Inexpensive yoke 1st stage for warm water vacation?

[Matt S.]

My home waters are cold and I have a DIN Dive Rite RG2500ICE. But I am going to Roatan in May and after finding the DIN-yoke adapter irritating on a previous trip, I might be better off getting a yoke 1st stage just for vacations. Any good candidates?

I can't imagine that my second stages would complain about that as long as the IP matched. Any other cautions?

Thanks!

 

[Jimmer]

Zeagle Rezort First Stage Regulator reviews and discounts, Zeagle

Can't beat the price on this one.

 

[Matt S.]

I saw that and honestly kind of moved on when I saw it was being pushed for pony use--but that was probably a hasty evaluation! I will take a closer look, thanks.

 

[Jimmer]

Well it may be pushed for pony use, but it was designed to be a warm water resort rental reg. Hence the name ReZort. It's simple, tough, and reliable. And to top it off, it's one of the few unbalanced piston regs to exceed the Navy's breathing standard for 198 feet deep.

 

[deepstops]

Contact Laura Betts at Scuba Gear - Scuba Equipment – Snorkeling Gear - Dive Equipment - Buy Scuba Discount Diving Equipment Online - 123Scuba.com
She has ColtriSub diaphragm first stages for $60 and also sells the rebuild kits.

 

[Matt S.]

There's a balanced diaphragm reg at 123Scuba for a bit more.
Balanced Diaphragm Scuba Regulator First Stage: Scuba Gear and Diving Equipment

Discussion here pegs it as a Coltri Sub C 9000.
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ge...-diaphragm-first-stages-yoke-din-60-each.html

Looks like there are a couple of good choices. You are right, hard to beat that Zeagle price though, especially with the free shipping...

 

[Matt S.]

Looks like the Coltris are more now, unless she is still doing a deal for SB people. I'll ask, thanks.

 

[halocline]

If you want to go cheap and reliable, it's tough to beat a used MK2. If your 2nd stages are balanced, that will offset the IP drop throughout the supply range that all unbalanced piston 1st stages have. You can probably find one on ebay for $30-40. The rebuild kit is only a seat and a couple of o-rings.

You could step up a notch and get a used MK10, probably in the $50-60 range. It would be more likely to need a rebuild, as it has a dynamic o-ring that is exposed to HP air. But, rebuild it once correctly and it could last several years of occasional diving between rebuilds, assuming you soak it well after salt water use. The only problem is that you might like it so much that you'll end up selling your other regs and getting hooked on older SP balanced pistons. Before you know it you'll have a drawer full of MK10/G250s and MK5/109s, and you'll have to find another place to store your socks.

 

[herman]

Or any Sherwood first stage, balanced, easy to service and darn near bulletproof. You can usually pick them up cheap.

 

[DoubleHoseDiver]

Used USD Conshelf XIV. Bulletproof. Tim