DIN or Yoke first stage?

[victor]

Best option is to buy both fittings when you buy the first stage. It was, in my case, only one large nut to remove the Yoke attachement and replace it with a DIN attachement.
Converting a tank from YOKE to DIN is just a simple insert.
With a yoke only tank then the adapter is quite big and hit me on the back of the head, so a bit of a pain.

Persoanlly DIN is a much better system, however Yoke is readilly available everywhere and easier to convert a DIN tank to Yoke.

 

[Colliam7]

Given that should I just buy the DIN valve now and dive with a "converter" in Asia or can I later "refit" my first stage with a DIN valve outfit?

Like many others, I would probably purchase a DIN first stage. At that point you have three options to adapt your first stage for use with yoke valves. My subsequent comments reflect MY personal biases, so feel free to agree or disagree as you choose.

1. Don't waste money on the DIN-to-Yoke converter, unless you have money to waste. Even if you do, find a used one on eBay / Craigslist for $20, rather than paying $60-80 for a new one. A number of people find that the converter moves the first stage so far forward that the back of your head bumps against it periodically during a dive (I do). Having said that, I have accumulated 3-4 of them over the years, and carry one when traveling, 'just in case'.

2. Don't waste money on a valve insert unless you have money to waste. The inserts work well on 200 bar valves (7 threads), but do not work on 300 bar DIN valves (9 threads). Depending on what valve is available on whatever cylinder you rent, it may turn out to be useless. Having said that, I have accumulated 3-4 of them as well, and carry one when traveling, 'just in case'.

3. The best option is to spend money on the conversion parts for the regulator, at the time you buy it (victor's suggestion). This can mean that you either a) buy a DIN first stage AND simultaneously get the yoke bolt and A clamp for that particular model, to use as a conversion kit when you want to dive yoke cylinders; or b) buy a yoke first stage, AND simultaneously buy the DIN bolt and hand wheel (Scared Silly's link) for the particular regulator to use as a conversion kit when you want to dive DIN cylinders. Option 'b' may be a little easier (I find getting parts from Mares - quickly, reliably, and inexpensively - to be a 'challenge'), or at least less expensive. Although even at $69, the part in the link is way overpriced, it may be the simpler option. In either case, the conversion takes less than 60 seconds. Do remember that the first stage housing is brass, so avoid over-torquing the bolt - DIN or yoke - when installing it Do not put Loctite or something like that on it, as it makes the next conversion more difficult.