Which regs do you use?

[ChrigelKarrer 52]

I use DIN Regulators here and in Costa Rica,but i always carry a DIN->INT adapter when i go diving elsewhere.I guess that DIN Reguator & DIN-INT Adapter weights more than an INT Regulator.But, HEY! We are talking in GRAMS while our Gear weights KILOS!Switching from a "normal" BCD to a Travel Wing will gain about 4 pounds/2kilos and that makes more sense to methan buying titanium regulators and using mylex hoses to gain 200 grams.

But somebody have still all that lightweigt gear and is still too heavy, well, then ...

Chris

[Rocha 0]

I worked as a dive master about 12 years ago and had the chance to try many different brands. I settled with Scubapro. Back then, because of my traveling, I bought a scubapro Mk25UL (unltralight aluminum one)/S600. They performed beautifully for about two years when my Mk25UL started to corrode! . Scubapro switched it with a Mk25Ti for no charge and that's what I use to this date. Never used anything better.

[ErolE 3]

Basically the weight savings is less than 500g, especially if you change the hoses to braided ones and shorten them. It breathes pretty well but not like my Atomic or the XTX200. For some weight savings, I'd switch to shorter hoses with MiFlex or braided style hoses. With braided, they are light and more flexible so you can cut up to 30% off the length of the rubber hoses. I use a 26" and 30" hose on my rigs now and they cut off about 200+g with BC, HP and LP hoses all changed and shortened.

 

Drew,

 

Thanks for that. What I expected. Not a great saving considering the price and the fact that you have a regulator that will only cope with warm water shallow stuff.

 

I dive a DIR set up so the hoses are the exact length that I want them to be (5ft, 22'' and 24'' SPG) , so I can t really save there. I might try the miflex or braided hoses though...

 

Got to be able to save weight somewhere

 

Thanks again,

 

Erol

[adamhanlon 0]

Hey Erol,

 

Sorry I'll weigh them all to compare when I get chance.

 

Be careful of braided 2m hoses-they float and are a real pain!

 

The Flight uses some special hose fittings-which means it can't really be DIR.

 

Adam

[Drew 0]

Drew,

 

Thanks for that. What I expected. Not a great saving considering the price and the fact that you have a regulator that will only cope with warm water shallow stuff.

 

I dive a DIR set up so the hoses are the exact length that I want them to be (5ft, 22'' and 24'' SPG) , so I can t really save there. I might try the miflex or braided hoses though...

Erol, the Flight breathes well for the size and price. It's just not like the best of the best, but sorta like in mix for the best of the rest. I can't quantify it because I just dived with twin tanks, one with Flight and other with the Atomic.

 

As for DIR, I have a similar length for 2nd stage at 26-30" and 24" spg/computer. I use a inflater/octopus for all setups except going into wrecks, which I'll run back to GUE training. For GUE/DIR types, the best weight saving is to get out of DIR

[adamhanlon 0]

For GUE/DIR types, the best weight saving is to get out of DIR.

LOL

 

I think the other comment about the Flight is that it is not a deep, dark and dangerous regulator. Doesn't pretend to be! If you want something to plumb the deep abyss this is not the tool for the job. Most of us photographers spend a lot of time shallow, and for this is is good as anything else. It is very light though!

 

Adam

[ErolE 3]

For GUE/DIR types, the best weight saving is to get out of DIR

 

Yeah I am considering it, though will probably give up scuba and take up technical snorkeling as a weight saving move...: )

 

Seriously though and getting very off topic here not sure how much a true hogatharian set up weighs as compared to a normal bc and regs. Will have to do a comparison someday.

 

Adam,

As for the milex and braided hoses..I have been a little sceptical about these. I do a far amount of work with subsea hydraulics, where braided hoses are used. These are the guys that always blow, as they make maintenance work harder, simply cause you can t see what is going on underneath the hose.

 

Not sure if the same applies to braided hose, but would like to see them on the market for a bit longer before I jump...

 

Apologies off topic...AGAIN.

 

e

[DesertEagle 2]

My reg is a Poseidon Odin (Jetstream). I also have the Cyclon second stage, which I generally prefer. When I started diving in the early 90's, Poseidon was very big. I really liked the ability to switch between DIN and yoke with no hassle. Unfortunately I let the warranty lapse. On my last trip I rented a regulator.

[scubamarli 5]

Apex DS4/TX50

 

The hassle is, every time I take a few months off, it free flows, and I have to take it in to my great shop for a tweak. I know I should take the equipment course, but hey, I'm just girl.

Cheers,

Marli

[John Bantin 101]

Apex DS4/TX50

 

The hassle is, every time I take a few months off, it free flows, and I have to take it in to my great shop for a tweak. I know I should take the equipment course, but hey, I'm just girl.

Cheers,

Marli

 

What's happening is that engraving is occurring between the valve seat and the poppet during storage. Get an Atomic. When it's not under pressure these two parts sit apart and engraving doesn't happen.

Edited October 20, 2010 by John Bantin

[PRC 2]

As for the milex and braided hoses..I have been a little sceptical about these. I do a far amount of work with subsea hydraulics, where braided hoses are used. These are the guys that always blow, as they make maintenance work harder, simply cause you can t see what is going on underneath the hose.

 

Not sure if the same applies to braided hose, but would like to see them on the market for a bit longer before I jump...

e

 

Seen a couple of the high pressure version of this hose let go - no warning just a bang - the ones I saw go were the thin bootlace ones - would stay clear of the HP ones myself.

 

FWIW they are Miflex rater than milex. Link.

 

Paul C

Edited October 20, 2010 by PRC

[kkgodiving 1]

Scubapro MK25 + S600

[seadweller 0]

Scubapro MK25 + S600

 

 

i use an aqualung legend for traveling. i love it. for tech diving i use scuba pro mk17 a700 in din.

