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"Revival Vest"

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
Yes, you are right, I did not realize that. Although there is still a computer, and it does log your dives, there is no wrist interface like at the v1, just a simple switch with a signal LED (the Communicator).
 
That's good enough for me and the price drop from the original is quite remarkable. I hope it will be available when I'm going to the US on vacation in the spring..
 
trux said:
840€ is not so much for such a device, especially if you realize you get a diving computer with it for free.
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HA HA HA, yeah I am a moron when it comes to diving masks. Just ordered two new ones that are suppose to arrive tomorrow from Scubastore with DHL. The Cressi Cressi Superocchio and the Aqualung Micromask. After ordering the masks, and some other “nippeis” that I am in the need of, I realized that the Aqualung Micromask is about 17€ cheaper at http://www.freedivingshop.cz/ So I called Scubastore and they immediately gave me a 17€ discount… ha ha ha, but they told me that they would also lower the price on their website for other customers… so far they haven’t don’t that

Now I have also realized that ordering from http://www.freedivingshop.cz/ post and packing is actually cheaper than with diveinn/Scubastore, so I will keep “those” facts in mind next time I crack open my plastic card :rcard:t

Sorry, back to the subject:

840€ isn’t cheap. I would like more documentation before splashing out that kind of money on a new product that might not fit me, feel uncomfortable to dive with, doesn’t work the way it is suppose to etc. etc.

I presume it can be used over and over again just inserting a new cartridge of compress air (gas cartridge, air cartridge or what ever the name of those little things are?!), because if I am going to get my hands on one, I will test it in a real life situation to make sure I understand how it works 100% in case I will be in a situation one day where I will need it, or so that I don’t get a shock when it suddenly blows up around me by some miscalculating mistake of the computer etc…..

That said I had no idea that it was already for sale???!!! What I thought I found on the internet so far, was that is was more like a promotion of some demonstration model of sort, that “might” some day come on the market in the future if there would be enough interest in the product?!
 
Maybe the manufacturer should make some serious videos, demonstrating how it works etc. and upload them to youtube?!
 
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Yes, there are plenty of videos, just look it up at Youtube, on their website, or here on DB. Just enter "freediving recovery vest" at Youtube and you get over 30 videos.

If you want to test the FRV v1 (which is bulkier and more complicate), and will pay for the shipping and packing both ways, I could send you mine for a few weeks.

PS: sell all of your excess masks on eBay, and you'll have money enough for two FRV's.
 
trux said:
PS: sell all of your excess masks on eBay, and you'll have money enough for two FRV's.
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HA HA HA, Let me think about it, could be a good Idea. Where are you located? France? Czech Republic? How to pay you?

Where is the new FRV for sale BTW?

Did you try testing it on a dive where you had the FRV take you up??? If yes, from which dept was your test??? Is it noisy, I guess it is not like an airbag going off???
 
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Okay, watched the FRV v1 video and my first thought is: ”more equipment to carry around!”, but maybe v2 will be less of a hassle?!

In the video I saw they said nothing about the vest's performance in case you black out during ascending???
 
The FRV Mark II is the culmination of the efforts on early users of the original FRV and with the US Navy SEALS who helped me develop this new actuator. Currently it is being tested by the SEALS, local divers and professional surfers who want protection from prolonged hold-unders.
Briefly, the Mark II is very streamlined, neutral in the water and weighs less than 2kg on land. The body is tested to withstand 200 meters of pressure. It uses CO2 cylinders commonly available in the US and the EU.
For detailed information on this product due out in January, please follow this link to the Draft Manual : http://oceanicss.com/manuals/Draft FRV Mark II User Manual.pdf
Terry Maas, Oceanic Safety Systems The Programable Submersible Actuator for life vests and PFDs
 
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tuboludo said:
HA HA HA, Let me think about it, could be a good Idea. Where are you located? France? Czech Republic? How to pay you? Where is the new FRV for sale BTW?
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I am now in France, in November I'll be in Prague. Payment for the shipping would possible by Paypal or a wire transfer. I believe FRV II is not yet available for sale, but should be soon. You can order directly on the website of Oceanic Safety Systems.

tuboludo said:
Did you try testing it on a dive where you had the FRV take you up??? If yes, from which dept was your test??? Is it noisy, I guess it is not like an airbag going off???
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Yes, of course, I tested it. From 20m (did not have greater depth available). It is not much more noisy than breathing from a scuba tank when it triggers.

tuboludo said:
Okay, watched the FRV v1 video and my first thought is: ”more equipment to carry around!”, but maybe v2 will be less of a hassle?!
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Yes, that was exactly my feeling when I received the unit, and when I've put it on before the test. However, once I've entered water, I completely forgot about having it on. V2 should be no problem at all.

tuboludo said:
In the video I saw they said nothing about the vest's performance in case you black out during ascending???
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There are actually six ways the vest inflates -
1) either you surpass your maximal depth
2) or you stay underwater over your maximal time (hence the FRV will trigger even on ascent)
3) or you don't swipe the device on surface in given time (surface blackout)
4) you dive too quickly after surfacing (reimmersion of a blacked out diver)
5) you can trigger the inflation manually from the tank when in distress (i.e. lifting a buddy)
6) on surface you can inflate the vest orally (for example you are too far away from the shore and struggle swimming, so you inflate it to prevent sinking

PS: this is all for FRV v1, there may be slight differences at FRV II - I did not study the manual completely yet
 
