2014 / 2015 Regs

[NC Air Hog]

Anyone have any input on some of the new designs from this year and going into 2015? Good, bad, nothing changed?

I will say that I very much like the HOG Zenith that came out along with the D3. Having a swivel option and bottom port on the first stage is great for doubles, and honestly I just like the fact that the 2nd stage faceplate always screws in logo up.

Anyone else have any insight?

 

[tbone1004]

Zenith is removing the replaceable hard seat crown. Other than that I don't think there's any big changes, at least not from discussions with the few mfg's that I speak with regularly. I'm still trying to convince Jack to copy the XTX design on his second stages. Chris was adamant that people didn't want/need it, but the way they made the 2nd stages reversible was completely idiotic and they were sold at a premium. The XTX design is positively brilliant, and since it wasn't patented I am genuinely shocked they haven't been copied yet

 

[NC Air Hog]

Sounds like you have an opportunity to develop your own reversible reg and make some money.

 

[tbone1004]

I dive Poseidons..... don't have to worry about that nonsense

Was just saying that the Apeks design can be reversed on a boat with a crescent wrench to remove the heat sink and that's the only tool needed, the Hog design both for the Classic and Zenith required separate parts to be used for the venturi and barrel collar. The Apeks design uses all the same parts, just flips them over, nothing they did was patentable and as it would only cost maybe $3 more in manufacturing per regulator it would be intelligent to make their whole reg series reversible which is what we asked Lamar to do when he was talking about the design for the XT's a few years ago. Doesn't cost much to make everything reversible, but when you charge a premium for it of course no one is going to buy it, but it's nice to have for the few times you do need to reverse them, mainly left side stage bottles in side mount

 

[ams511]

Zenith is removing the replaceable hard seat crown.

Why are they doing this? Seems like a step backwards.

 

[tbone1004]

determined it was more trouble than it was worth I guess. I was surprised when I heard it too

 

[kr2y5]

Why are they doing this? Seems like a step backwards.

There is a brief comment in this thread, although not much detail has been provided. I just did service last weekend, and the orifice does seem like a bit of a PITA to deal with. Whether it is worth it depends a lot, I suppose, on how expensive it is to order a replacement part. I have inquired about it, but I have not heard back yet.

 

[tbone1004]

you have to order all parts through the dealers, Hog won't sell parts to you directly, just tell you part #'s to report back to the dealers