Avelo FAQ

Answers to these questions are covered in greater detail throughout our eLearning and in-water training programs.

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Avelo and the Avelo System

  • 1. What is Avelo?

    Avelo is a complete dive experience that combines lightweight equipment, intuitive training, and real-time insights so diving feels safer and more enjoyable.

  • 2. What is the Avelo System?

    The System pairs a Hydrotank and a Jetpack to create a streamlined setup that uses water, not air, for buoyancy. Divers enjoy stable control with less weight and less task loading.

  • 3. How does it work, and how is it different?

    Begin dives positively buoyant on the surface. Add water to the Hydrotank to establish neutral buoyancy, then dive. Buoyancy stays stable regardless of depth changes. When you have breathed enough gas that you become lighter, add a small amount of water. Fine-tuning comes naturally through breathing, eliminating constant adjustments.

  • 4. How do I become positively buoyant at the surface?

    Every dive begins with the diver positively buoyant at the surface. When it's time to descend, the diver simply pumps water into the Hydrotank to achieve neutral buoyancy, then swims down to start their dive.

    You remain neutrally buoyant throughout your dive and do not need to become positively buoyant to surface. Simply swim. At the surface, open the purge valve. Water dumps instantly under bladder pressure, so you “ditch weight” and easily float since you are now positively buoyant.

    This topic is explained extensively in our training materials and practiced during the water sessions of our training programs.

  • 5. Does Avelo replace the BCD?

    The Avelo System is a Buoyancy Control Device (BCD) that uses water instead of air. It offers a lighter, more intuitive option while respecting standard gear.

  • 6. Is Avelo like a rebreather?

    No. It is an open-circuit system that is lighter, simpler, and more accessible than a rebreather while giving intuitive buoyancy control through water ballast.

  • 7. How is Avelo safer than standard diving systems?

    Stable neutral buoyancy helps prevent uncontrolled ascents or descents. Even if the system malfunctions, the diver’s neutral buoyancy remains stable. The Hydrotank is DOT, CE, and AGA approved and built to ISO 11119-2 standards. The system simplifies buoyancy, minimizing failure points and reducing diver task load.

  • 8. Does buoyancy control work automatically?

    No. Divers are always in control. Buoyancy is controlled using normal breathing. Buoyancy changes are gradual and not affected by depth. You decide when to add or purge water. Typically, a diver will only need to add 2.2 pounds (1 L) of water once every 25-30 minutes.

  • 9. What happens if the pump, battery, or bladder fails?

    Nothing changes immediately. Buoyancy remains stable and easily manageable to complete the dive, including any required safety stops. A ruptured bladder will immediately self-seal against the inner wall of the Hydrotank. The positive pressure air inside the bladder does not allow water to enter, and the gas remains contained.

    These topics are explained in our training materials and practiced during the water sessions of our training programs.

  • 10. What happens during an emergency ascent?

    Emergency ascents are included in all Avelo training and are more controlled than with traditional BCDs. To gain buoyancy, you manually open the purge valve to release water from the Hydrotank. The purge valve is purely mechanical, independent of the pump or battery, and requires deliberate activation, similar to choosing to inflate a BCD.

    As water is purged, you become positively buoyant and begin to ascend. If needed, you can kick to accelerate your ascent, just as you would in standard scuba. These procedures are practiced in every Avelo course, from recreational to professional levels.

    All potential system malfunctions are addressed during training. As with standard scuba, where divers practice for possible BCD failures, such as bladder tears, uncontrolled inflation, or accidental weight release, Avelo divers are trained to manage any potential malfunction with confidence.

    Avelo is designed to prevent uncontrolled ascents. Because buoyancy control is always manual and gradual, and there is no expanding air bladder, the risk of an accidental rapid ascent is eliminated. This design provides divers with a higher margin of safety and greater control during emergency situations.

  • 11. Why is the valve oriented away from the diver’s head?

    The Hydrotank sits closer to the body, so a rear-facing valve improves comfort, hose routing, and trim without increasing entanglement risk.

Training and certification

Buoyancy, trim, and diving experience

  • 1. Will I need lead weight?

    Most divers use little to no lead when diving with the Avelo System. The water added to the Hydrotank functions as precise ballast, significantly reducing or eliminating the need for traditional weights. When additional weight is needed, trim weights can be added to the Hydrotank cage. If more weight is required, such as when diving in cold water with a drysuit, we recommend using a standard weight belt or harness. This maintains system integrity and supports optimal balance and trim.

  • 2. What is the trim weight capacity for the Hydrotank?

    We recommend adding no more than four pounds (1.8 kg) of trim weight to the Hydrotank cage.

  • 3. How does Avelo handle wetsuit compression?

    The Avelo system provides ample buoyancy adjustments to deal with any wetsuit compression. Even very heavy and multiple layers of wetsuits. Divers can manually add or remove water from the Hydrotank as needed. In practice, when diving Avelo with thick wetsuits (7-10mm), buoyancy remains consistent throughout depth changes. Minor wetsuit compression is compensated naturally with small breathing adjustments or a slight water top-off.

