toriless]

By the way, you never did that video about the Shearwater Teric that you mentioned in your Tech Setup video.

[@alle_namen_schon_vergeben708]

Looking forward to the video about CCR units :) What was the thing in front of your eye on the top of the mouth piece?

[@joshuaunderwood1873]

That’s called a NERD or near eye remote display. It’s a dive computer you don’t have to look down at.

[@alle_namen_schon_vergeben708]

@@joshuaunderwood1873 okay, I think I would find it annoying 😅

[@joshuaunderwood1873]

@@alle_namen_schon_vergeben708 lots of people do feel that way. But properly positioned you can’t see it unless you shift your eyes down. I see some CCR guys with it touching their mask at all times, THAT has to be annoying.

[@BAMFSQUAD]

Really cool unit 🤙 I love how quite it is on a rebreather and your a ninja 😂😂😂😂😂

[@louloute06140able]

Tried this CCR and definetly not my personal choice ! I'm diving the mCCR M3S triton, smaller, lighter, easier to operate with different setup, bigger scrubber, less possible failures .... I tried to find good points for the O2PTIMA compared to the triton but i can't ...

[@0nBe1ay]

Louis I can respect that. For US divers its the lack of support, parts, instructors, and training available in the US. The only Triton instructors I know are in the South Pacific / SE Asia, and I don't know of a place in the US to get parts or support. It looks like a snazzy unit, but I do like me an ECCr. ;)

[@louloute06140able]

@@0nBe1ay Had no thought bout that.... if there's no support and no instructor i understand the problem. In fact this manual CCR is not hard at all to manage, and since i'm diving this one, i will never go back to ECCR. With the triton and it's simplicity, less problem source, lighter, faster to operate.... The biggest problems with CCR are almost 100% resolved with the triton, REALLY this CCR is so good for recreationnal divers ! and for cave divers it's good too

[@precasimantas]

Everything looks good in slomotion😂😉👍

[@PikxDizzy]

Looks sweet, what loop covers are those if you dont mind me asking?

[@0nBe1ay]

Momma made them. I give them to students when they finish a course.

[@PikxDizzy]

@@0nBe1ay ahh darn, want me a set for my orange ranger look 😋

[@rockym2931]

Good video, and informative. It's off topic, but I would like to know more about those yellow fins.

[@0nBe1ay]

Rocky are you talking about my ScubaPro Go Sport fins? #warmwater ;)

[@fr0stief0n]

divetalk collab soon? haha

[@DiversReady]

They have inivited me. We're having scheduling issues!

[@fr0stief0n]

@@DiversReady ooooh nice !!! keep up the good work :)

[@Robert_H_Diver]

Yesssss

[@adampilot8275]

Thanks again Jamesy. Good footage but lacked a tab in terms of marine life.

[@djknauss1]

its florida, not the philippines..

[@edmondtan142]

He's action is cute and funny hahaha

[@pablojacebal6569]

Very Cool

[@djknauss1]

a front mounted CCR would, in my mind, be ideal for deep dives. its gives you a few cm of "peep"

[@0nBe1ay]

It really works great in open water! I dove the Vitric (300 ft') here in Key Largo a few months back with the Choptima. Twin 50s on my back, and one 80 on each hip, plus a small O2 bottle for the rebreather. Every carries really well, and is easily mounted and controlled on the boat.

[@djknauss1]

@@0nBe1ay how deep would you feel comfortable taking the choptima?

[@0nBe1ay]

@@djknauss1 I know Lamar and a few others from DiveRite have had it at the 400' plus ranges. I'd need it to 450' so I could dive the Britanic ;)

[@eugeniocuadradoalbite6706]

I have allways been curious: how do you adjust your bouyancy on a CCR?. Just adjusting your breathing rithm wont do, since you exhale into the loop. Do you adjust counterlung volume?

[@0nBe1ay]

Hi Eugenio. That's one piece of the buoyancy puzzle. Your BCD, the breathing loop volume, your lungs, and exposure suit are all part of the equation.

[@tonyvelasquez6776]

Buoyancy is easier on ccr because wherever you get your buoyancy, that's where you stay. Not all the up and down.

[@toriless]

I have a stupid question, why do you tend to dive with your arms extended in front of you and you fins upward. I have seen you do that in other videos. I can guess the fins is to avoid them accidentally touching below you and you bring them horizontal when actually moving or are their other reasons but I am less sure why your arms and hands are in front.

