How common is it for people to use first and second stages from different manufacturers?

[buddhasummer]

If your SP second stage are balanced (or converted to balanced, as my four 109), then using them with whatever first stage is ensured to work well.
A balanced second stage is quite resilient to differences in intermediate pressure.

Off thread, did the clip arrive? Cheers.

 

[Angelo Farina]

Off thread, did the clip arrive? Cheers.

Not yet, but during Christmas holidays the postal service is overwhelmed!

 

[buddhasummer]

Not yet, but during Christmas holidays the postal service is overwhelmed!

True enough. Let me know when it arrives. Cheers.

 

[tbone1004]

@Lt CHEG it's not particularly common. For ice diving, I'd just use the mk17 if you have it. You likely won't be doing a huge amount of it anyway and the swivels are much less important for backmount, especially if you're doing single tank ice diving if tethered.
That said, I use Scubapro first stages with Poseidon second stages for most of my main bottles and Poseidon firsts with Scubapro seconds for deco bottles. I wouldn't mix Scubapro and Apeks though, it's going to be real annoying to service those unless your LDS does both already

 

[Magnus Lundstedt]

Mostly, there's no problem mixing. The one thing you need to be mindful of is the intermediate pressure. Poseidon regs, for example, operate with a higher intermediate pressure. Their first stages are finicky when used with second stages that expect a lower intermediate pressure.

Poseidon is the only make that has this peculiarity that I am aware of.

Thats true only for Poseidon Cyklon. Everything else use approximatly the same IP as most others. And the Poseidon first stages that are manufactured the last 40 years or so are made to be used with a IP in the same range as most others.

So the only thing you have to have in mind with Poseidon, don't mix the old hockey puck with others, the shower handle is perfectly fine to mix. I use Poseidon Jetstreams (shower handle) for most of my diving, and i have been diving them with first stages from Aqua Lung, US Divers and now Apex.

 

[tbone1004]

@Magnus Lundstedt the Jetstreams and Xstreams like a lower IP than normal regulators but they'll work with normal IP. Just have a really strong cracking effort and violent purge. Most all first stages can be tuned down to the 125psi IP they want vs the 135-140psi that is "normal"

 

[lexvil]

100% of the time for me. If for no other reason than I buy my shizzle used and have it checked by LSD.

I would think LSD would make it all so groovy.

 

[lexvil]

I use only Apeks FSR first stages, with seconds consisting of Conshelf 14s, G260s, G250s and currently a Zeagle F8 on loan. They all play well together. I service my own gear so LDS brand matching, warranty etc etc is if no concern to me.

Time to let the Apeks rest, dive the F8 first, it’s a great design.

 

[buddhasummer]

Time to let the Apeks rest, dive the F8 first, it’s a great design.

It's on my list for my next outing for sure.

 

[buddhasummer]

I would think LSD would make it all so groovy.

LSD and me never got along, as much as I tried.