Aqualung Mistral DIN

[Simon White]

Greetings from sunny Nha Trang.

Can anyone give me an idea of what I should pay for the above in good condition/working order and little used? Please also let me know of anything important I should be aware of before buying?

Any advice is much appreciated and thank you for taking the time to reply.

Simon

 

[Ed Palma]

The DIN adapter? $70.

 

[herman]

What you need to know is they are a poorly designed double hose regulator. The hoses are too floaty and overall the reg is less that well designed. Besides that, you also need to understand that diving a double hose, be it an older model or the new model Mistral is compeltely different than diving a single hose reg. If you have the idea that you can simply stick the regulator on any old BC and dive as before, you will not like the outcome. Double hose regs REQUIRE the proper tank holder, be it a back plate or a simple harness system to perform well. If you really want a double hose regulator, I would suggest you either buy/build a Phoenix which is a highly modified US Divers Aquamaster or maybe the better option is to wait for a while and buy the new Argonaut that Vintage Double Hose will be releasing in the near future. It is the best of the old school designs with a lot of modern improvements. That said, you still must learn how to properly wear and dive a double hose reg before you will get the best out of them.

For the last 5 years I have dove DH regs almost exclusively unless I am with a class. I also restore, repair and manufacture prototype DH reg parts so I have a good bit of background with the regs. I prefer DH reg but you do have to understand them to get the best out of them.

 

[Simon White]

Thank you for your advice & info, much appreciated. Your feedback is pretty similar to what i've read previously but i'm not put off. I'm a PADI/SSI/PSAI Master Instructor & SDI Instructor and have been diving 20 years, this will just be another toy for me. How about a reasonable price I should expect to pay?

 

[Nemrod]

The "new" Mistral is one of the poorest regulators to have been made, ever. The lack of venturi is a major issue with it. Any well tuned Royal Aqua Master is a much better regulator especially once the Phoenix conversion is done. Get the new Mistral if you want, it is a poseur double hose, not the real thing. I wouldn't pay more than about 75 dollars for one and then only to scrap it for parts for other regulators.

N

 

[herman]

If you are set on one, I see them on eBay go for somewhere in the $600 USD range but like Nem, I would not give anywhere close to that. For that amount you can put together a very nice Phoenix that will dive great and have enough left over to buy a proper back plate. Regardless of your diving experience, don't underestimate the need for a DH reg to be worn and dove differently than a single hose reg. It will work and reliably supply air no matter how improper it's rigged but the amount of performance degradation is a lot more than you would expect.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I agree. I'd like to have a new USD Mistral just for general interest purposes, but I am not willing to pay the excessive prices they seem to sell for.

I put together two of these for around $600 each, including the initial purchase of DA Aquamasters off e-bay (est. $150-$250), new PRAM nozzle ($225), new silicone diaphragm ($20), new silicone hoses ($35-$45), new silicone mouthpiece ($20-25), new streamlined wagon wheels and silicone mushroom valves ($20), new silicone duckbill ($5), new custom serial numbered labels from Faux Label works ($30), a new old stock band clamp ($15) and re-chroming of the cans (est. $100). I later upgraded with a new HPR second stage ($50) and a duckbill eliminator ($15).

The end result were essentially new regulators that will leave a new Mistral in the dust in terms of performance, and properly positioned on your back, they will give you performance exceeding what you can get from a top end modern single hose regulator.

Most of the prices noted above reflect current prices for parts at the Vintage Double Hose website. Bryan is a good guy to work with so I'd seriously consider putting together a PRAM with his assistance, or just buying a DH reg from him rather than getting a new Mistral, as they really are a POS, especially for someone who intends to dive it.

Vintage Scuba - Vintage Scuba Gear at Vintage Double Hose

 

[halocline]

Absolutely agree with the prior posters. Spend some time on vintagedoublehose.com and you'll get a good education about doublehose regs. As herman said, they are very different to dive with. Between the position sensitivity and the different type of venturi assist, it's a completely different feel. Once you get the position worked out and get used to the fact that you're really breathing air at ambient, not air that's depressurizing one inch from your mouth, it's quite comfortable and dry mouth is a thing of the past.

I've never tried the new mistral, but it has 100% bad reviews from anyone I've encountered who has any experience with real doublehose regs. My guess is that you'd be very disappointed with it.

 

[herman]

I agree DA, just for grins I would also like to have one but only if I can get it for less than $200 ish. Otherwise I am saving my cash for an Argonuat when they are released.

 

[Nemrod]

Here is where I am a bit of a contrarian --- I do not completely go with the wearing the tank down at my ankles thing. In my thinking, the regulator cans should be low enough that you do not hit them in normal use or if you lean you head back. I trim for a head DOWN or horizontal position, level in the water, at least I try to. Following the logic of wearing it low (since most divers trim or naturally assume a slight legs down attitude) then the tank should actually be worn high for best performance, not low, for people who trim level/head down. In any case, I like all regulators, single or double, to be centered roughly between my shoulders or perhaps a tad higher for some single hose. Not so much for performance but for trim and comfort. That reaching the valve thing, bah hum bug, double isolation tanks, yeah, single tanks, bah hum bug. Two acl affected shoulders, ain't gonna happen anyways.

In the case of the new Mistral, positioning isn't the problem, amateurish and kludgy engineering is the problem.

N