Extra regulator, what should I do?

[Aigtbootbp]

My primary regulator set up is a Zeagle Envoy with a Sherwood octopus. I just acquired a Dacor Viper Metal regulator with a Viper octopus. So, I was wondering, should I replace my Sherwood octo with the Dacor (either one, probably the Viper Metal) or should I just leave it all intact as a back up set?
BTW, are these Dacors any good? I know my Zeagle has a good reputation and I figure the Sherwood is just an inexpensive octo but these Dacors, I have no idea.

 

[DCBC]

Anytime you ask a question like this you're sure to get differences of opinion. Although both the Dacor Viper Metal and the Zeagle have a balanced diaphragm first stage, I'd have to give the top score to the Envoy as it is IMO a better performer as far as gas delivery is concerned. Another advantage is that Zeagle recommends a maintenance rebuild half as much as the Dacor (every two years opposed to annually), so there's some savings there.

 

[halocline]

I had a dacor viper octo, I hated it, it sucked, and I gave it away. Since the guy I gave it to is a friend, I felt guilty and eventually gave him another reg so he wouldn't have to use the viper. How's that for a recommendation?

 

[Peter_V]

I thought Dacor went out of business?

 

[Wayward Son]

you can try both in the water & see which you prefer.

If it were me, I'd take the extra octo to the shop, have George install it on my main reg & tune it.

Then I'd go diving & breath off both octos at various depths to see how they perform. I'd keep the best breathing one on my main & put the other on the spare, again having it tuned to match that 1st stage.

 

[Davidstealey3]

zeagle is a yearly service .

mares bought out dacor. not sure if they are still making gear under the dacor name, but they are taking trade ins on old dacor products to upgrade to new mares gear. went to the dacor website. they have a catalog of regs, but it is dated 2006. dont know if they have stoped or not, but i do know they mares repair kits still have dacor on them for servicing of some sort of regs

so if the viper is one you dont like, but would still like to have another reg setup, find a mares dealer and trade it in

sherwood stuff is preaty buletproff. not the best breathers in the world but they are relaible. not a bad one to have for an octo if you needed it.

 

[keyshunter]

AIG,
Which Sherwood octo do you have? If it is the Sherwood Standard octo, it is a very reliable and decent breathing octo. If it is one of Sherwood's "pancake" octos, well, almost anything breaths better than those.

 

[DCBC]

zeagle is a yearly service .

Thanks David. I stand corrected; Zeagle produced regs require annual service. Apeks has an "every other year overhaul policy."

Zeagle was the US distributor for Apeks, with Apeks regs sold in the U.S. using the Zeagle brand (conforming with the Apeks service schedule). Zeagle decided to make their own regs after Apeks was bought by Aqualung and they did not have a source of supply.

 

[halocline]

zeagle is a yearly service .

mares bought out dacor. not sure if they are still making gear under the dacor name, but they are taking trade ins on old dacor products to upgrade to new mares gear.

That trade in program ended years ago. Have they started it up again?

 

[Aigtbootbp]

Thanks for the suggestions, I think I am just going to leave it all intact and keep it as a backup in case something happens to my primary. Of course I will take it all out and give it a good testing next time I go in the water.