HOG Regs?

[deadbilly]

First off, sorry if there are a zillion threads already on this subject. It seems like the SB search engine won't let you search for just one 3 letter word.

I'm considering getting a set of HOG regs. The price is attractive and what few customer reviews exist seem to all be positive. I'm just wondering if anyone around here has had any experience with them and what you think.

Thanks!

 

[deadbilly]

...And then I discovered Google. Seems like people tend to like them. Still, if you feel like it, I'd like your opinions.

 

[Puffer Fish]

I own a set, and my dive buddy does also. Nice product, particularly if you get them on sale.

I have Apex tx200's and Scubapro MK25/250V's also, but use the Hogg for High O2 tanks.

I think you would be surprised how well made they are and how nice they breath.

 

[Jai Bar]

I'm considering getting a set of HOG regs. The price is attractive and what few customer reviews exist seem to all be positive. I'm just wondering if anyone around here has had any experience with them and what you think.

Thanks!

I was surprised at the so many positive reviews, then, I looked deeper into the contents of the review and was amazed to see people reviewing the regulators even without using them once! For example here: D1 Regulator Set - Dive Right In Scuba - Plainfield, IL

"I have yet to dive these regulators, but my initial impression is these are high quality. The first .." and lots of similar crap.

I think the problem is that the shop (which I really like, BTW, and they visit this board quite frequently to answer questions etc) in order to encourage divers to write reviews has offered 5$ (not cash- but in redemption points) for writing a review... I think it is a wrong policy, as lots of the reviews do not contain any useful information.

That said, I think these regulators are just the same as Dive Rite 3000, Zeagle 50D and probably many other brands that buy the very same regulators from the same source in Taiwan: ODS you'll probably find quite a lot of familiar regulators. Funny, but sometimes the very same product jsut with a different logo costs a fraction of the price

And if I forgot to mention, Hog are fine regulators!

 

[dstrout]

I was going to start a new thread, but since this is here, I'll jump in. Can anyone compare the HOG to an Oceanic FDX10/Delta 4? I'm wondering if it would be an upgrade or about the same?

 

[diversteve]

It seems like the SB search engine won't let you search for just one 3 letter word.

Google this: HOG Regulator site:scubaboard.com

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I have HOG D1's on my doubles and dove them on Good Friday. They are great regs. They look, feel, and perform fantastic. I will say I was surprised at how robust they are for the price I paid. I got em when they were on sale and first out and paid $308 for a pair of em! My used sherwood brut cost more than that. The mouthpiece that came with them at first gave me pause. I'm used to a comfobite and this looked bigger. But before changing it I decided to give it a fair try. Am I glad I did! I did a scooter dive lasting an hour and 17 minutes and experienced NO JAW FATIGUE AT ALL! Even with the comfobite I would have had some. The size of the second stage is bigger than what I'm used to with my Oceanic GT3 or Delta3 but underwater it just seemed to feel so natural. It did not want to "float" on me or get in the way under my chin. And I like that if need be it would be very easy to disassemble underwater thanks to the large retaining ring and grip it provides.

The first stages are heavy and well thought out for hose routing and the addition of the bottom port option that I will be installing on mine will make it damn near perfect. The finish is sweet without being gaudy. Best of all is that I can buy the service kits for em myself and do not have to go "under the table" so to speak to get them. My other regs I have to go thru a shop on the sly and get them. Which is why over the next couple years they will be going on sale here or on ebay unless some manufacturers change their policies. I bought a SP Mk16 w/R190 for a stage/deco reg before HOG came out only because I got a good deal on it. I wish I had waited. It's a nice reg but getting parts may be a bit of a chore now due to personal issues with the shop I bought it from. There is another SP dealer who seems to be good to work with on other things so maybe I'll talk to him. If not then guess what will happen to it as well.

If you don't care about money or have lots of it, are ok with someone else servicing your regs, and paying for a name does not bother you then there are all kinds of brands to choose from. Me I'll be a HOG lover/user when it comes to regs and other gear from now on. Including a new Predator dry suit in a few weeks. I'll be listing my OS Systems suit in the classifieds cause my middle age spread is requiring me to purchase a new suit!

After looking at it and getting my questions answered, based on the quality of my regs, HOG is a no brainer for me now when it comes to new gear.

 

[deadbilly]

Google this: HOG Regulator site:scubaboard.com

See my second post.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

Even though the regs appear to perform well, it will be difficult to judge the consistency of that performance and durability of the regs until a few hundred dives are put on them and they've been serviced several times. Frankly, I don't understand how some people can "fall in love" with a reg after only diving it a few times. It probably reveals more about their previous reg experiences; perhaps their old regs were poorly maintained, tuned improperly, or were in desperate need of an overhaul.

The pricing on HOG regs is substantially less than other brands. This greatly impacts the value analysis. Although the HOG line is marketed towards "tech" divers, it's interesting that a lot of novice divers looking for their first set of scuba gear are gravitating toward the brand. We can expect a lot more SB "how-to" threads on reg tuning, reg troubleshooting, BP/W assembly, etc. IMHO, this is a good thing since divers should know how to do some basic equipment repair and maintenance. I like the fact that official HOG reg overhaul kits can be bought from online retailers. It's my firm belief that an official technician repair manual should be downloadable from the manufacturer's website. It's uncertain whether this will happen in the future.

Chris Richardson should be applauded for maintaining a "visible" presence on this and other Internet boards. It's pretty impressive that one can get a prompt answer to a product question directly from the owner.

 

[Graeme Tolton]

can anyone confirm where this reg is manufactured? With the current global economy, we should be considering this very carefully before making any decisions. It seems to me that "made in china" is an ever growing trend. Consider this... are they supporting our economy?

Yes, it appears that you can buy the service kits online. That is nice. However, will you be able to in 5 years? Will your LDS be able to in 5 years? In my ever growing fleet of regs, I plan on buying several more conshelfs. Made in North America, bulletproof, and I will be able to find parts for them in 5, 10, 15 years! Also, still used today by the US navy. So, we know they are a no BS reg.