  • 4. Does the system keep me neutrally buoyant the entire dive?

    Once you have completed your Avelo training, you will be an expert in establishing neutral buoyancy with the Avelo System. Once neutral, you remain stable throughout the water column. Unlike air-filled BCDs, Avelo does not expand or compress with depth, and you can effortlessly and precisely change depths or keep yourself at the same depth without even thinking about it.

  • 5. Is an SMB needed for flotation?

    Avelo divers are positively buoyant at the surface. SMBs are used for signaling, not flotation. Training covers options for surface visibility and comfort.

  • 6. Is Avelo suitable for drysuits or cold water?

    Yes. You may require minimal additional lead, but Avelo performs well in all temperatures and with all exposure suits. Avelo requires that any diver who uses a dry suit present proof of training and certification to do so. Dry Suit certification can be obtained by any training organization such as PADI, NAUI, SSI, SDI-TDI, RAID, etc.

  • 7. Why do experienced divers use Avelo?

    For the same reason that experienced divers use better gear: to get a better diving experience. Even divers with perfect trim benefit from significantly reduced weight, drag, task load, and more efficient gas use. Avelo elevates performance across all experience levels. At least 50% of our divers are very experienced, and many are professionals.

Safety and emergencies

  • 1. What if the battery dies mid-dive?

    Nothing changes. Buoyancy remains stable, and you finish the dive normally, including any required safety stops. You can still purge and surface safely without any battery power.

  • 2. What if the pump fails?

    The same answer applies: buoyancy does not change. The purge valve is mechanical and always operable.

    This topic is thoroughly explained in our training materials and practiced during the water sessions of our training programs.

  • 3. What if the bladder ruptures?

    The bladder will self-seal against the wall of the Hydrotank, and the air remains trapped in the bladder. Water does not enter the bladder because the air inside the bladder is at positive pressure. When an o-ring fails on a standard scuba valve, air will escape, but water will not enter the tank for the same reason: the positive pressure of the air prevents any water from entering. Inside the Hydrotank, the positive pressure of the air keeps the bladder sealed even if it is compromised.

    This topic is thoroughly explained in our training materials and practiced during the water sessions of our training programs.

  • 4. How does the system handle rescue scenarios?

    Purge water from the Hydrotank to become positively buoyant, similar to dropping a weight. The Avelo System makes it easier to assist a diver in need: control during assisted ascents is effortless, and it is easier to move the diver to safety more quickly with Avelo.

    This topic is thoroughly explained in our training materials and practiced during the water sessions of our professional training programs.

  • 5. Is an SMB needed for flotation?

    Avelo divers are positively buoyant at the surface. SMBs are used for signaling, not flotation. Training covers options for surface visibility and comfort.

Buying, selling, and availability

Avelo Mode and technology

  • 1. What is Avelo Mode?

    Avelo Mode is a dive computer feature available on air-integrated Shearwater computers and the Scubapro G2C Console. It provides real-time tracking of gas usage, buoyancy, performance, and workload.

    The Avelo Mode and how to use it to optimize your dive is a topic that is thoroughly explained in our training materials and practiced during the water sessions of our training programs.

  • 2. Why partner with Shearwater?

    Shearwater designs intuitive, high-performance diving computers and electronics for many brands of rebreathers. Our partnership enhances diver insight and efficiency.

  • 3. What is the Shearwater Jetpack?

    Avelo and Shearwater partnered to produce a specially optimized Jetpack that integrates with their dive computers and enhances comfort and performance.

System specs and technical details

Maintenance and storage

  • 1. What maintenance is required?

    An annual inspection and bladder replacement by an Avelo Technician. Hydrostatic testing is required every five years.

  • 2. How do I charge and store the battery?

    When charging the Avelo battery, it typically reaches around 90% capacity within the first hour. Complete charge time is 2-4 hours. Store batteries at 75% charge between 41-68 °F (5–20 °C) for best performance.

  • 3. Where can I get my system serviced?

    Visit any Avelo Dive Center for maintenance or schedule an authorized service with a certified Technician.

Professional and technical diving

  • 1. Will Avelo support sidemount, doubles, or rebreathers?

    Technical configurations are in development.

  • 2. Is the system Nitrox compatible?

    Yes. Hydrotanks are Nitrox-ready. Standard cleaning procedures apply for fills using 100% oxygen.

  • 3. How does Avelo reduce task loading for instructors and pros?

    Avelo is designed to streamline the diving experience so that instructors and technical divers can focus on students and mission objectives rather than on managing buoyancy. Traditional systems that use an inflatable BCD require constant vigilance—even if that monitoring becomes almost subconscious with experience, it remains an ongoing task.

    With Avelo, the inflatable BCD is eliminated entirely, so divers no longer need to continuously anticipate and react to depth changes. This design choice makes buoyancy control virtually effortless, reducing cognitive load, which in turn leads to documented improvements in dive efficiency, air consumption, and overall diver calm. Experienced divers often remark, “This is so easy, it is effortless,” highlighting how the absence of a buoyancy management task—no matter how well-trained—can profoundly enhance focus on the dive mission and training process.

Travel and locations

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