Do Atomic purge covers get sticky after years?

[sunny_diver]

You now how soft rubbery synthetic materials can get sticky after many years? It's like they're dissolving back into their constituent chemicals. I notice this on scuba gear and other things too.

Anyone know if this happens with Atomic second stage purge covers? They're made of some soft material.

 

[Pi_grim]

I’ve had an ST1 for over 15 years with no problems at all.

 

[BoltSnap]

You now how soft rubbery synthetic materials can get sticky after many years? It's like they're dissolving back into their constituent chemicals. I notice this on scuba gear and other things too.

Anyone know if this happens with Atomic second stage purge covers? They're made of some soft material.

There was an issue with the original B1 second stage cover over 20 years ago but that was addressed by Atomic and never happened again afaik. My B1 was updated to a B2 and the cover was replaced about 20 years ago without any issues since then. No issues with the rest of my Atomic regulators at all.

 

[mundo121]

I have a M1 about 10 years young and no problems at all.

 

[Rilelen]

My Z2 and M1 regs are about a decade old; no issues with either.

 

[Geo7]

As @BoltSnap said: The early 1990-ish ones (T1, Z1) got brittle and broke into pieces after a decade or so (UV light?), but I have not seen or heard of sticky ones. The later and current generations seem just fine in any regard.

Which begs the question: Which brand regs to get sticky?

 

[sunny_diver]

Which begs the question: Which brand regs to get sticky?

I haven't seen regulator purge covers get sticky, but have seen this happen with camera gear and consumer electronics. I know I originally said I've seen it on scuba gear, but I actually can't identify an example right now. I think of camera gear as scuba gear, but of course that's not correct.

In the back of my mind, I remembered hearing something about Atomic purge covers. It must have been the problem mentioned with early versions that has now been fixed.