[Steve Douglas 16]

When I owned a dive shop I was able to use many of the more common brands including Mares, Posiden, Oceanic, Scuba Pro and a bunch of others. I thought that the Posiden and Oceanic regs that I used were 2nd rate and okay for shallow diving but no where near the class of the Scuba Pro or Atomic. Through the years it has always come down to either the Atomic or the Scuba Pros. They are top notch regs and, at depth, I really can't tell the difference between them. The Mares Abyss was pretty good when I was using it in the mid 90s but heavy for travel. Now I use either one of my Scuba Pros or the Atomic. It doesn't make a difference to me which I am set up on.

Steve

[liquidguru 17]

Lightweight and easy to maintain has always been what I've needed as a full-time tropics diver.

 

I had a Dacor Viper for 10 years, I liked the side exhaust. Never had any problems, went to 90m+ and extremely simple to take apart the 1st and 2nd stages to change the high and low pressure seats.

 

Unfortunately, eventually, the plastic second stage broke when someone stepped on it, but it had done over 5000 dives by them.

 

Moved onto the Aqualung Mikron. Tiny, fully adjustable 2nd stage, simple to maintain and a great breather. Very light both for travel and in your mouth. I've been very impressed with it so far.

Edited November 22, 2010 by liquidguru

[RedSeaDiver 0]

Been using Apeks since the early 90's - sealed first stage seemed like an advantage when you are a dive guide on a safari boat in the Red Sea and your gear hardly ever sees fresh water. Currently using a XTX200 with a long/under arm hose and thinking of switching to Milflex hoses so the comment about long hoses being floaty is handy to know.

[acuevas 4]

Been using Apeks since the early 90's - sealed first stage seemed like an advantage when you are a dive guide on a safari boat in the Red Sea and your gear hardly ever sees fresh water. Currently using a XTX200 with a long/under arm hose and thinking of switching to Milflex hoses so the comment about long hoses being floaty is handy to know.

 

I also use Apeks with sealed first stage (DST, ATX200, ATX100, DS4), when you are diving in a place where the sand and dirt can be a problem, with a sealed first stage all the particles are left out of the equipment, I've see first stages with a lot of sand and rust in the inside.

 

My favorite regulator is the Apeks DS4 1st satege with a XTX50 2nd stage. All the Apeks sealed first stages has the same performance and the DS4 has a really good price, I think that in US the DS4 is not available, if you cannot get the DS4 then go for the DST. As for the second stage, the XTX50 is exactly the same as the XTX200 but has a better price, only cosmetic differences.

 

I use Miflex hoses, I use a technical configuration with a long 7" hose. For me works great and I don't have problems with the buoyancy of the hoses. But that is not for everybody.

[Undertow 31]

scubapro mk25 s600

 

i also still have a couple old US Divers/Aqualung Micras (not sure exactly if that's teh name of the 1st stage too) which my gf dives and still work brilliantly.

 

i did a little searching at one point and it seems like most cave divers use either top of the line scubapro or apex regs. that says a lot. sounds like a lot of folks on here use one of those too.

[Marjo 8]

Atomic B2. Wish I could afford a T2 but the B2 is a great performer, just with out the cool-factor of the T2. Breathes effortlessly in any position and at depth and servicing at least is my area is a breeze. I like the Scubapro too but it seems getting parts for Scubapro always takes a long time.

 

The only thing I would change if I could have one improvement would be to have a longer "exhail" air piece for the Atomic. I already have the optional atomic "extended" piece but I find that it is still too short for directing bubbles completely away from my face. Years ago I had a Sherwood Oasis with the Sheerwood extended piece. It wasn't a great regulator in other respects, but I really liked - and grew accustomed to - not having bubbles in my face, and I miss that.

[Searcaigh 0]

Mares Abyss, still have my old Mares MR12 MkIII though as a back up (purchased in 1986)

[Bent C 18]

Apex flight with Miflex hoses. I was on my first trip last week with this reg, and I am amazed at the way it worked given the extremely low weight. It felt better than my Mares Abbys, which from now will be retired to back up reg or used whenever someone without equipment dives with me.

Edited December 1, 2010 by Bent C

[tangler 0]

I use Apex XTX50 primary and XTX40 occy. Had them down rather deep on a few occasions and they performed beautifully. I'm very happy and have no plans to change any time soon. Great regs.

[Stoo 37]

So here's a variation on this question...

 

My model/wife, who is 98 pounds soaking wet (which she typically is when we're diving...) uses a Scubapro with a G250 second stage. Great reg, but it hides most of her tiny face... We finally found a nice looking mask that didn't look like a Mk. V on her, so were getting there!

 

Who knows of a great reg, that's also small and kinds purdy?

 

I use Apeks and they are certainly smaller, so the obvious solution is to swap with her, but other thoughts appreciated!

Edited February 2, 2011 by Stoo

[londonsean69 1]

So here's a variation on this question...

 

My model/wife, who is 98 pounds soaking wet (which she typically is when we're diving...) uses a Scubapro with a G250 second stage. Great reg, but it hides most of her tiny face... We finally found a nice looking mask that didn't look like a Mk. V on her, so were getting there!

 

Who knows of a great reg, that's also small and kinds purdy?

 

I use Apeks and they are certainly smaller, so the obvious solution is to swap with her, but other thoughts appreciated!

 

Mares proton Ice is pretty small, look at the hose thickness compared to the faceplate

So is the Cressi ellipse

 

(not my images)

 

Proton Ice

 

Ellipse

[Narkedat90 0]

Answering the OP;

A pair of Apeks UST first stages......... at the bottom of my closed circuit rebreather..!