Lightest vintage reg set

[Dali9963]

Hi all. I’ve read, learned, followed advice, all thank to you and this great community. I am thankful.

I’m on a quest to put together (cobble together?) a safe and reliable reg set up. I am specifically looking at prior generations of lightweight. I have NO INTERRST in buying anything new. I currently dive an Atomic B2 and am looking for lightest compatible first and second stages. I’m aware of the Aqualung Micro and its first stage is hardly a lightweight. The second is fine. Parts still around and it’s servicable. Same on alll fronts with the Aqualung Micron. Light and reliable second but not a lightweight first.

I’m hoping a quick survey will reveal a super light first stage, all with the normal disclosures of course. .

 

[USdiver1]

Vintage eh? Why not go for a US Divers Mistral, it is a single stage regulator, no need for a first and second stage, as both are combined. It can be used with a super lightweight mouthpiece [silicone]. Combine it with a J-valve and eliminate the added weight of a SPG, plus by using a cylinder harness you save the weight of a BCD. Light weight indeed!

 

[lexvil]

Hi all. I’ve read, learned, followed advice, all thank to you and this great community. I am thankful.

I’m on a quest to put together (cobble together?) a safe and reliable reg set up. I am specifically looking at prior generations of lightweight. I have NO INTERRST in buying anything new. I currently dive an Atomic B2 and am looking for lightest compatible first and second stages. I’m aware of the Aqualung Micro and its first stage is hardly a lightweight. The second is fine. Parts still around and it’s servicable. Same on alll fronts with the Aqualung Micron. Light and reliable second but not a lightweight first.

I’m hoping a quick survey will reveal a super light first stage, all with the normal disclosures of course. .

Just pick up a Z2 first stage and use with the B second.

 

[Dali9963]

Vintage eh? Why not go for a US Divers Mistral, it is a single stage regulator, no need for a first and second stage, as both are combined. It can be used with a super lightweight mouthpiece [silicone]. Combine it with a J-valve and eliminate the added weight of a SPG, plus by using a cylinder harness you save the weight of a BCD. Light weight indeed!

lol. Thank you. I do my best to impersonate Lloyd Bridges, but don’t want to go “that old”.

 

[Nemrod]

I do not think you really mean vintage? Vintage, at least for me, is pre 1975?

The Conshelf, preferably later ones with correct hose routing, Titan, Core, Helix first stages all use essentially the same innards and are relatively compact. Or, now, I have switched to the Scubapro Mark 2 Evo (new product).

The SP Mark 11 Titanium, rare. The Mark 10 is not all that large. And you have piston regulator goodness!

Regulators make up quite a bit of the weight of a dive kit. Yet, being as most divers travel these days via airlines, still, we get huge chunks of brass. Thus I took to the Red Sea, the Scubapro G250s mated to the possibly most reliable and simple existing first stage ever, that being the Mark 2 Evo.



I keep hoping that Scubapro will return us the Mark 11T or give us a Mark 2 EvoT. One of my friends/dive buddies got dinged $600 for two overweight carry on bags going to the Red Sea, yet he does not understand my fascination with the little Mark 2E or my titanium dreams. I would be more fascinated still if the Mark 2E was titanium. I am not at all fascinated with getting dinged $600 for bags of dive gear .

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I have a Conshelf IX which is vintage, but it only has 2 LP ports and the HP port is 3/8” which needs an adapter. The reg itself is a very small light little thing with a thin yoke so it can only be used with LP tanks (2250 steel 72’s).
When I think of vintage single hose regs, that is it.
I still use it for no BC beach dives. Works great just like any modern reg, I can’t tell the difference.

 

[Dali9963]

Thank you for SP thought. I do like the piston, but willing to settle for very lightweight first stage regardless

1975 is the start of “vintage” …… I’m in trouble. I must be “antique”. I just mean older models, even though old… and lightweight enough.

 

[rhwestfall]

First stages - ScubaPro had a few Ultralight models in the (IIRC) 80's or 90's...

 

[ams511]

If I remember correctly the AL Micra first came out the heavy first stage but latter models (Micra adj?) used a smaller first stage like on the Titan. You can always uses a different first stage.

Another blast from the past is a MK-20UL, which is an aluminum regulator. If using for salt water you must be very careful about cleaning. Usually when I see them on eBay they are matched with a G500. There was also a MK-25 SA and MK-25 T that come up on eBay every so often.

EDIT: I remembered once upon a time HOG sold a titanium first stage.

 

[rx7diver]

I agree, a SP Mk 5/10 + G250 sans octopus and sans SPG (so, use an old-school 72 or Al 63/80, with a J-valve) is a solid regulator that doesn't weigh much.

If you absolutely must have a "safe second", then switch out your power inflator hose for an AIR 2 hose, and run an AIR 2 on your BCD.

Switch out the Mk 5/10 for a Mk 2 if you want to save a little bit more weight.

rx7diver