[@marcin.j.wasiak]

Feet - that's frog kick position, hands - normal position for one hand (right one) carrying light to be extended in front the left is for DPV. Guess habitual / streamlined position

[@joshuaunderwood1873]

It’s the proper trim position for technical diving. Creating the most streamlined position.

[@DiversReady]

Not a stupid question at all! I will answer it in this month's channel update! #askdiversready

[@Yggdrasil42]

@@marcin.j.wasiak Weird, everyone I know keeps their light in their left hand and their dpv in the right. Suex dpvs even come with only a right-handed grip by default.

[@Yggdrasil42]

It's a very stable position. Having your hands in front is the standard position in technical diving. The skydiver position helps maintain horizontal trim by tensing your body, allows you to hold your light (which isn't optional for technical diving) and allows you to signal clearly to your team. If you're wearing a dry suit it's even more helpful for trim because you can trap some air in the arms and for venting gas from the suit since the dump valve is on the upper left arm. The legs are bent that way to keep the fins from the bottom where they'll kick up silt from the bottom. The frog kick, modified flutter kick, helicopter kick, etc. all start from this position and are commonly used by technical divers.

[@SilentScreamer413]

Thanks for the video. I'm heading down the CCR route now. Starting the course soon. I've been waiting for this for years actually... This unit seems awesome for CCR newbies and also easy to hook on a regular backplate system... Quite cool!

[@DiversReady]

Thanks for sharing! Dive safe.

[@jacobkrause1913]

Very cool video. Why don’t you own/dive a CCR of your own yet? If you were to purchase a unit what would you get and why?

[@djknauss1]

poseidon would be my choice

[@mekanwoke6968]

@@djknauss1 lmao!

[@joshuaunderwood1873]

@@djknauss1 but why?

[@djknauss1]

@@joshuaunderwood1873 only one that has a solid state CO2 sensor

[@djknauss1]

@@mekanwoke6968 i know, right?

[@DiveAtlantic]

More rebreather content would be great! Just got certed on my rEvo!

[@DiversReady]

Congrats!

[@thomasw5430]

Nice video. Very interested in rebreathers. Would love to see/ hear more about them. Especially buoyancy aspect. Did you need to carry more or less weight than when you open circuit

[@toriless]

Depends on your tanks but less air generally means less weights.

[@joshuaunderwood1873]

Depends on the unit. I carry more weight with my choptima because the unit itself is light but has a decent size counter lung volume. Since there is a new air space you now have more buoyancy. In a dry suit, with sidemount steel LP50s and a chest mount rebreather I wear 8lbs of lead. Doesn’t seem like a lot but I’m already wording two steel tanks ;) When you have the super bulky units like the inspiration and revo and backmount optima..they have large metal stands and other heavy bits, so weight is typically reserved for trim on those.

[@0nBe1ay]

Hi Thomas W. In warm water, diving a single AL80 like James was in the video, I typically add about 4 lbs to a student. Once you get use to diving the unit, and control over the amount of gas in the rebreather that can drop to 2 lbs. Switching to a steel tank can also do the job ;) Great question!

[@ba946x4]

Great video. I’ve been wanting to get certified for a rebreather but never done it. But then again, I haven’t gotten Nitrox certified yet either and I’ve been a certified advanced open water diver since 1991 and I’ve got no telling how many logged and unlogged dives. Great video. 👍

[@toriless]

Do you need Nitrox training before CCR or is anything you need to know included? It seems this unit is more automated than regular Nitrox diving. Not that I can ever afford one of these anyway.

[@joshuaunderwood1873]

@@toriless these things change hands quickly for decent prices. It’s all about time of year.

[@Yggdrasil42]

@@toriless I'd say good understanding of partial pressures and practical deco is highly recommended. Until I did Advanced Nitrox and Decompression Procedures courses I honestly didn't understand enough about the physiology of diving. Not sure if it's required but I'd recommend it.

[@0nBe1ay]

ba946x, you do need to have a Nitrox certification and AOW at a minimum. It is most helpful to have an Adv Nitrox cert as well, and I typically will cover that during the CCr course regardless. For new CCr divers who aren't already certified technical divers the first course, Air Diluent / No Decompression sets you up to get a good base of experience with a max depth after certification of 100' (33m) and limits you to your No Decompression Limit. After 30 hours / 30 dives on the unit then you can upgrade to Air Diluent / Decompression.

[@ba946x4]

@@0nBe1ay I appreciate you and your information. It’s really helpful. Now I know what direction to take my dive education.

