Hence the title of the thread: Too good to be true? Not being a smartass or trying to negate you. Just recognizing that we're all pretty much in the same boat. It's going to require a lot of patience to wait for those who will actually report to this forum or to EI, or it will require the balls to risk trying it untested, or giving up on it and finding a different method.
Personally, I've had one in my possession for a couple of weeks, but that's only one small step. I bought it out of desire for a peaceful method, I happened to order at just the right moment in this shit show of a release, and I did so knowing I may have been throwing my money away; I got it just to have the option, and it's certainly a desirable option on the face of it, but now what?
Like many of us, I'm frustrated with the packaging, and I already knew that when I ordered. I have to commit to taking the risk if I open it -- either move forward quickly to attempt, or abandon it. Soda lime is not available for online ordering in my country. I can't spend much time testing and getting comfortable with the mask since it's sealed in with the whole unit, and I'm not confident about resealing it with an iron. So the pressure is on that I need to work up in advance the nerve, not only to try it, but to follow through with a less desirable backup method if it fails. That's a lot of emotional gearing up and mental preparation!
As far as waiting for others to report on it...I keep stepping back and consider it from my personal perspective. My first concern is me, not others. If I commit to reporting about it, that means doing a goodbye thread, and taking the time to report if it fails, assuming I'm even capable of doing so. My ctb is about me, not everyone else. I'm not motivated to be a hero about this. So as much as I want others to nut up and try it for my benefit, I certainly can't expect it, nor bitch that no one has. (Not saying that anyone has such expectations or is bitching, nor negating them as if knocking down a straw man. Just stating that I'm aware of my natural, human, selfish desire, and of the concurrent reality that no one exists to serve my benefit any more than I exist to serve others' -- that's the personal perspective I keep stepping back to.) Also, if I were to have another member report about the attempt on my behalf, there's no one I trust enough to do so, and I personally would be skeptical if I read any second-hand reports (or first-hand for that matter, but even more skeptical of second-hand).
Right now my perspective is that, at this point in time, the onus is on the individual to decide for themselves whether to take the risk and try it. It's a very personal decision, and it's wise to weigh out all of the pros and cons for oneself, as with any method, though most have documentation available to be able to make a more informed decision in favor of attempting other methods. There's so much sketchiness surrounding this product, with no evidence save one member's potentially dubious report that his unit was a dud, that imo it's natural and wise to have a healthy fear of it. Who tf wants to be a guinea pig and risk severe brain damage? That doesn't just take balls, imo that may perhaps take a near disability if one has such a deficit of healthy self-preservation.
Anyhow, this was more of a vent than anything, in conversation with the whole thread, not a rant directed at who I quoted. Like committing to and attempting to ctb isn't frustrating enough, we've got this dangling carrot that is luring us with the seduction of a peaceful and quick exit (it could even be euphoric ffs), but what cost might the seduction exact from those who dare to grab the carrot?