2airishuman
Contributor
One of my Conshelfs is DIN. They are out there. You have to be patient. A Conshelf DIN adapter sold for $70 on ebay earlier this week.
Best bang for the buck?
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One of my Conshelfs is DIN. They are out there. You have to be patient. A Conshelf DIN adapter sold for $70 on ebay earlier this week.
2airishuman
Contributor
HOG first stages are available in both DIN and yoke configurations.
I agree that DIN regulators are a nuisance if you are exclusively using yoke tanks, as will be the case if you are renting tanks for boat dives.
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hog isn't available in yoke anymore, the only ones left are NoS, and I know the Conshelfs are out there in DIN, but $70 for an adapter on a $30 first stage? No thanks... Same with Poseidon is available in yoke, I have one, but they never come up for sale.
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2airishuman
Contributor
You mean not available in yoke, right? ::shrug:: They're still out there for sale, and as far as I know they still make the yoke conversion kits.
That's why I didn't buy it. Instead I bought a Conshelf SE DIN, including a plastic second stage, some hoses, and a usable SPG, for $65. It has the 7/16" HP port so I can use a button gauge without the extra height introduced by an adapter. I have it on my pony bottle.
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fixed, sorry. correct. only supply in din currently.
walkonmars
Contributor
I will try to get back to help the original poster's concerns...
I recommend buying a regulator with the 3 features mentioned (balanced diaph 1st, barrel poppet-pneumaticly balanced 2nd, non-grease environmental seal on 1st).
Also I recommend buying it in yoke. Someday you may have a special need for DIN but for convenience, use yoke, for now.
You should expect to pay around $250-$350 for a basic first stage and second stage set-up. A little more if you buy another octo.
Please be aware there are a lot of regulators selling for a lot more and in my opinion are over-priced or have features you don't need. As a crazy experiment, one of you as a couple can buy a basic regulator for $300 and the other person buys a "super duper expensive" model and can both see which one you both like better. Later when you buy a third regulator (because you fight for the nicer regulator), the one you don't use becomes the back-up regulator.
I recommend buying a regulator with the 3 features mentioned (balanced diaph 1st, barrel poppet-pneumaticly balanced 2nd, non-grease environmental seal on 1st).
Also I recommend buying it in yoke. Someday you may have a special need for DIN but for convenience, use yoke, for now.
You should expect to pay around $250-$350 for a basic first stage and second stage set-up. A little more if you buy another octo.
Please be aware there are a lot of regulators selling for a lot more and in my opinion are over-priced or have features you don't need. As a crazy experiment, one of you as a couple can buy a basic regulator for $300 and the other person buys a "super duper expensive" model and can both see which one you both like better. Later when you buy a third regulator (because you fight for the nicer regulator), the one you don't use becomes the back-up regulator.
I really like when people don't read the original poster's question and recommend stuff that is way more than what the divers, in this case anyway, really need. Things get lost in the noise.
She stated they are vacation only warm water divers. There are several options available to them that I would recommend before I'd put them in a D1/Classic set up.
First of all is the Edge EXP set up. Sealed balanced diaphragm 1st stage, adjustable second, add an Octo of equal quality which is easy to do since they use the same service kits as the HOG Classic and Zenith. With an SPG as I am only assuming they have computers.
Next step up is the Epic. Again sealed balanced diaphragm 1st stage, adjustable second with a swivel. Same Octo and gauge set up.
I would put them in yoke regs. If they did want a D1 then yes yoke is still available and the D3 comes in a yoke version as well. However those two are irrelevant to this situation.
As for service, recommended rebuild is every two years.
She stated they are vacation only warm water divers. There are several options available to them that I would recommend before I'd put them in a D1/Classic set up.
First of all is the Edge EXP set up. Sealed balanced diaphragm 1st stage, adjustable second, add an Octo of equal quality which is easy to do since they use the same service kits as the HOG Classic and Zenith. With an SPG as I am only assuming they have computers.
Next step up is the Epic. Again sealed balanced diaphragm 1st stage, adjustable second with a swivel. Same Octo and gauge set up.
