Tuesday, 11 February 2025
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For seventy years, Cressi has been supplying top quality equipment for hunting, snoorkling and diving. Over the years, the products of this Italian brand have managed to win the sympathy and recognition of several generations of divers. However, nothing lasts forever and both trends and likes change. Therefore, it is not surprising that also Cressi and the products signed with this logo do not resist the occurring changes so as to remain competitive and attractive for the user. Today, we are looking at a sector that still arouses curiosity, but also a certain mistrust of the Polish user – scuba diving machines. Does the Genoa-based manufacturer’s latest brainchild have a chance to win favour and gain recognition in the country on the Vistula?
As the manufacturer assures, the idea of Cressi scuba diving machines is safety, stability of operation, low weight and resistance to low temperatures. Especially this last point may contrast with the common opinion that the automatons of this Italian brand are designed for diving in warm and temperate waters and that it is equipment dedicated to purely recreational diving. Taking a closer look at them, we have to conclude that the latest Cressi child escapes these frames and may be a very interesting alternative to the best automatons.
The T10 SC Master automaton has been created to meet the changing requirements of EN250:2014 and is designed for both single cylinder and twinset. The ports are symmetrically arranged in a slight slope so that they are easily distributed across the cylinder sides. It is a hyperbalanced design. This means that the less pressure there is in the diver’s cylinder, the more inter-stage pressure the 1st stage gives. This solution is to protect the diver from the decrease of the inter-stage pressure in the last phase of the dive, when there is less and less air in the cylinder.
Made of brass, the first stage is coated inside and out with PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition). There are currently three other automats available that are equipped with such a coating: Scubapro mk25, Atomic T3 and Apeks Black Saphire.) coloured on the outside and clear on the inside. The coating protects the inside of the automat from rusting and from adverse effects such as salt water. In combination with the replaceable ANSI 316 steel plug, the entire construction is characterised by a sensational lifespan.
The weight of the 1st stage is 602 grams, which makes it one of the lightest available on the market. An important reason for such a low weight is the use of a techno-polymer insert in the swirl chamber, the so-called venturi booster, which both precisely directs the flow of the supplied mixture and lowers the weight of the entire construction. An unprecedented solution is the step mushroom stabilised in a self-lubricating sleeve. It works very smoothly, without vibrations. It improves the performance of the set and increases the culture of operation. On the outside, a visible element is the heatsink placed by the dry chamber.
The second stage was made of titanium, steel and polymers. At first glance, attention is drawn to the characteristic elliptical diaphragm – a solution known from some earlier models of this brand. However, it is not only about the original look. The elliptical diaphragm (Cressi patent) with Teflon backing under the fork, reduces the breathing resistance to an average level of 0.6 J/l in the depth range from 0 to 66 m, i.e. in the range of the “US NAVY A Class” standard. The use of this shape allows the internal volume of the can to be optimised and a very long breathing valve to be used compared to round scuba machines.
Inside the can is an extra long breathing valve made of corrosion resistant AISI 316 steel and fitted with a modified fork which, together with a Teflon membrane washer, ensures uninterrupted contact with the membrane and smooth dispensing of the breathing mixture.
In the most critical part of the breathing valve, an internal heat sink (also covered by the patent) is used, which extracts warm air from the diver’s exhalation. Together with the external heat sink, this prevents the automat from freezing. In addition, the 2nd stage is protected against excitation during a rapid ascent and can withstand a pressure difference of up to 2.5 bar with an inter-stage pressure of up to +/- 15 bar.
The construction is closed with so called: Cam-Lock and it is another patented solution used in this automaton. It enables precise closing of the whole, without exposing the membrane to damage. It also facilitates access to the can in field conditions. The whole can is opened and closed using a standard ampoule key. The weight of the 2nd stage is also very low and amounts to only 207 grams. In total, the whole set weighs 965 grams, which makes it the lightest in the class of high performance automatics.
However, this is not the end of the changes and innovations. The interstage hose has also undergone modernisation. It has been made of a special crush-resistant weave and, together with the entire set, has successfully passed tests according to the new, more demanding EN250:2014 standard.
The Cressi T10 SC Master has also been compared to many other leading products from various brands, in the popular ‘Scuba Lab’ series run by scubadiving.com. The results? More than satisfactory. It turns out that the new Cressi model achieved some of the best performance among the automatics tested and was ranked among the top in terms of performance and breathing comfort at various depths.
The Octopus Compact Pro, on the other hand, with its graphite housing and available as a kit, complies with EN250:2014 and is an upgrade of the standard and very lightweight travel automaton for use in cold water. It is also worth noting this product as it is one of the few such lightweight automatics, representing a very high degree of freeze resistance.
Specification
TIER I
TIER II
Price: ~1900 PLN – I+II stage set
Source: manufacturer
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