Technical divers accustomed to assembling equipment component by component are being offered a more structured route to a personalised buoyancy system through the Hollis Custom Rig Builder, or CRIB.
Rather than selling divers a fixed backplate-and-wing package, Hollis is positioning CRIB as a configurable platform covering single-cylinder, doubles and sidemount diving.
The programme allows divers to select the principal components of their buoyancy system around the type of diving they intend to undertake, while retaining the involvement of an authorised Hollis dealer in configuring and fitting the finished rig.
Building The System Around The Diver
Through CRIB, divers can specify elements including backplate material, wing lift capacity, harness configuration, D-ring placement and accessories.
There is also considerably more emphasis on appearance than traditionally associated with technical diving equipment. Hollis currently lists seven colour options: aqua, black, blue, camo, lime, pink and red.
The company says the concept is intended to produce a system configured for the individual diver rather than requiring them to purchase a standard package and subsequently change components.
Importantly, the programme is not restricted to one equipment configuration.
CRIB currently supports single-tank, back-mounted doubles and sidemount systems, extending the concept from experienced recreational divers using backplates and wings through to more specialised technical configurations.
Dealers Remain Part Of The Process
Despite its name, CRIB isn’t simply a direct-to-consumer online configurator.
Hollis has built the programme around its authorised dealer network. Divers select their equipment with a CRIB dealer, with the dealer helping determine appropriate choices such as lift capacity, plate material and harness configuration.
Once completed, the system is delivered to the dealer for final fitting and adjustment.
Hollis says available CRIB systems can ship to participating dealers within five business days. Divers outside the United States and Canada are directed to their local Hollis distributor for information about accessing the programme.
That dealer involvement is significant. Although experienced technical divers may already know precisely which plate, wing and harness arrangement they want, the expanding popularity of backplate-and-wing systems means increasingly sophisticated equipment is also being considered by divers earlier in their progression.
A BCD Designed To Change
Perhaps the more interesting element of CRIB is not the initial customisation but what happens afterwards.
The underlying backplate-and-wing architecture is modular, allowing components to be replaced as a diver’s requirements change.
A diver beginning with a single-cylinder configuration could, for example, change the wing or other components when progressing towards doubles rather than automatically replacing the entire buoyancy system.
Hollis is explicitly presenting that upgrade path as one of CRIB’s advantages, arguing that the platform can evolve alongside the diver.
It also reflects a broader distinction between modular technical equipment and conventional recreational BCDs. For divers who already regard their regulator configuration, cylinders, exposure protection and other equipment as parts of a wider system, being able to specify the buoyancy platform in similar detail is a logical extension.
Customisation Moves Further Into Technical Diving
Personalisation is hardly new to scuba equipment, but CRIB packages several decisions that technical divers have traditionally made independently into a manufacturer-supported purchasing process.
For Hollis, it also gives its dealer network an important role. Rather than reducing the retailer to a collection point for an online purchase, the programme makes fitting and configuration part of the proposition.
Whether divers primarily value CRIB for precise equipment configuration, its future upgrade possibilities or simply the opportunity to move beyond the traditional black technical-diving rig, the programme represents an interesting shift towards increasingly configurable life-support equipment.
The Hollis Custom Rig Builder is available through participating Hollis dealers.
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