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Okay, sounds better and better. So if we look at real life now that you have the FRV, do you use it every time you go diving? Do you put it on as naturally as you do your weight belt every time you go for a dive??? Or are there situations, apart from the swimming pool, where you don’t bother diving with it??? (yeah, I know, it is a tricky question, don’t lie though… ha ha ha)
 
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In fact he FRV I have is a testing sample, so since the time I have it, between the period I was traveling, the unit been at others for testing, and considering my home location being far from the sea, in fact I did not have much occasions to use it yet, apart from some testing, so can't speak about regular use. I do not take with me when going to train line freediving - the safety there is assured by several buddies. I would also not take it for some snorkeling / freediving trips where I often swim through caves and underwater canyons (accidental FRV inflation could be fatal). Then I do not take it when going to dive to rivers - it is often too shallow and the FRV v1 could be too buky for that. May be different with FRV II.
 
BUMP,

So, is anyone using one of these yet and when/where can you buy one?

Jon
 
I am pretty sure trux is using one. I am thinking of getting one of the new ones when it is ready!
 
Jon, if you speak about the vest from the top post, then it does not exist. It was just a project and I am not very confident it will ever exist. But if you want to buy the FRV II from Terry Maas, then you can get it directly from him here: Order Freedivers Recovery Vest Mark II

The FRV II should be available in January 2013, and I think it is worth of waiting for. The FRV (I) was 3 times bigger, 3 times more expensive, and had almost 3 times smaller operational depth (though still 40m, hence sufficient for most cases). On the other hand it operated with air from a scuba tank, so was easy to refill even while on a boat. At FRV II, small liquid CO2 charges are used, so you need to have spare ones, or an easy access to a refill station. The FRV (I) also included a diving wrist computer/control unit, that is no more part of the FRV II.
 
The FRV II is the one I'm talking about. The price,and size, are much nicer. I see that it doesn't have a computer but am wondering how it works when you surface- do you still have something to "swipe" when you get to the surface? Can you easily reset the time and depth parameters while out in the water? Just thinking that would be something I would want to be able to adjust on the fly as I moved into deeper waters.

Also wondering who is using these for solo diving. This is a controversial topic on here and I don't expect anyone to out themselves online. You can PM me with details if you wish. I'm no longer willing to solo dive without some sort of back up. I've never had SWB or even a samba, but just decided its not worth pushing things the way I have been for years- having two small kids at home changes you that way. So, it comes down to vest or mountain biking.

Thanks,

Jon
 
I've been diving about 60 years. I know I shouldn't dive alone, but I do.

I owned the FRV (I) and it worked very well, but it was indeed a lot to carry around. Its not that it was very noticeable in the water, but I've had surgery on both shoulders and have restricted movement, so it was hard getting my left arm in and out of that sleeve, and it made it a lot harder to muscle up on to the swim step of my boat.

I was lucky enough to find a buyer who didn't want to wait for the Mark II version. I think that version addresses every complaint I had with the first version, and I plan to buy it as soon as its available in January.
 

As I recall, it operates just like the first version did. You can choose a mode that requires a swipe to keep it from inflating after you surface, or you can choose not to. I think most people choose not to. Otherwise, sooner or later they will forget and get an unwelcome surface inflation.

You can't change trigger time or depth while submerged, but you can easily do so on the surface. You could change them between each dive if you wanted to.
 
Thanks Bill,

I've been diving for over 30 and never had an issue, but when it comes to this stuff you only need to have an issue once. I also know that people get pretty worked up about this stuff on here so I didn't want to distract from the topic by bringing it up.

Since this vest has no wrist monitor on the sleeve I wonder what you swipe when you surface? I wouldn't want to switch activation underwater, but I between dives is fine. The photos make it look like it has a ton of different straps. I'm also wondering how much work it is to change from one thickness of wetsuit to another.

Jon
 
Here is a link to the manual.

Freedivers Recovery Vest Mark II

With the exception of the lack of wrist computer, it operates exactly the same as the Mark I. Rather than risk misrepresenting the facts, I better let you read it.

I guess you would have to adjust the buckles a bit if you switched thickness of wet suit, but I can't imagine that would be very hard.

At least its one size fits all. With the Mark I, there were three different sizes of vest to mount the hardware in. I had a large, and when I sold my vest to a skinny guy, I had to get him a small vest. I threw in my large vest at no extra charge so his father could try it.

I just heard that the first units will be available in mid February. I'm recovering from surgery, so I'll be lucky if I'm back in shape to dive by then anyway.

By the way, it seems that the Navy SEALS are buying a modified version of the new vest, and big wave surfers are buying yet another version to save them when they are held down by big waves. An article in Outside Magazine a couple of months ago evaluated three different products for surfers, and said this one seemed the most promising. The one that is most used now just has a bladder inside a wet suit, and the user has to pull a lanyard to inflate it. Terry's version can be manually inflated if you want to, but it will also automatically inflate to bring an unconscious surfer to the surface.
 
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I just wanted to clarify a couple of things. At first glance it might seem better to be able to refill from a scuba tank, but then you would have to carry a 3000 psi scuba tank on the boat. The Mark II uses readily available CO2 cartridges, and its easy to carry a bunch of them on the boat. Its also a lot easier to screw in a couple of cartridges than to use the adapter to fill from a 3000 psi tank. And then of course not every freediver will own a 3000 psi tank, so he would have to buy one. The more I think about it, the more I think the CO2 is an improvement. I didn't like carrying that scuba bottle anyway.
 
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