Metal or Poly 2nd stage?

[Paladin]

I have both all metal and plastic second stages. The plastic ones give me bad dry mouth every time I use them. The metal ones do not. For this reason, the metal ones are my primaries and the plastic ones serve only as octos.

 

[USdiver1]

What would be a minus for "wetter" breating. This was the main intent of this thread, as I have never used metal.

I used to clean ship hulls, and would spend way too much time "inverted" that is tank side down and mouth side up. The polymer second stages were a Godsend in that I didn't have to deal with wet breathing from a chrome second.

 

[Couv]

Can anyone explain the science behind the (mis?) belief that metal is moister than plastic?

Condensation will occur on anything that is colder than the surrounding air. It happens on my beer cans, the glass windows in my house and my plastic Gatorade bottle. So it does not appear to me to be dependent upon the material in question.

Am I missing something obvious?

Yes. Try this experiment. Put one metal and one plastic spoon in the freezer for a while. Take them out and huff warm moist air on both of them. The metal spoon will collect a lot more moisture than the plastic one. Why? Because the metal one conducts heat away from the air you breathed on them more efficiently than plastic spoon. As the heat is removed from the air it reaches it's dew point and the moisture condenses from the air. Again, metal is a much better conductor than plastic, but there is also the effect of free electron diffusion to consider. Free Electron Diffusion

 

[ams511]

I used to clean ship hulls, and would spend way too much time "inverted" that is tank side down and mouth side up. The polymer second stages were a Godsend in that I didn't have to deal with wet breathing from a chrome second.

I am not questioning your experience, but that should not happen. The chrome second should seal just as well as a plastic one.

 

[USdiver1]

I am not questioning your experience, but that should not happen. The chrome second should seal just as well as a plastic one.

It does seal as well, however the condensation that occurs within the chrome plated brass 2nd stage housing and mouthpiece tube allows for water droplets to form and thence wet breathing with the droplets rolling down through the mouthpiece and being inhaled. Not nice when engaging in six to eight hours of inverted diving.

 

[Dunx]

Hi All, I am set on a new MR52 and was planning on getting the Abyss 52. Then I saw Mares came out with the instinct 52. That 2nd stage is smaller and 120g lighter the Abyss, but is Polymer. I use a Proton right now that is also Polymer. I was looking forward to going to metal because everyone says it will cure dry mouth. To those of you who have used both, is there a noticable difference between the metal and poly regs. Is it worth the extra size and weight. Thanks

adown - what did you end up deciding on? I was also looking at the Instinct, but i think I've settled on the Abyss 52. I'm trying to decide between that and the Titan LX. I like the idea of the Titan's ACD, but I like the feel of the Abyss and flex hoses...

 

[adown]

I went with the Abyss 52. I love Mares regs because they dont have to be adjusted every time you pull them out of they bag and they are always on the cutting edge of technology. My 10 yr old Proton MR12 works as good as the day I bought even though it only been serviced 3 times. I am hoping the Abyss cures the dry mouth. Then I'll buy one for my sons (new to him)MR12. I had my LDS hold an Abyss 52 for me, but they lost it (sold it)in the 5 days between. I purchased it on ebay from Coral Reef Scuba in Oregon $60. cheaper than my LDS with free shipping,no tax and the box had the Mares seal intact. I cant wait to use it.

 

[Dunx]

nice. I went with the Abyss 42, with a Prestige DPD octo. Would have liked the 52, but they didn't have it in stock and...well I was just excited and went with the 42. I was amazed how light the Abyss 2nd is...in my mind it had been built up to be this mammoth piece of heavy brass...haha, couldn't be further from the truth. Glad I went the Mares route, I like the lack of adjustments, the all metal simplicity and even the look. Extremely excited to get it in the water as well

 

[adown]

sweeeeet, you can't go wrong with the 42. There's not much difference between the 22, 42, and 52. The 52 is a little smaller and lighter, but definitely not noticeable. Mares regs are top of the line. I don't know why everyone doesn't use them. Enjoy and be safe. adown

 

[timakempton]

I went with the Abyss 52. I love Mares regs because they dont have to be adjusted every time you pull them out of they bag and they are always on the cutting edge of technology. My 10 yr old Proton MR12 works as good as the day I bought even though it only been serviced 3 times. I am hoping the Abyss cures the dry mouth. Then I'll buy one for my sons (new to him)MR12. I had my LDS hold an Abyss 52 for me, but they lost it (sold it)in the 5 days between. I purchased it on ebay from Coral Reef Scuba in Oregon $60. cheaper than my LDS with free shipping,no tax and the box had the Mares seal intact. I cant wait to use it.

Actually the Mares Abyss second stage is a really old design, it has been called a Ruby an Orbiter and a Voltrex. Before that it was a Navy and before that it was and MR III. It is actually a design that was drawn up by the tech's at Dacor to become their new Pacer series but it never went into production under their name, Mares bought the design when they bought Dacor many years ago. The DFC system that most Mares fans hold up as being state of the art was designed by the same Dacor techs and was being experimented with in the last few Dacor 1st's before their demise. So claiming Mares as being cutting edge is a little bit misleading as virtually all of the Mares "cutting edge" designs are in fact all designs and concepts they bought when they took over Dacor and both the Abyss and Viper ranges of gear are really just rebadged Dacor gear. The success of the Abyss and Viper gear is really a testimony to how good Dacor gear and designs were. So when you see ignorant people on these forums bagging Dacor gear ask them if they use Mares gear, and then smile quietly to yourself when they say that their Mares kit is the bee's knees.