Why mCCR?

eCCRs are popular because there’s a feeling of safety, that an automated system is going to keep you out of trouble. This perception is not completely unfounded and gets reinforced as divers make more and more safe dives. The fact is you could probably make any number of incident-free dives on an eCCR without looking at the handset or HUD. Of course, no one would recommend that because we all know things do happen: solenoids fail, batteries go dead, oxygen doesn’t get turned on, etc. Your next dive may be the one where knowing your pO2 saves your life.

Is the mantra to “know your pO2” and admonishments of CCR instructors everywhere enough? I firmly believe that some systems promote better habit formation than others and at the end of the day, those habits are what’s going to keep us alive when failures occur. An mCCR is not a panacea but actively promotes good habit formation.