Choosing a Reg - Tusa vs HOG

[milbournosphere]

I thought I'd update this thread. By the time I went down to see the mk17 somebody else had already put in an offer well over the $100, so I lost out (and only by about an hour, too). I put my search down for a while and the other day after a dive I was getting my tanks filled and the LDS told me they had their mk11/C200s on closeout for a price right in line with about what I was looking to pay for a new reg. Something about them being last year's model. Some research tells me that the mk11 is a good balanced reg, although it isn't sealed for cold water. Haven't seen much about the C200 other than 'meh, good enough'. I'm going to hop down next week to pick one up; it's a good price and I'd like to build up a relationship with my LDS. Can anybody tell me more about the C200 second stage?

 

[elan]

Too bad you missed the deal.

MK11 is sealed by design, all diaphragm regs have the main parts sealed except the main spring. The main spring is way far from the main cooling area (seat). It does not present much issues in cold water, it creates problem on the surface when the surface temp is freezing and the reg is wet. So you will be fine, especially in your area.

I thought I'd update this thread. By the time I went down to see the mk17 somebody else had already put in an offer well over the $100, so I lost out (and only by about an hour, too). I put my search down for a while and the other day after a dive I was getting my tanks filled and the LDS told me they had their mk11/C200s on closeout for a price right in line with about what I was looking to pay for a new reg. Something about them being last year's model. Some research tells me that the mk11 is a good balanced reg, although it isn't sealed for cold water. Haven't seen much about the C200 other than 'meh, good enough'. I'm going to hop down next week to pick one up; it's a good price and I'd like to build up a relationship with my LDS. Can anybody tell me more about the C200 second stage?

 

[manni-yunk]

Just order a Hog from Jim and forget about it.


They are great - and price is more than fair.

 

[milbournosphere]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the mk11 will meet my needs just fine. I dive in 'warm' water, and I'm just getting my NAUI advanced cert so I'll be diving 80-100fsw or so out in Point Loma and La Jolla and thereabouts around southern CA. It looks like C200 is just the C300 without an adjuster...haven't heard anything horribly bad about it, but any info is appreciated.

I seriously considered HOG, but I looked at where I am now and where I am likely to be in the next few years and the service network was just too small. If I move up to doubles I'll likely pick up some HOG gear, but for now I'm content with the price quoted by my LDS, and I'd like to build a working relationship with them if I can. They've made a few really good deals with me for service/classes in the past and I feel like they've earned my business.

 

[NCadiver]

There are a couple of dive centers in San Diego who service tusa stuff and also the main office is located in long beach.

 

[halocline]

The C200 looks like an unbalanced barrel poppet design with an offset lever. Probably the closest thing to it in the older SP lineup would be the G200, which is a nice 2nd stage. There's really no problem with having an unbalanced 2nd stage, the MK11 has a very stable IP and the main thing about balancing 2nd stages is to accommodate changes in IP. This offset lever is an interesting bit, there's sort of a cam action a bit like the D series levers, with the idea being (I guess) that the geometry of the reg is improved both for case fault issues, as it allows closer placement of the diaphragm center and exhaust valve, and for better mechanical advantage of the lever on the poppet, although I'm not sure about the particulars of that.

It does look like kind of a neat design to me, but since I've never used one I can't say much other than conjecture. The MK11 is a fine 1st stage that is almost identical to the MK17, except without the environmental seal. As has been pointed out, the seal is only necessary in very very cold diving.

To me it's very important to get a good deal on regulators, because the honest truth is that in recreational diving practically all regs will perform perfectly adequately. Actually that's true for technical diving too; freezing cold water is where you need somewhat specialized regulators. Even then, it's not about price, it's about design for freeze resistance.

 

[Aquabot]

I've been very pleased with my hog classic second stage, feels solid and breathes nice. Plus you can service it your self.

HOG /Edge does not have a parts for life. The service interval is every two years and you don't have to stick to a rigid schedule.

The service is a minimum of once a year per the manual with all the warranty info.

 

[cerich]

the c200 is a impressive reg, if you decide not to get our reg you will NOT be disappointed with the C200 at all.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I've been very pleased with my hog classic second stage, feels solid and breathes nice. Plus you can service it your self.

HOG /Edge does not have a parts for life. The service interval is every two years and you don't have to stick to a rigid schedule.

The service is a minimum of once a year per the manual with all the warranty info.

There is a recommended annual inspection. The total rebuild is two years. I have been running mine like this since 2008. The annual is a very good idea if your regs see alot of use. Especially in saltwater. They just may need a rebuild at a year. I've seen a couple with heavy saltwater use that required a tear down and rebuild due to salt deposits that could have been avoided with better rinsing. I own a total of ten second stages now. Only one has required a rebuild before two years. That one also got some hard use in about fifty saltwater dives, pond inspections, under the ice, in the pool, and as a student reg. It was done at 19 months.
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[Aquabot]

To the OP, just keep up with the maintenance regardless of the make/model and it should bring you years of reliable service. Better to be proactive instead of reactive.

[

There is a recommended annual inspection. The total rebuild is two years. I have been running mine like this since 2008. The annual is a very good idea if your regs see alot of use. Especially in saltwater. They just may need a rebuild at a year. I've seen a couple with heavy saltwater use that required a tear down and rebuild due to salt deposits that could have been avoided with better rinsing. I own a total of ten second stages now. Only one has required a rebuild before two years. That one also got some hard use in about fifty saltwater dives, pond inspections, under the ice, in the pool, and as a student reg. It was done at 19 months.
Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

Looks like I stand corrected then .