I would put them in yoke regs. If they did want a D1 then yes yoke is still available and the D3 comes in a yoke version as well. However those two are irrelevant to this situation.
As for service, recommended rebuild is every two years.
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and did you strategically miss the part where she said "something that most dive shops can service"? Hog doesn't have a whole lot of shops that are willing to service their regs yet... The Edge regs are also not the best bang for the buck because you are in for close to $500 for an EXP reg set, or $600 for the epic with proper hoses, etc etc unless you put together a non-published package, which isn't fair for the state of this conversation. For an extra $100/$200 you get an extra first stage and SPG, with free reg bag for a regulator with better hose routing options. Edge/HOG no longer represents a good "bang for buck" in regulators since Jack hiked the prices way up, unless you are selling significantly lower than MAP, which is fine, but without published package pricing, you can't fairly recommend them. None of these single tank packages are in your online store except the D1 single tank package for $550 which is a ripoff considering the first/second stage combos are selling for $200.
If you're going to recommend packages like that, at least have them on your website for us to link to
If you're going to recommend packages like that, at least have them on your website for us to link to
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walkonmars
Contributor
Sorry, that should be the 4th feature. I assume if you buy a regulator from a "major" you would get that serviceability, anyway.
Under the same direction as tbone's comment...
After you arrive at the final two or three models to consider, call three local dive shops and ask them what the service price is for both parts and labor. Also ask if any of them are on a "two year" service schedule instead of the usual "one year".
A $20 intermediate pressure gauge is an "essential" component as well. More on that later.
Under the same direction as tbone's comment...
After you arrive at the final two or three models to consider, call three local dive shops and ask them what the service price is for both parts and labor. Also ask if any of them are on a "two year" service schedule instead of the usual "one year".
A $20 intermediate pressure gauge is an "essential" component as well. More on that later.
halocline
Contributor
Maybe it would be helpful to mention something general about regulator servicing for the OP.
First, the warranty requirements of most regulators require annual service. This is a big waste of money, I mean really big, for the occasional vacation diver. With a modestly priced regulator, you could end up spending almost the entire price of the regulator simply in service fees every 3 years, even with the so-called 'free parts' programs. So, forget the value of any warranty that has this requirement.
Second, with occasional use and reasonable care and storage, a regulator set should last several years before needing service. This means that sending the reg off to service is not much of an inconvenience or an expense.
Third, the biggest issue IMO with service is making sure it gets done by someone competent. Local dive shops are definitely hit-or-miss, and FL is no exception. So, I wouldn't be too worried about not being able to get your reg serviced locally. It's WAY better to send it to someone who can really do a good job than use a less competent local shop. If there is a good local shop with PROVEN good regulator service, fine.
It is a good idea to know where you can get a reg serviced before you buy it; this goes for used and new regs. It should definitely factor into a decision about what reg to buy. This is why I use old SP regs; I know to service them, parts are readily available despite the horrible restrictive policy of the company, and they're everywhere.
First, the warranty requirements of most regulators require annual service. This is a big waste of money, I mean really big, for the occasional vacation diver. With a modestly priced regulator, you could end up spending almost the entire price of the regulator simply in service fees every 3 years, even with the so-called 'free parts' programs. So, forget the value of any warranty that has this requirement.
Second, with occasional use and reasonable care and storage, a regulator set should last several years before needing service. This means that sending the reg off to service is not much of an inconvenience or an expense.
Third, the biggest issue IMO with service is making sure it gets done by someone competent. Local dive shops are definitely hit-or-miss, and FL is no exception. So, I wouldn't be too worried about not being able to get your reg serviced locally. It's WAY better to send it to someone who can really do a good job than use a less competent local shop. If there is a good local shop with PROVEN good regulator service, fine.
It is a good idea to know where you can get a reg serviced before you buy it; this goes for used and new regs. It should definitely factor into a decision about what reg to buy. This is why I use old SP regs; I know to service them, parts are readily available despite the horrible restrictive policy of the company, and they're everywhere.
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