Diving has evolved over the years, and technological advancements have opened up exciting possibilities for exploring the underwater world. Rebreathers offer divers a unique and transformative experience. This blog discusses the benefits of diving a rebreather and highlights the Hollis Prism 2 rebreather. If you're ready to dive to new depths, read on and learn how this innovation can revolutionize your underwater adventures.
What is a Rebreather?
A rebreather is a diving apparatus that enables divers to recycle and reuse their exhaled breath. Unlike traditional open-circuit scuba systems that release exhaled gases into the water, rebreathers remove carbon dioxide and add the necessary oxygen, resulting in an almost silent and bubble-free experience.
The Advantages of Diving a Rebreather
Diving with a rebreather offers numerous benefits that can enhance your diving experiences:
Extended Dive Times: Rebreathers allow significantly longer dive times than traditional scuba setups. This is due to the efficient use of gases, resulting in less gas consumption.
Silent and Less Disturbance: The lack of bubbles and the near-silent operation of rebreathers provides a non-intrusive way to approach marine life, ensuring a more natural interaction.
Gas Efficiency: Rebreathers recycle the breathing gas, making them incredibly efficient and cost-effective over time.
Improved Gas Mixes: Rebreathers allow for precise control over gas mixtures, enabling you to optimize your breathing gas for specific depths and conditions.
Warm and Moisturized Air: Rebreathers have a natural humidity that keeps the air you breathe warm and moisturized, reducing the risk of dehydration and enhancing comfort.
Deeper Dives: The ability to control gas mixtures enables deeper dives with more extended no-decompression limits, expanding your range of exploration.
The Hollis Prism 2 Rebreather
The Hollis Prism 2 is a rebreather that stands out for its exceptional features and performance. Here are some highlights:
User-Friendly Design: The Prism 2 is designed with user-friendliness, making it suitable for both experienced rebreather divers and those new to the technology.
Durable Construction: Built to withstand the rigors of diving, the Prism 2 is constructed from robust materials that ensure longevity and reliability.
Advanced Safety Features: The Prism 2 boasts redundancy and monitoring systems that enhance safety during underwater journeys.
Customizable: The Prism 2 allows for easy customization of settings and gas mixes, allowing you to tailor your diving experience to your preferences.
Industry Best Work of Breathing
Breathing Loop
It’s breathing loop which is a keyed one way assembly consists of a closable mouthpiece assembly with mushroom/check valves either side, which ensure uni-directional flow.
Independent 3rd party testing has also rated the Prism 2 the lowest work of breathing of any mixed gas rebreather available today.
Simplicity and Reliability
Trusted by deep scientific research teams and the worlds most respected underwater explorers.
Cutting Edge Materials for durability with extreme corrosion and temperature resistance
Built to ISO standards in a clean room environment
CE certified
Built in the Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Lowest work of breathing
Travel Friendly – Core of the unit can be easily packed into a carry-on size bag.
Unique Features – Industry first clear-bucket design to identify a critical issue
The PRISM 2 is a simple and reliable rebreather that can be used for all types of diving from the shallowest photography dives to the deepest exploration dives. P2 owners are the silent stormtroopers of the underwater world.
On a recent liveaboard trip (pre-Covid) there were a number of rebreathers from different manufacturers and a few PRISM 2’s on board. The divers on the trip saw that the PRISM 2 was one of the few that performed consistently and reliability and that those P2 divers didn’t miss a dive.
Why Dive the PRISM 2 Rebreather?
Why? Overall, the PRISM 2 is a simple unit, built from durable materials that require fewer parts than most. These design features of the P2 add to its ease of service and reliability. Traveling divers of all levels have learned to keep a “Save-a-Dive” kit with them and that’s true for P2 divers as well. However, P2 divers typically don’t have to have more than a spare oxygen sensor, wiring harness, O-ring or breathing hose available, as it’s uncommon to need a replacement outside of an annual service.
Prism 2 Rebreather.
Most CCRs today use a tried-and-true design of machining parts from Delrin or metals such as Aluminum and Stainless. This permits smaller manufacturers to have a consistent quality of product with minimum production quantities. While these other units perform OK, the results of this production method are time-consuming and result in bulky parts of no significant strength or durability benefit.
Alternatively, the PRISM 2 uses a combination of injection molded plastics in the core of the unit. This manufacturing process lowers the cost of replacement parts, ensures part consistency and has the ability to use materials not available in smaller manufacturing processes.
PRISM 2 Advantages
The big advantage to the P2’s design and manufacturing is that it’s incredibly compact and lightweight, making it very easy to travel with. In fact, the P2 head and electronics can easily be packed into a carry on.
Another cool feature is the P2’s clear-bucket design that no other rebreather incorporates. This allows your buddy to identify a critical leak during the initial safety checks before it becomes a major problem. The Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) cover also protects from interference with overhead environments and drops from the local dive site bench. It also, notably, doubles as a stormtrooper helmet.
But do all the features of the PRISM’s lightweight and compact design benefits also translate to durability? Let’s dive into the details.
The PRISM is constructed of Advanced High Impact ABS in the breathing loop, Zytel Nylon in the head and basket, and Isoplast Urethane for the bucket. These materials were chosen for their extreme temperature resistance, high tensile strength, and are chemically resistant to degradation in the most extreme conditions.
These materials were chosen during the engineering and design of the P2 because they’re as strong (or stronger) than what other manufacturers use and strong enough to replace metals in load-bearing applications. Plus, they’re more resistant to cold water brittleness and deformation and have better insulating properties.
For example: The Scrubber Bucket of Isoplast Urethane and the Scrubber basket made from Zytel Nylon are; 2x strong as Delrin; 3x Stronger than aluminum; 1/3 Lighter than aluminum; and they don’t corrode. (Wait until you see what salt water and water that has sorb dust in it does to that aluminum bucket of the other guys.) Finally, there is no off-gassing of harmful formaldehyde chemicals into your loop!
The bottom line? Considering the advanced manufacturing materials and processes that are available today and used in the manufacturing of the P2, why would anyone want to continue to use outdated, heavy and cumbersome materials in their dive equipment?
The added weight and bulk of other rebreathers have an effect on your comfort, swimming effort and breathing efficiency underwater that are absent while diving a PRISM 2. With the PRISM 2’s design and engineering, the diver greatly benefits by having years of reliable worry-free diving without limits.
Contact Us to Learn More
If you're intrigued by the possibilities of diving a rebreather, the Hollis Prism 2 is an excellent choice. At Ray Scuba Diving, we're passionate about providing divers with the latest and most innovative equipment. Our team of experts is here to answer your questions and guide you through the world of rebreathers. Contact us today to learn more about the Hollis Prism 2 and embark on a new era of underwater exploration that's quieter, more immersive, and simply extraordinary.