Diver Profile
Name: John Kendall
Diving Since: 1993
First Halcyon Product: Pioneer 27 Wing (1999/2000)
Current Role: GUE Instructor Trainer and member of the Symbios CCR Test and Training Team
Specialties: Cave Diving, Technical Diving, and Exploration
Years Using Halcyon: 26+
Image by Sam Thomsen
When John Kendall reflects on his history with Halcyon, it spans nearly his entire diving career.
"My history with Halcyon is almost as long as my history of diving."
John began diving in 1993 and purchased his first piece of Halcyon equipment around 1999 or 2000. At the time, he was part of the Cambridge University Underwater Exploration Group when another diver arrived with what seemed like unusual equipment: a simple gas bladder mounted to a steel backplate.
"I had the opportunity to try it in the pool and was sold immediately."
Soon after, John purchased a Halcyon Pioneer 27 wing.
More than 25 years later, he still owns it.
What makes the story particularly special is that the same wing is still being used today as John teaches his 10-year-old son to dive.
While John dives the Pioneer wing he purchased more than two decades ago, his son dives a modern tie-dye Eclipse 20 mounted on a carbon backplate with a Cinch system.
"You can see Halcyon through history with this photo."
Over the years, John's diving evolved from recreational diving to cave exploration, technical diving, rebreathers, and instruction. Along the way, he accumulated an impressive collection of Halcyon equipment, including systems for single tanks, doubles, sidemount, and rebreathers.
His journey also mirrors the evolution of diving technology. John's first Halcyon light was a Pro 14 equipped with a 50-watt halogen lamphead. Over the years, he progressed through HID lights, the Focus and Flare series, prototype lighting systems, the RB80 rebreather, and eventually the Symbios CCR.
Today, he is part of the Symbios CCR test and training team, helping shape the next chapter of underwater exploration.
Looking back on more than two decades of diving, exploration, and instruction, John reflects:
"All in all I've owned and used Halcyon equipment for 26 years, and it's great to have been a part of the journey with continuous development and innovation."
Thank you, John, for sharing your story and for being part of the Halcyon journey.