AL Legend Supreme v. AL Legend

[ghoombahds]

Hi,

I've searched all the previous threads on this AL Legends and the Al Legend Supreme and haven't found the answer so I am bringing my question to you guys. If this is covered somewhere else I apologize- I searched and searched and didn't find that thread.

The Legend is for "cold water" diving, but, from what I have been able to discern, the only change other than the lip guard and cosmetic stuff is that the intermediate pressure has been tuned down in the 1st. My LDS says that this will affect the cracking pressure and take away some of that fine sweet breathing I am getting the thing for anyway. Some others I spoke to raise an eyebrow at this and think the difference would be negligible.

My question is- could one simply have an AL tech tune the regular Legend to the lower pressure prior to any cold water diving thereby achieving the same "cold water" performance of the supreme?

Furthermore, is it really necessary for water below 50 degrees f? I've dove here in Monterey Bay to a temp of 46 and my instructor, Phil Sammet, who's locally recognized as being extrememly experieinced and knowledgeable was on that dive and never questioned my reg and the UCSC Diving Safety Officer who trains people to go dive in Antarctica thought the Supreme was overkill for these temps.

Any clarity or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

And, BTW, I am going to be getting this reg from the LDS as I'd like to support them and it's only right after all the advice they have given me. Plus, for a purchase like this I want the warrenty. Just my choice.

Ghoom

 

[mike_s]

Hi,

I've searched all the previous threads on this AL Legends and the Al Legend Supreme and haven't found the answer so I am bringing my question to you guys. If this is covered somewhere else I apologize- I searched and searched and didn't find that thread.

The Legend is for "cold water" diving, but, from what I have been able to discern, the only change other than the lip guard and cosmetic stuff is that the intermediate pressure has been tuned down in the 1st.

Yep.... that's the only difference

My LDS says that this will affect the cracking pressure and take away some of that fine sweet breathing I am getting the thing for anyway. Some others I spoke to raise an eyebrow at this and think the difference would be negligible.

My question is- could one simply have an AL tech tune the regular Legend to the lower pressure prior to any cold water diving thereby achieving the same "cold water" performance of the supreme?

Furthermore, is it really necessary for water below 50 degrees f? I've dove here in Monterey Bay to a temp of 46 and my instructor, Phil Sammet, who's locally recognized as being extrememly experieinced and knowledgeable was on that dive and never questioned my reg and the UCSC Diving Safety Officer who trains people to go dive in Antarctica thought the Supreme was overkill for these temps.

Any clarity or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

And, BTW, I am going to be getting this reg from the LDS as I'd like to support them and it's only right after all the advice they have given me. Plus, for a purchase like this I want the warrenty. Just my choice.

Ghoom

This is pretty simple.

Figure out if you like the Silver Ring (Legend Supreme) or the Gold Ring (Legend) and buy that one and set the IP to what you want on it. If you get the Gold Ring and still want the lip guard, your LDS can order you one easily for a few bucks. (for what they charge markup for the Aqualung line, they should just throw it in for free).

You'll like the reg regardless of which color ring you get on it and in the long run if you got two brand new ones from the stores you wouldn't be able to tell any difference in them besides the IP.


BTW.... I got the Supreme. (color preference). But I turned up the IP to where the regular setting is. Works great. Even in cold water w/o any problems. The lip guard is nice though when the water starts to get chilly. I don't think it warms it much but it keep you from moving your lips around as much, which helps you from feeling them


I don't know if there are any threads that are Legend only specific, but there are numerous threads on the Legend LX verses the Legend LX Supreme on here. You can find many other replies on those threads also.

 

[Dutch552]

This is pretty simple.

Figure out if you like the Silver Ring (Legend Supreme) or the Gold Ring (Legend) and buy that one and set the IP to what you want on it.

That pretty much sums it up. They are exactly the same minus the color difference. I bought the lip guard for $15 from my LDS and the $100 markup on the Supreme isn't worth it when you step back and look at what you are getting for the buck. That is...unless you're van as most of us divers are and just like the looks of the silver ring better Just go for the Legend and have the IP adjusted down and buy the $15 lip shield. OR...buy the supreme and have the IP cranked up. You shouldn't have an issue either way aside from the cosmetics involved.

 

[oxyhacker]

The tiny change in the cracking pressure doesn't magically change the reg from being a genuine under-the-ice cold water reg to one that will instantly freeze up anytime the water gets below 50. It just makes just enough difference to allow the reg to squeak by the somewhat arcane CE standards and qualify for the cold water snowflake. Whether or not it will make a noticable difference in real life is debatable - Apeks regs sold in Europe have a little tit on the balance chamber that accomplishes the same thing, which US Apeks don't, but you don't hear many complaints of US-spec Apeks regs freezing up.

So if you end up with a Supreme I wouldn't hesistate to have the shop retune it to the easier breathing setting. Or better yet, have them show you how to do it.

 

[oxyhacker]

Oh, and one other thing.

As I understand it (and I could be wrong on this, so if anyone knows otherwise please correct me) the CE tests are done with the external adjuster, if fitted, in the easiest breathing position. So if you were to use a non-Supreme Legend for very cold water diving, you could duplicate the higher cracking pressure of the Supreme just by detuning the 2nd slightly using the external adjuster!

 

[mike_s]

the $100 markup on the Supreme isn't worth it when you step back and look at what you are getting for the buck.

Actually the difference in price between the base model Legend (or LX) and the Supreme (or Supreme LX) is only only $15 bucks more MSRP.

• Pn 129010 - Legend LX - MSRP $595
• PN 129040 - Legend LX Supreme - MSRP $610
  
• PN 129100 - Legend - MSRP $495
• PN 129106 - Legend Supreme - MSRP $510

(Those are Yoke 1st stage part numbers. DIN is the same price, different PN)

I don't have the Lipguard price and part number handy, but $15 bucks sounds about right. But if you just paid full list price of $595 for a regulator from a shop, they should throw the lipguard in for free for the markup that Aqualung prices those at.

BTW... Shops are allowed to give 10% discount off that price per the dealer agree. A good shop will give you even more. (Like 30% off). You should never have to pay list price for Aqualung gear, but that's a whole different thread to argue that on.....

So the difference in the price and specs basically gets back to simply pick the color ring you want, buy that one, and adjust the IP as you want.