After you delve into your PADI Open Water Diver course, you will need a few Dives to get the hang of using scuba diving equipment. But, it soon becomes second nature. After that, you will surely want to expand your diving horizons.

Tring different types of dive equipment is an example. If you are wondering about the differences between Rebreather diving and traditional scuba, read on!

Rebreather diving gives you a different way to explore the underwater world if you compare it with standard scuba. Each type has advantages and disadvantages, so understanding both is very important before deciding which one suits you. 

In this article, we will compare between the two types in the following points:

• The ease of use.
• The limits of divetime. 
• The cost.
• Other key factors.

What is Rebreather Diving?

The air you exhale Rrebreather diving usually contains between 15% to 17% oxygen while in a standard scuba tank, the air contains 21% oxygen. A standard scuba regulator is usually called an open circuit regulator, this circuit enables you to expel your gas into the water as bubbles. 

On the other hand, the closed circuit Rebreather in the Rebreather diving takes the air that you exhale and passes it through a recycling system before rebreathing it again. So the air stays within a closed loop and you generally don’t exhale any of the gas into the water. 

In that loop the gas containing CO2 is analyzed by a special sensors to make sure there is an enough percentage of oxygen remaining and if not, more oxygen is added, then the air is recirculated for you to breathe.

This process allows you to remain underwater for longer divetime without needing to return to the surface to refill your air supply. Actually, you are essentially rebreathing your own air instead of exhaling bubbles, so we can say that one of the advantages of this type of diving is that it can be very stealthy and quiet.

A Rebreather diving is much more advanced than traditional scuba diving so it requires special training. You must be so proficient in using its equipment and gas mixtures before delving into a rebreather dive experience.

Rebreather Diving Vs Traditional Scuba

Ease of use

The Rebreathers need special training on each unit of rebreather diving. In addition to that an intensive pre-dive setup and post-dive maintenance is very necessary. With scuba, you can walk into any dive shop, rent a dive gear and go underwater in a few minutes.

Limits of the dive time 

In the Rebreather diving, you will be given the optimum gas mixture for the depth you will dive into which means you will have maximum enjoyment for longer bottom times. 

In addition to that, you will stay hydrated and warmer for a longer time because you will not lose moisture and heat through exhaled air. 

Potential for exploration 

With Rebreather diving, you have increasing potential for exploration. Thanks to the process of recycling, you will have the perfect mixture for every depth, so you can go much deeper underwater and explore farther on one dive than you could go with Scuba.

This makes this the ideal type of diving for exploring large wrecks, caves and the other spots that require a long time to explore. 

Cost 

The units of rebreather diving are more expensive than the standard scuba diving equipment in addition to the cost of training and maintenance of equipment.  On the other hand, the rebreather diving makes some types of technical diving a little cheaper as it optimizes the use of gas. 

Proximity to Marine Life

For sure, Rebreather diving is the winner in this point, as this type of diving has no bubbles and noise and that means you can get much closer to marine creatures without startling them. This enables you to have some truly magical underwater encounters.

Which Type Wins

Actually the answer to this question depends on what you want from the dive. For example, if you are an underwater photographer, you will need a longer dive time and more intimate animal encounters, so the Rebreather diving will be the best choice.

On the other hand, if you are a spontaneous diver and prefer to rent gear and jump into the water with your dive buddy, then scuba diving is for you which comes with limited depths and dive time and that is all you need.