ucfdiver
Contributor
No, drysuit.
GEM recreational rebreather
- Thread starter divejay
- Start date
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down4fun
Contributor
multiple 3 hour dives, the longest was 3 hours 15 minutes in a wetsuit, welcome to tropical florida in the summer the water is 84F 
OP
divejay
Contributor
Since I started diving the GEM since May, I have now upgrade my unit with the Shearwater computer. This computer makes my GEM complete. I would still recommend first time buyer watching their budget to buy the basic GEM package and upgrading down the road when you get the bucks.
Can you be more specific?
The GEM is nothing like previous SCRs. It's been tested in extreme conditions for about 10 years now. By extreme I mean in caves and to depths of 300' or more. It's a great unit with very few similarities to a CCR. While you do have to watch your breathing to avoid a buildup of CO2 in the loop there are really no other issues. As long as you maintain your breathing rate at a constant, your O2 percentage will remain fairly stable. There is a ppO2 display, but there's nothing else to monitor. The advantage of the GEM is the ability to extend your gas so you can stay under longer. And that's exactly what it does. It's not meant to do anything else.
I guess the biggest similarity would be the "sweeping change" in recreational diving.
But even as an air extender, you are still looking at the same issues of any rebreather (hypoxia, hypercapnia, flooded scrubber, etc.) and now you are also dealing with an inconsistent nitrogen loading (unless you now buy a computer like a shearwater or VR... for around $1500+).
Really the best purchase for the same amount would be a used KISS sport.
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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=47.570896,-122.662733
But even as an air extender, you are still looking at the same issues of any rebreather (hypoxia, hypercapnia, flooded scrubber, etc.) and now you are also dealing with an inconsistent nitrogen loading (unless you now buy a computer like a shearwater or VR... for around $1500+).
Really the best purchase for the same amount would be a used KISS sport.
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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=47.570896,-122.662733
A GEM and training can be had for about $4000. A KISS Sport plus training will run around $6500. Add a Shearwater, which isn't really needed, and it's still about $1000 less. Then you have the additional task loading of running the Sport. The GEM runs itself. The only thing you need to do is control your breathing, which also has to be done on the Sport. The GEM really is a great unit. I hadn't even considered a PSCR until it was released.
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