Cheap regulators, scuba consumerism

[salimbag]

I dive with a Conshelf regulator I bought in 1974.

There is nothing wrong with having fun shopping around and researching the new gear. But be aware it's not about diving, it's about consumerism and Madison Ave.

I just bought a 20 year old tank and regulator for my wife, had it serviced, and we're off. Total cost, less than $100, and I'll bet your regulator doesn't breath any better (but is probably lighter on land). I'll also bet your dives aren't any better than mine for having bought into the contemporary scuba marketing machine. These are simple devices. There's a lot of deep tech talk about technology improvements, but in a practical sense regs have not changed much in the past few decades.

Ever been on a large tourist dive in a remote, third world country and seen the row of old beat up tanks and budget regulators they provide? This gear has been abused day in and day out, often for 20 years. Still chugging along...

This is not meant to be critical, I as well LOVE to read about the new stuff and play with it, and if you are into it, more power to you. Lotsa people buy the new Mercedes when they would in a practical sense be better off holding onto the old Camry. It's fun and neat and cool, and I do welcome you having fun spending money, if that's what you're into, because it IS fun. But just be aware there are alternatives that are much cheaper, and don't compromise a thing in any practical sense except your sense of consumption.

Ciao

 

[salimbag]

Take the $500 you save on gear and give it to an ocean conservation organization.

 

[will_tekkie]

I dive with a Conshelf regulator I bought in 1974.

There is nothing wrong with having fun shopping around and researching the new gear. But be aware it's not about diving, it's about consumerism and Madison Ave.

I just bought a 20 year old tank and regulator for my wife, had it serviced, and we're off. Total cost, less than $100, and I'll bet your regulator doesn't breath any better (but is probably lighter on land). I'll also bet your dives aren't any better than mine for having bought into the contemporary scuba marketing machine. These are simple devices. There's a lot of deep tech talk about technology improvements, but in a practical sense regs have not changed much in the past few decades.

Ever been on a large tourist dive in a remote, third world country and seen the row of old beat up tanks and budget regulators they provide? This gear has been abused day in and day out, often for 20 years. Still chugging along...

This is not meant to be critical, I as well LOVE to read about the new stuff and play with it, and if you are into it, more power to you. Lotsa people buy the new Mercedes when they would in a practical sense be better off holding onto the old Camry. It's fun and neat and cool, and I do welcome you having fun spending money, if that's what you're into, because it IS fun. But just be aware there are alternatives that are much cheaper, and don't compromise a thing in any practical sense except your sense of consumption.

Ciao

i agree with you...well, diving like everything is a industry so wild consumption is the western way of life....maybe in 100 years everything will be different...the earth is after all a small place with limited resources...i remember just 10 years ago when i began ..diving was better ( with old gear) because the diving sites were in a better shape...less technology and more conservationism...

 

[iflyprops]

if it 'aint broke don't fix it! My girlfriend has been diving with my circa '70 conshelf, its a great reg. Besides, I love metal! Seems so much more solid than todays plastics, and my current reg is an atomic...nearly all plastic

Cheers

 

[Bob3]

That old Conshelf (probably a XII, right?) was the model used on the commercial diving hats, they haven't changed it much over the years, except adding the "Dial-a-Breath" adjustment knob.
The Poseidon Cyklon 300 2nd stage is near identical to its 30+ year old forerunner.
Too bad they stopped making the double hose regs though, they're a shutterbug's dream.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I am more than a little sentimental toward "old" scubagear.

I have several MK 10 Balanaced Adjustables and am hard pressed to find anything else that scores as well overall in terms of performance, duability and versatility. Regulator design has really not substantially improved in the last 20 years despite the effort expended by the marketing departments of scuba companies to convince divers otherwise. It's a clear case of newer not always being better.

Graphite and phenolic resin second stages, for example, are great for cutting production costs but are of dubious benefit to divers due to their fragility, scruffy appearance after very little use, poor heat transfer, and tendency to induce a bad case of dry mouth. But most divers would not dream of buying an "old" second stage design with an all metal case mostly because most have never dove with one and seen the benefits of a metal case. (Aqualung however still catalogs their all metal Conshelf XIV which leaves a ray of hope)

Same with small sized second stages. What does it matter if a second stage is larger and heavier out of the water if it is neutrally buoyant in the water? I have never been able to figure that one out. Nor have I been able to figure out diver who come in and go pale at the idea of buying a "full sized" second stage. They just would not be caught dead with a full sized reg in their mouths and the only reason they can give is that small is high tech and cool and small must be better. What does matter is the potential performance hit you take from using a smaller diaphragm and shorter lever in the smaller case.

And I am also very fond of double hose regs. They are ideal for photographers, are virtually impervious to freeze ups in cold water, and would make fantastic training regs for divers with rebreathers in their future. The biggest complaint is the difficulty buddy breathing off one but if you could add a regular octo, it would not be an issue. Add a few low pressure ports and a high pressure port to a two stage double hose reg design like the DA Aquamaster and you would have a winner.

 

[glbirch]

I dive with a Conshelf regulator I bought in 1974.

Sounds like we use the same model Conshelf. My backup is a '74 as well, and I used it as a primary for several years. What's the serial # on yours, if you don't mind me asking?

There is nothing wrong with having fun shopping around and researching the new gear. But be aware it's not about diving, it's about consumerism and Madison Ave.

Don't completely agree there. There are times when for one reason or another you need to upgrade/replace/change gear. But there is definitaly a lot of "Come buy the new shiny stuff and look cooler than your buddies" involved as well. No doubt about it.

Ever been on a large tourist dive in a remote, third world country and seen the row of old beat up tanks and budget regulators they provide? This gear has been abused day in and day out, often for 20 years. Still chugging along.

Been there, and seen them fail too. I wouldn't buy a twenty year old car off someone without having a mechanic take a look. No way I'd trust my life to regs like that.

 

[S C]

I dive with a Conshelf regulator I bought in 1974.

There is nothing wrong with having fun shopping around and researching the new gear. But be aware it's not about diving, it's about consumerism and Madison Ave.

I just bought a 20 year old tank and regulator for my wife, had it serviced, and we're off. Total cost, less than $100, and I'll bet your regulator doesn't breath any better (but is probably lighter on land). I'll also bet your dives aren't any better than mine for having bought into the contemporary scuba marketing machine. These are simple devices. There's a lot of deep tech talk about technology improvements, but in a practical sense regs have not changed much in the past few decades.

Ciao

I love the old stuff, but new stuff also mean improve version, for your info if the retaining ring at the Conshelf first stage break, the spring inside with push a few assembly against the tank valve outlet and air cut off. You will not want this happen to you when diving, so do routine service.

 

[captain]

U S Divers is currently making a two hose regulator. It is called the Mentor. However it is only available to the U S Navy. Maybe if enough divers lobby them they would make it available to the general market.

Captain

 

[ElectricZombie]

There have been some improvements, but regs are about the same as they were 20 years ago. An Mk10/G250 is just as good if not better than the new stuff out there. The reg manufacturers are going to have to start doing more advertising to convince people to "ugrade" their regs every few years.