Compact SPG

[AiJhae]

Hi there

I have finally certified (PADI OWD), started diving in '95, but stuff happened.

I am collecting kit, lightweight, as I will mostly dive abroad and so need kit below budget airline baggage limits, UK waters are lovely but a bit nippy.

I have done a fair bit of reading, this forum comes up a lot in my searches.

I am looking for a compact 2",52mm SPG. I figured I want brass & glass, or at least a metal body (no boot). There's lots of lovely kit, but mostly US and imperial.

I have seen this:
DIR Zone Compact SPG
but did find one review that suggested it was a bit shoddy.

Does anybody have experience with this one?
Do you have a better choice?

 

[Attonine]

I know nothing about that brand.

There are reasons some people (usually tek) use brass SPGs. For general rec diving I’m not sure it has any advantage at all. I’m back I the U.K. now, but up until last year I was in the UAE doing 4-6 dives a week. I don’t know if it means anything, but I can’t remember seeing anyone with a brass SPG there - and everyone had money and were diving a lot - I guess the point is, they had money to buy want they wanted and were diving enough to justify paying for high end equipment, but everyone was getting along fine with the usual suspect- scubapro, Hollis,mares, regular, plastic SPGs.

For travel purposes I recently changed my SPG from an apeks double console to the Miflex SPG. It’s rubber coated. Not cheap by any means, but it does come with a hose. It’s Miflex, so for reliability/durability that should speak for itself.

Having said all this, the brass SPGs do look nice.

 

[AiJhae]

thank you
I saw the Miflex too, am looking to use their hoses

 

[Scared Silly]

The one you are looking has a plastic face. Most of the brass and glass SPG are mfg by the same company in Italy. Though a bit heavier I would recommend this one instead: 52mm SPG

PS Welcome to the board.

 

[AiJhae]

thank you
&
thank you

 

[StefinSB]

I know nothing about that brand.

There are reasons some people (usually tek) use brass SPGs. For general rec diving I’m not sure it has any advantage at all. I’m back I the U.K. now, but up until last year I was in the UAE doing 4-6 dives a week. I don’t know if it means anything, but I can’t remember seeing anyone with a brass SPG there - and everyone had money and were diving a lot - I guess the point is, they had money to buy want they wanted and were diving enough to justify paying for high end equipment, but everyone was getting along fine with the usual suspect- scubapro, Hollis,mares, regular, plastic SPGs.

For travel purposes I recently changed my SPG from an apeks double console to the Miflex SPG. It’s rubber coated. Not cheap by any means, but it does come with a hose. It’s Miflex, so for reliability/durability that should speak for itself.

Having said all this, the brass SPGs do look nice.

Where do you get your data for the reliability/durability of Miflex from? After Miflex Scuba hoses starting popping up a few years ago all I heard were quality issues with them. If you have different information please share.

 

[gcarter]

I know nothing about that brand.

There are reasons some people (usually tek) use brass SPGs. For general rec diving I’m not sure it has any advantage at all. I’m back I the U.K. now, but up until last year I was in the UAE doing 4-6 dives a week. I don’t know if it means anything, but I can’t remember seeing anyone with a brass SPG there - and everyone had money and were diving a lot - I guess the point is, they had money to buy want they wanted and were diving enough to justify paying for high end equipment, but everyone was getting along fine with the usual suspect- scubapro, Hollis,mares, regular, plastic SPGs.

For travel purposes I recently changed my SPG from an apeks double console to the Miflex SPG. It’s rubber coated. Not cheap by any means, but it does come with a hose. It’s Miflex, so for reliability/durability that should speak for itself.

Having said all this, the brass SPGs do look nice.

When I decided to dump my Apeks console for a more streamlined bare SPG I removed the one from the console. It was brass and glass. Most people have no idea what is in their console, and I suspect you really don't know what was in those ScubaPro, Hollis, Mares and whatever other consoles.

The fact remains yes, many people do use plastic ones. Most recreational divers also use consoles. But if you are going bare, no console or boot, brass and glass is significantly more durable.

 

[gcarter]

OP: I use an Apeks dual scale PSI/BAR brass and glass SPG. More readily available as single scale either PSI or BAR. Solid SPG, but so are most - as already posted, most seem to come from the same source, just different branding.

 

[Attonine]

Where do you get your data for the reliability/durability of Miflex from? After Miflex Scuba hoses starting popping up a few years ago all I heard were quality issues with them. If you have different information please share.

What can I say, I’ve never heard anything negative regarding quality issues with Miflex. You’ve heard one thing, I’ve heard another.

Out of curiosity I googled Miflex reliability issues. From what I can make out there may have been an issue around 2011? But not particularly wide spread. Looking at Scubaboard, the absence of threads about Miflex failures suggests to me that they are as reliable as any other manufacturer.

 

[Aloha Joe]

I've been looking for a lighter weight SPG as well - the 2" B/G gauge I have is one of the heaviest single items in my gear bag!

DGX has a few SPGs. I noticed they say this about the 'compact' gauge:
DGX Thin SPG, Naked

"This popular gauge is sold under a variety of brand names, but are all manufactured by Termo Industria in Italy. The thin SPG is not as durable or accurate as our larger 'brass and glass' models. The polycarbonate plastic face cover requires additional care to avoid abrasion as it will scratch with use. This not usually apparent in water, but can make them difficult to read above water. The scratches can be buffed out, but most people just replace them if the cover has received so much abrasion that scratches become an issue. Also note that if you vigorously shake the thin naked gauge, you will hear the sound of the internal coil spring contacting the body. The click sound is perfectly normal for all the thin gauges regardless of brand, and in no way affects the performance of the gauge. The larger naked gauges, because they have a larger body that allows a different design, do not make this sound."