VR Technology have recently anounced the availability of the new 2011 version of the Sentinel Travel Frame.
The improved 2011 Travel Frame is available now from VR Technology with an RRP of £553.18 + VAT.
Why Use A Travel Frame?
Travel Frames always seem to create a buzz around rebreather divers, but a lot of divers don’t seem to understand why. With that in mind, here’s my two pence worth on why as a CCR diver we should consider a travel frame for our unit. I’d also love to here your thoughts too.
I’ve used travel frames in the past, and owned a very nice Kent Tooling Cage for my inspiration vision. Travel frames are, for obvious reasons, only available for rebreathers that feature a nice outer case, most notably the Inspiration / Evolution and the Sentinel. For me, all they offer are disadvantages. The standard plastic case on a rebreather does more than just provide good looks and somewhere for the manufacture to stick their logo. Primarily, they protect all the important bits (hoses, regulators, counter lungs) in a sturdy, and streamlined case. The lack of anything but the odd clip and trim weight drastically reduces potential snag points, ideal for wreck diving.
The one main advantage of a travel frame is cylinders. Generally speaking with a travel frame you can fit different cylinders on to your unit. Don’t get me wrong, I would never move away from 2ltr or 3ltr cylinders. I can think of no diving scenario where a 2ltr cylinder wouldn’t provide enough on board gas, and off board supply wasn’t an option. But as the name suggests, travel frames are ideal for travelling. The reason I use a travel frame is for traveling to regions where I can’t get a 2ltr or 3ltr steel cylinder with the correct valve. In this instance, a travel frame will allow you to get away with using cylinders with different valves, or indeed aluminium instead of steel cylinders. This is never an ideal situation, but sometimes its the best that you can get.
