Rant: Kirby Morgan vs Ocean Reef for cold water ops

I ran a Kirby Morgan 37 for about 4 years straight on oil rig jobs up in the North Sea. Last season I switched to an Ocean Reef G.Diver because my buddy swore by it. Let me tell you, the difference in voice clarity was NIGHT and day. With the KM I had to shout into the mic just to be heard over my own breathing. The Ocean Reef picked up every word even when I was whispering. But the real shocker was battery life. My KM would die after maybe 6 hours if I forgot to charge it. The G.Diver ran for 12 hours straight on a 40 foot dive near Aberdeen and still had juice left. The only downside is the fit. The Ocean Reef mask seals weird around my nose if I don't tighten it just right. Has anyone else switched band masks and regretted it or is it just me?

2 comments

2 Comments

william32025d ago

That "night and day" thing with voice clarity hit home for me, I had the exact same shock when I tried my buddy's Ocean Reef after years of fighting my KM. It's wild how much easier comms get when you don't have to shout over your own breathing, makes me wonder why I put up with it so long. Battery life being that much better is a huge bonus too, though that mask fit issue you mentioned sounds like a pain I'd probably run into as well.

zara_miller26d ago

Switched from KM 38 to Ocean Reef last year and had the exact same night and day voice clarity thing.