[@uncatila]

How many lbs of balast 50lbs?

[@cristianconrads9109]

I like to know how they work, why the extra bottles in the back, I like it explain in details :)

[@toriless]

The small one in front a pure oxygen, a chemical reaction removes the CO2, the remaining gas is then measured for oxygen and a small amount is added from the small tank in front. As you know air has very low amount of oxygen, so most of what your expel is nitrogen, normally that is wasted, this unit just recycles is along with a fresh supply of oxygen and any unused oxygen. Only a free diver ever actually uses all the oxygen, most of the time to exhale more than you take in. In fact you passive breathing is much more effective than controlled breathing so relaxing allows you to absorb more than puffing away.

[@joshuaunderwood1873]

The extra bottles in the back are called bail out. As with all scuba equipment rebreathers can fail. If they do, what will you breath? Bailout!

[@0nBe1ay]

Hi Cristian. All CCRs need two gasses. Oxygen to replace the Oxygen your body uses, and a leaner gas mix to take up space and be able to lean down the Oxygen to keep it from rising to toxic levels. The leaner mix is called Diluent, and can be anything from Air, Nitrox, or Trimix. Most back mounted rebreather will have those bottles mounted with the unit on a divers back and they tend to be small 3L (23 cuft) or smaller. Because the Choptima is chest mounted, it opens up options for where those bottles can go, and the size of the bottles. Rebreather divers also need to carry enough gas to get them back to the surface without the rebreather, in case it fails, and that gas is called a Bailout. Depending on the dive this could be a 40 cuft bottle of air, or several tanks of various mixes for staged decompression. In the video James is diving a single AL80. He has a small bottle on the bottom of the Choptima that is for Oxygen, and the AL80 is his Diluent. Hi AL80 is also his Bailout since we were in 30' of water and not doing any decompression diving it is a pretty ideal setup for the dive. I typically dive my Choptima on deeper dives which will require staged decompression and thus more gas. My left bottle is typically 21/35 (O2 / Helium), and my right bottle is 32%. I can bailout to either less than 130', or have them both for deeper dives. The majority of my dives are in the < 150' range so this setup works great! AND since I dive in mixed company (Open Circuit divers), having the 32% makes it nice to be able to donate if needed. Hope that helps.

[@cristianconrads9109]

@@0nBe1ay thanks a lot for the info, I’m starting with technical diving at the moment, did my sidemount certification and now studying how to do a decompression dive. I have look into rebreathers but have always be a bit intimidated by them, also the price is for the super reach here, Do you know how do you travel with one of this rebreather units, you hace to empty the oxygen bottle?

[@0nBe1ay]

@@cristianconrads9109 as you'll learn with OC technical diving, with CCR you've got to do a bit more dive trip planning before booking a trip. Recreational destinations may not be equipped to support technical divers. Either with fills, tanks, or equipment. They may not even allow doubles on boats. Some places may allow technical dives, but not support them. And some may only support OC divers but not CCR. Typically I don't travel with any tanks. I get them at the destination...unless I'm driving there, and then I bring as much of the dive shop as I can. When I choose a destination, or trip, I go specifically to places that support the diving I'm planning on doing. DiveTec in Grand Caymen, Horizon Divers in Key Largo, Buddy Dive in Bonaire & I'm pretty sure TDS at Capt'n Dons is up and supporting CCR now too, are all examples of full service and support CCR dive shops. A lot of CCR divers and instructors run trips, or lead dives that are organized towards CCR divers. Becky K. Schott, Pete Mosley, James Blackman, and Horizon Diver in lovely Key Largo Florida ;) are all great trip leaders for new or experienced CCR divers. And they all go to some pretty sick places. When you get done with your Deco Procedures, shoot me and email and I can totally point you in the right direction for some great diving, or trips to all the cool places.

[@marekmikos]

Hi. I'd like to ask, is it possible to use it with dry suit? I mean, on dry suit, you have inflate valve on your chest. Thx

[@0nBe1ay]

Marek you totally can. It’s easy to reach under.

[@marekmikos]

@@0nBe1ay tjx for reply

[@gillestep]

And for tiny rebreather in shallow waters, why not an O2 rebreather like the Salamandre mCCR made in switzerland?

[@0nBe1ay]

I live in the United States and the Salamandre isn't sold here. And at 20' I don't need a rebreather ;)

[@gillestep]

@@0nBe1ay O2 rebreather can't dive below 6m. They are perfect for shallow waters.

