Getting new reg. DIN v. Yoke

[alo100]

Quick question:

If the idea is to future proof a reg purchase and your current diving conditions are mostly yoke. What are the advantages/disadvantages of getting a YOKE reg and a DIN kit so you can make the change in the future compared to getting a DIN reg and a DIN to yoke adapter?

Usually DIN to yoke adapters add about 1-2 inches to the length of the first stage reducing the space between the first stage and the back of your neck.
Not that it matters a lot when having proper positioning of the tank in your gear but it just looks bulky.

Assuming you won't be changing from DIN to yoke often, say couple of times a year, (you dive the summer in tropical waters where YOKE is king and then you go back home and dive cold waters where DIN is a better alternative).
Is it a good idea to get just a YOKE reg and buy the DIN kit so you can make the changes when needed (again, i'm assuming you'd need to make the changes a couple of times per year at most).

Is this change something that has to be done by a service technician?

Or is it something you just can do it by yourself?

If you are asking me... I have a set of DIN first stage, but I am travelling aboard and they are using YOKE. I can get service technician pretty easily, or if it is a easy change I can do it myself. Do I need speical tools to install it?

My only concern now is that, if I use the adaptor, would I make my DIN less safe (I guess not) because somebody is saying that more connections, more pts of failure.
Yes, I can see that it involves more connections. Any comment?

 

[padudle]

The o-rings that seal the connection between the tank and the 1st stage regulator are super important because the entire 200 bar tank pressure is pushing on them. If any one of them fails the entire contents of the tank can be lost in a hurry.

This is one of the reasons why DIN is thought to be better than yoke. The o-ring is captive inside the threads of the tank valve.

On the other hand if you plan to dive in the Americas you will probably be using yoke all the time and a DIN to yoke adapter introduces at least one additional high pressure o-ring.

Depending on the design of the regulator the DIN to yoke adapter may require even more o-rings. In my case, I have a Sherwood Oasis regulator. That regulator is designed from the start to be a yoke regulator. The body of the regulator actually incorporates the o-ring seat that mates with a yoke tank valve. Converting an Oasis to DIN involves installing a din adapter over the yoke interface which adds an additional o-ring. Then if you use a DIN to yoke adapter that adds another o-ring. So converting my reg to DIN and then using a DIN to yoke adapter actually adds two HP o-rings more than I would have with a yoke setup.

On top of this I see a lot of dive operators now using tanks with the so-called Pro-Valve which is a DIN valve with a plug installed to convert it back to yoke. The plug has another HP o-ring. I guess the operators are thinking that they can accomodate fancy tech divers who want to use their DIN regulators but generally I just see them used as yoke valves and clients use their DIN to yoke adapter as usual. In my case this would result in three additional HP o-rings just to be DIN compatible.

If, like me, you are going to be diving on commercial dive boats in the Americas I would recommend just sticking with yoke.

Pete