The Freedivers Recovery Vest, it Works!

[tmaas]

After five years, we have a vest.
Below are some short snippets of the diver's first impressions. The entire reviews are here: Freediver's Recovery Vest--First_Impressions​

From Dan Silveira:
First, I evaluated the FRV’s fit. If it turned out to be restrictive or uncomfortable, I simply would not use it. I need to expand my lungs and diaphragm to take in as much air as possible before a long, deep dive. The FRV passed this initial test. It’s made of stretchable Neoprene has several options to adjust the fit. I used the smaller of the two sizes available....​

From Co-inventer Chip Bissell:

The FRV wrist unit has an amazing display. On my Suunto D3, the numbers are pretty small. Not so with the FRV. All the information is crystal clear and easily read at a glance. You don't have to bring it up in front of your face to read it. I didn't need to use the adjustable backlighting, but it's great to have the option.
In the water, I wasn't even aware of the vest. It is amazing how the whole thing contours to your body. The back-mounted inflation unit fits perfectly in the space above the weightbelt and between the shoulders. I didn't even know it was there. Both underwater and on the surface, the FRV is almost transparent. I didn't even think about it. I was just making dives and looking to the wrist unit as I usually do with my Suunto freediving watch....​

From Santa Barbara Freedivers President Iaon Pohlit:​

The most impressive thing about the vest to me was that no matter how I was positioned in the water the vest would role me over onto my back so that if I was blacked out I would be face up on the surface. I tried fighting it and lost, I ended up flat on my back staring up at the sky. There is a wire that runs from the vest to your watch/computer that I was initially concerned would bother me but it did not, in fact it was not even noticeable. From my first trial of the vest I would say it appears to be very user friendly and does not seem to to interfere with any motions associated with freediving. Once used to the functions and operating procedures it will be as natural as clearing your snorkel. It is a bit on the expensive side-$3000, however if you consider the fact that I personally have twice that amount rapped up in spearguns and other diving equipment it doesn't seem that bad, especially considering the alternative. This is a great invention that will change the parameters of our sport forever. I cant wait to see the final product!​

 

[trux]

Excellent news! Thank you! Is this still a prototype, pre-production unit, or the start of the production? When can we expect seing it on the market?

 

[rxcnc2]

Can you say something more about the wrist unit? Can it be used as a depth meter and alarm, without the vest? I agree that the D3 is essentially unreadable, and it would be great to have an (affordable) alternative.

 

[tmaas]

Can you say something more about the wrist unit? Can it be used as a depth meter and alarm, without the vest? I agree that the D3 is essentially unreadable, and it would be great to have an (affordable) alternative.

The arm unit is an integral part of the FRV


The arm unit displays the following:

• At the surface, the arm unit displays the time-of-day, trigger time and depth, number, duration and depth of last dive, temperature, remaining battery life and pressure in the inflation cylinder—all in one screen. The time-of-day numbers can be easily seen with a glance at your arm—no need to bring it up to your face.
• When diving, the screen displays in large numbers your current depth and duration of the dive. Also, displayed are your trigger time, trigger depth and temperature.
• For the first 10 minutes after a dive, your surface interval counts up (and keeps counting well past 10 minutes.) At 10 minutes, the time-of-day switches with the surface interval. With a single button push, you can toggle between the surface interval and the time-of-day at any time.
• The arm unit keeps track of every second of 4,000 2-minute dives.
• It will display a graph of each dive showing maximum depth and time.
• You can call up statistics such as the average time and duration of your dives.
• You can also see the time spent at each depth 120’ …‘50’, 40’ 30’ etc.
• Of course, it will warn you if your battery is low or there is insufficient air in the tank to open the vest at the depth you have chosen as your maximum.

Terry

 

[Erik]

Fantastic. About time, great work!

 

[apneaboy]

Pretty expensive but I suppose as a life saving piece of equipment it would still cost less to spear than SCUBA. If this saves one life its worth the design, and i think if people start wearing it, it will save more.

I would love to see a few videos of this in action, i'll go and see if I can find any.

p.s I wont really Trux will have them on his database and send me there if they exist

 

[island_sands]

wow that's pretty awesome. there is no price for a life... 3000 USD is about the price of an Automated External Defibrillator...

which one would you rather use?

 

[Don Paul]

Thank you Terry for all the persistent work you and your team put forth on this project. It will definitely be part of my gear a year from now.
I owe it to my family to have one more tool in my dive kit.
All the best, Don

 

[azapa]

Wow, been a long time in the works but it looks really good, and more importantly: it is done!

I will buy one.

I suggest an "early adopters" package for the first 20 or so purchases. I have been early adopter with several new innovations and it works like this:
- a fair price (maybe a little less than planned retail)
- right to upgrades without additional cost if significant changes are made before public release
- will test and real feedback in different conditions
- will be ambassador (help to promote) vest amongst peers

Either way, congrats. When can I pick mine up?

 

[rxcnc2]

It is a bit on the expensive side-$3000, however if you consider the fact that I personally have twice that amount rapped up in spearguns and other diving equipment

6000$ to go spearfishing? Well maybe 3000$ for a life vest might sound cheap then. But for the average freediver this thing will not be in the gear bag until it's several times cheaper.

 

[Ricksafer]

Good!
I'm dying to see in the open market and hundreds of units sold! It's going to be so exciting.....

 

[Arcticnick]

Good!
I'm dying to see in the open market.....

Hopefully, not literally!

 

[Erik]

Consider that a 500$ computer is included and the price has just dropped to 2500$.

 

[monkeyhatfork]

has it been tested with arms forward, undulation type diving, I have a hard time seeing myself wanting to put this on with a monofin. Looks like it would be a good fit for spearo type stuff though.

 

[azapa]

In general the fit of the waistcoat part looks loose and floppy, so I can see what monkey there is saying.

It would be nice to see the vest part made of figure-hugging stretchy stuff (maybe not neoprene as that would only mean more lead).

 

[Mr. X]

Cool idea. Love the camo. If it can be produced as weight vest/safety vest combo for a reasonable price it could be a real life saver for we spearos.

 

[Ricksafer]

Hopefully, not literally!

Thanks for clarifying the "nuance". Would still like to know WHEN is it going to be marketed and under what brand.

 

[trux]

Terry, can you tell us something more about the computer that comes with it?

Ah, err.. I found it - it is here: Freediver's Recovery Vest--watch_overview

 

[azapa]

Terry, can you tell us something more about the computer that comes with it?

Ah, err.. I found it - it is here: Freediver's Recovery Vest--watch_overview

Although I can't see it there, Terry tells me " [FONT=&quot]there is a USB connection built into the back unit that allows you to download up to 4,000 2-minutes dives."

Another point not mentioned that is very cool: even if the wrist unit is destroyed or disconnected on a dive the vest retains and activates on the last set conditions. Note though that in this scenario the inflation WILL deploy on the surface as no watch unit means no "disarm" swipe is possible.

these guys have really thought this thing through...
[/FONT]

 

[Fondueset]

Awesome!

I agree this would likely cramp your style a bit in a monofin - but for spearo/photo and general rec diving it's absolutely fantastic.

- I have used the Omer Weight vest with a mono - which I'm betting has around the same drag. For recreational diving the added drag is not that big a deal. If you are doing serious depth/dynamics you have safety divers anyway.

Hopefully many units will be sold and drive down the price but- as has been pointed out - it appears to include a first rate dive gauge.

congrats to Tmaas and team!