[@dannysingletary9648]

What is the that eye peace it looks like you view through?

[@joshuaunderwood1873]

Shearwater NERD

[@jr3628]

like josh stated, its a shearwater NERD, a hud style display for your computer, allows you to have all the needed info and warnings right where you can see it without moving your hands or your head.

[@mekanwoke6968]

@@joshuaunderwood1873 I see you!

[@joshuaunderwood1873]

@@mekanwoke6968 you know me. Keeping it real.

[@uncatila]

Are prices dropping on these?

[@HorizonDivers]

Patrick, not terribly. The market is still relatively small. Used units are always available, but like buying a used car, you better know what you're getting before money changes hands. The Choptima is a "Less Expensive" rebreather at around $7000. But it also isn't a complete dive kit, in that it isn't ready to dive out of the box. You need to have a doubles, singles, side-mount, or another rebreather for it to dive with.

[@darthnihilus1608]

It seems like trim would be quite bad with this, having something bulky strapped to the front and back

[@mekanwoke6968]

As a dive rite optima cm diver, I can tell you that if your trim is bad on OC, it will be bad on this unit...and almost any unit out there apart from maybe the sidewinder, which is known for "putting divers into proper horizontal trim." If you are pretty dialed in and have good trim on OC, it will be great on this unit.

[@0nBe1ay]

darth, I haven't had any students run into any serious problems. On backmounted units because valves are on the bottom trim can be pretty hip heavy, and take some "creative" weight placement for those that aren't diving a drysuit. The Choptima doesn't seem to throw off trim once you get minimum loop volume figured out.

[@YouTube_user3333]

Is this just as expensive as other CCR units?

[@joshuaunderwood1873]

6300

[@YouTube_user3333]

@@joshuaunderwood1873 roughly $9k In our money

[@joshuaunderwood1873]

@@KZbin_user3333 what’s your money? It’s $6,300 US. Sorry I didn’t even think of the currency conversion my friend.

[@jr3628]

its on par with other units once full kitted out.

[@mekanwoke6968]

@@jr3628 for clarity, its $6300 USD with the shearwater HUD, and $7000 with the Shearwater NERD2. No additional expenditures are needed to dive the unit apart from your on-board O2 bottle. A QC6 fitting ($140) is recommended on the ADV/MAV hybrid if going on deeper dives. This fitting allows a larger volume of gas to flow from the dil LP hose to the ADV/MAV. Compared to other popular units out there, i'd say it is more affordable.

[@Black6Six]

It looks like it would be very difficult to run a drysuit with drygloves and this on if it's strapped close to your chest. Another invention that forgets not all of us dive in warm water.

[@0nBe1ay]

Buttons are actually pretty easy in dry gloves. Large and placed in front of you. Clips can be made larger, and QDs can be switched to QC6 or flange connections.

[@seriously_what_the]

I dive with a dry suit and gloves in deep cold water. It is absolutely not an issue whatsoever.

[@kjdtm]

guy's it's ~7000k it's soo unfair !

[@logistictime7846]

its too big, and what for in recreational diving have 3 tank??? and 2 at back -facepalm , imho...

[@IsmailNuzaifKokky]

.

[@kabulbolan]

KISS is better :)

[@DiversReady]

Everybody thinks their own rebreather is better.

[@mekanwoke6968]

@@DiversReady "kiss is better" is an easy way to spot people who make baseless claims that their rebreather is the best, despite its many flaws that they know about.

[@Yggdrasil42]

Stop it. Better for which purpose? Every rebreather is a compromise in some way. You need to figure out which rebreather best fits your needs.

[@marcin.j.wasiak]

you mean next edition of kiss sidewinder coming ? - a lot of people looking forward to it. the current one build quality is not impressive

[@0nBe1ay]

I thought long about the Sidewinder, and would have gone that direction had I not found the ChOptima. The kiss is different, and offers a different design philosophy. I wanted an electronic CCR that was completely autonomous. Makes diving from a boat easier in rough seas. And if it could do other styles of diving, other than Sidemount that was a plus. ChOptima rocked that.

[@PaulAnthonyDuttonUk]

This is hard to watch. There is way too much fluff before the dive. The content proper has a worth of 4 mins and the rest is just waste. Your intro is as long as Dallas and plot line worse than dynasty. This is utube not ITV. You should have kicked off at 7.00 minutes thereabouts because that’s where it got interesting.

[@0nBe1ay]

That’s when I start talking. I totally agree 😂