Cold water rig?

[finstotheleft]

I saw a regulator/gauge set on e-bay, and in the description it states "cold water rig". The regulator looks like it is mounted to the hose on some kind of metal ball swivel.

What's the difference?

 

[jonnythan]

Generally, "cold water" regulators have some sort of heat exchanger (sort of like a heatsink, just extra metal with a large surface area/volume ratio) where the LP hose meets the second stage. The idea is that it uses the warmth from your exhaled breath to warm the area where the pressure drops the most (and hence, cools the most.. the valve) to prevent ice from forming.

Also, environmentally sealed first stages also help prevent first stage freeflow. If no water can get into the moving parts, they can't get blocked by ice.

 

[buff]

On ebay you will find a number of divers selling their Poseidon Odin's.

This is the best cold water reg. available. The Apeks is a close second-except the TX20 model(warm water only)

 

[JDostal]

I would have to agree. Poseidon's are (in my opinion....and yep, heard the one how everyone's got one) great cold water regs. They will not freeze up on you.

I've got one, and regularly dive it in fresh water that is around 40 degrees fahrenheit - I've done nothing special with it.

I haven't dove it in ice yet, but will be this winter. All of the group that I dive with do ice diving w/ their poseidons and have never had an issue with them.

Then again, one guy out of the group does ice diving w/ a sherwood...so hey. Who knows someday's

 

[IndyScott]

If your diving cold water you should have a cold water rig" If not you " should' be fine.

 

[jonnythan]

buff once bubbled...
On ebay you will find a number of divers selling their Poseidon Odin's.

This is the best cold water reg. available. The Apeks is a close second-except the TX20 model(warm water only)

The Odin seems to be a love it or hate it kinda regulator. A fair number of (much more experienced than me) divers swear that the Odin has been handed directly to cold water/deep divers from God himself.

Me, on the other hand... I just don't like it. I find the side exhaust strange (having to tilt your head one specific way to purge is just unnatural). I also HATE the purge. Feels like it opens the chamber to the full 130psi of the LP hose. I pressed it and had to look behind me because I thought my tonsils had gotten blown out of my head. It also has a slightly alien, mechanical feel to the breathing. It delivers all the air you could ever want, and does so reliably, but the first part of the inhale and the end of the exhale have this slightly weird prssure gradient. Makes me think of little gnomes watching me breathe, then whirring gears around as I start to inhale

I'd say don't buy an Odin til you tried it.. you may love it, but a more conventional, naturally breathing reg like an Apeks, Scubapro, or Mares is a safe bet.

 

[melfox26]

The Aqualung LX Legend Supreme is made for cold water diving. I have it, and it's a great reg for diving, breathes great at depth and surface.

Mel

 

[JDostal]

jonnythan once bubbled...


I also HATE the purge. Feels like it opens the chamber to the full 130psi of the LP hose. I pressed it and had to look behind me because I thought my tonsils had gotten blown out of my head.

That is true about the odin's...but hey - at least you won't have water in your reg after that!

 

[jonnythan]

Omicron once bubbled...



That is true about the odin's...but hey - at least you won't have water in your reg after that!

You will if your head isn't tilted.

 

[Rooster1]

to the best of my knowledge...cold+deep= Poseidon
I personally don't care that much for them, but If I was at depth and cold, I would say they are a great reg to have. Some will say they like the upstream valve and others say no. The Idea is that if the upstream valve freezes, then the air doesnt free flow but you have to switch to your back up to breath, but you dont have a freeflow which is cool. I have also heard that some may prefer the freeflow cuz you can still get air from the same reg. Personally if a Poseidon freezes ( which is like seeing Haleys comet), You just switch to back up and start ascend and your air wont be freeflowing out before you make it up from the deep.
So in short, for shallow no I dont like em, but deep...I think there the best.