Correcting the Rebreather Record (RF4)

By Michael Menduno. Tables by SJ Alice Bennett

The Rebreather Forum 4 Proceedings have been published and released. Unfortunately, I omitted several rebreathers in the list of tech rebreather models (shown in Table 1 below) in my paper, “An Overview Of The Tech Rebreather Market: A Technologist’s Perspective.” Thank you Bretislav Vaisar, CEO of iQsub Technologies, and Sharon Readey, formerly with PRISM for pointing out the omissions. 

Specifically, I have added the PRISM Topaz (2000-2012) designed and built by Peter Readey, the Hammerhead Classic and Extreme, designed and built by Kevin Juergensen, CEO of Juergensen Marine Inc., and two iQsub sidemount rebreathers, and their new front mounted rebreather launched in 2023. In this table, dark blue represents mCCR, light blue eCCR and gray represents SCR.

In addition, in my paper I wrote, “As discussed, by 2000 there were five commercially available tech rebreathers; 3 eCCRs (Cis-Lunar MK5, Inspiration, Megladon), 1 mCCR(KISS) and 1 SCR (RB80).” That should have been “six” commercially available units including the PRISM Topaz.

Please note that we did not include the Pelagian mCCR, which was introduced as a kit in the early 2000s, but was reportedly never offered as a manufactured unit. There were also a number of modified former US and Russian military units on the market, for example the so-called MK 15.5, which was a Carleton Technologies US Navy MK 15 with updated electronics, in addition to a few homemade rebreathers. These are not shown.

DIVE DEEPER

InDEPTH: Rebreather Forum 4 Proceedings Are Available for Download

InDEPTH: InDEPTH’s Holiday Rebreather Guide 2023

RF4: Menduno M. An overview of the tech rebreather market: a technologist’s perspective. In: Pollock NW, ed. Rebreather Forum 4. Proceedings of the April 20-22, 2023 workshop. Valletta, Malta. 2024; 1-27.

Michael Menduno/M2 is InDepth’s editor-in-chief and an award-winning journalist and technologist who has written about diving and diving technology for more than 30 years. He coined the term “technical diving.” His magazine “aquaCORPS: The Journal for Technical Diving” (1990-1996) helped usher tech diving into mainstream sports diving, and he produced the first tek.Conferences and Rebreather Forums 1.0 , 2.0 and 4.0. In addition to InDepth, Menduno serves as Senior Editor for DAN Europe’s Alert Diver magazine. He is a member of the Rebreather Training Council (RTC).