No doubt HOG is good, best bang for the buck, it is a good choice for new diver if your LDS support it. If not, I would also argue it is not the best choice for new divers. One is new divers are not likely to service their own reg. Even for HOG, you need some tech crudential to enroll in their service class.
To say mail regulator out is the same as having local support is so far from the true. With local support, if you ever have issue with the reg, you can walk in, show the tech the issue, explain in detail how to reproduce it or even reproduce it in front of the tech. If the reg needs service, sure it will take some time. But chances are it will need a 5 minutes adjustment. You are in, out, done, head for diving.
Without LDs support, you have to mail out the reg, explain thing in email or best through phone. A 5 minute adjustment takes 2 weeks to turn around. And chanes are the reg didn't work right when it return from service. Then what, sent out again??? I expericenced this myself first hand. Chris and Mike provided superb support, but nonethless, it is very frustrating and inconvinient.
As for Din vs Yoke. I think first reg should be Yoke. It is alot more convinient because you can rent yoke tank anywhere in the world, not so true for Din tank. Yeah there is the adaptor, but if the adaptor is on 100% of the time, why even bother with it. Also, depend on diver's physique, the adatper push the 1st stage 1-1.5" toward diver's head. It can be very uncomfortable depend on the diver. This is also my first hand experience.
