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Get a proper converter rather than adapter. For Apeks 1st stage it is dead easy to interchange. No idea on others.
Ask ahaead so you know which fitting to bring.
Adapter is fine and after couple of times of banning your head, you will know how to set the height of the tank as well as not looking up too abruptly.
 
Your choice of regulator is just fine. I dive all over the Caribbean and Mexico and have never had a problem finding a DIN tank.

As for the watch, just learn to pay attention.
 
Get a proper converter rather than adapter. For Apeks 1st stage it is dead easy to interchange. No idea on others.
Ask ahaead so you know which fitting to bring.
Adapter is fine and after couple of times of banning your head, you will know how to set the height of the tank as well as not looking up too abruptly.


I have used an adapter heaps of times and never banged my head on it ever? I struggle with those who say they have had problems, however I guess they do. Perhaps my head is not as mobile as others? Not really sure?
 
Get yourself a yoke adaptor, you will frequently need it and operators will not have them available. I must dive many places where Pete does not go.

I would bag the watch/alarm idea, just pay attention to your guages
 
Ask when you book the trip. Be nice about it and you'll be pleasantly surprised at the results. I carry yoke adapters with me, but haven't used them in over five years. However, if you don't ask, you won't get.
 
New diver here! I started diving last august at a resort and got my padi OW. I did ~ 10 dives on the trip and loved it.

Now that tax time is here, I am planning on getting some of my own gear and taking a few more courses at a dive shop here in chicago come spring/summer/whenever they start offering them again.

I have a couple questions and any comments I would welcome greatly!

1. Regulator: I was looking at the aqua lung core supreme DIN. I figured DIN since DIN -> Yoke seems easier than yoke -> DIN. The reason for the supreme is that with good maintenance, i would think it is a regulator that will last and can grow with me. Some day down the line I think I would like to take the ice diving course and this seems it would work well for that since it is sealed correct?

2. I know some people will say gear solution to skill problem, but I will ask anyways. I am going to be doing diving courses with instructors and would like to start getting into good habits. One of the bad things i can see myself doing, is losing track of time. There is a lot going on underwater and a lot to keep in mind and constantly think about. Is there any sort of watch that allows you to set an vibrating alarm for every 3-5 min or something? I can see this being a good way to get into the habit of checking air/computer/time. Just like bad habits, once you start good habits, it's hard to break them. Over time, the alarm wouldn't be needed.

Thanks for the input! I'm sure that I'll come up with more to ask, but that's all for now!

1. Don't chose a reg on whether its DIN or Yoke. The cylinder connection can easily be changed. I removed the yoke off my last reg and fitted a 300bar DIN, as that's the pressure of the cylinders I own. I sometimes refit the yoke when diving the tropics if operators don't have DIN (or can't get the insert out). As for the Aqua-Lung I wouldn't touch it. Not because its a bad reg, but AL stop making the spares 3 years after they stop the model production (company policy to get you to buy a new one). Other manufacturers support their older products better.

2. As others have said, just get into the habit of reading your gauges; and knowing what gas your buddy has.
 
Out of curiosity, what sort of percentage do you have tanks that are only Yoke valved, compared to those who are a combination Yoke/DIN valve. I think most (if not all) new tanks these days are fitted with the Yoke/DIN setup so they can be sold all over the world with no change for location.
It's just about 100%. You may find an occasional operator with a DIN but you would need to call ahead. Most of the newer tanks would have combination valves but I wouldn't count on it. You also have to remember that most vacation dive operators cater to vacation divers. Most vacation divers are renting the equipment. On a DM guided vacation diver you really don't have that need for a DIN connection. You don't really go on vacation, sign up with a boat, and then do a technical dive. The only exception would be if you are wreck diving and plan to penetrate the wreck.
 
It's just about 100%. You may find an occasional operator with a DIN but you would need to call ahead. Most of the newer tanks would have combination valves but I wouldn't count on it. You also have to remember that most vacation dive operators cater to vacation divers. Most vacation divers are renting the equipment. On a DM guided vacation diver you really don't have that need for a DIN connection. You don't really go on vacation, sign up with a boat, and then do a technical dive. The only exception would be if you are wreck diving and plan to penetrate the wreck.

Clearly it depends on the area you dive. I have never dived US but expect most dive resorts have yoke only tanks. To say its about 100% is probably a fair call. Perhaps only the more technical dive operators bothering to ensure DIN valves available? However in the longer term I guess this will change due to the supply of new cylinders with Yoke/DIN valves.

I have found much of the Asian/Australasian areas including US areas like Truk to have mainly yoke/din valves so has never really been an issue. Occasionally places like Thailand where servicing seems non existent, there is a 50/50 chance the Yoke insert in the valve is seized in, having never had the valve washed or serviced. Most other places I have frequented either DIN or Yoke are catered for regardless of the level of diving taking place.
 
New diver here! I started diving last august at a resort and got my padi OW. I did ~ 10 dives on the trip and loved it.

Now that tax time is here, I am planning on getting some of my own gear and taking a few more courses at a dive shop here in chicago come spring/summer/whenever they start offering them again.

I have a couple questions and any comments I would welcome greatly!

1. Regulator: I was looking at the aqua lung core supreme DIN. I figured DIN since DIN -> Yoke seems easier than yoke -> DIN. The reason for the supreme is that with good maintenance, i would think it is a regulator that will last and can grow with me. Some day down the line I think I would like to take the ice diving course and this seems it would work well for that since it is sealed correct?

2. I know some people will say gear solution to skill problem, but I will ask anyways. I am going to be doing diving courses with instructors and would like to start getting into good habits. One of the bad things i can see myself doing, is losing track of time. There is a lot going on underwater and a lot to keep in mind and constantly think about. Is there any sort of watch that allows you to set an vibrating alarm for every 3-5 min or something? I can see this being a good way to get into the habit of checking air/computer/time. Just like bad habits, once you start good habits, it's hard to break them. Over time, the alarm wouldn't be needed.

Thanks for the input! I'm sure that I'll come up with more to ask, but that's all for now!




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---------- Post added December 31st, 2015 at 05:59 PM ----------

A couple thoughts, similar to the others. Ice diving is a technical skill that I assume is down the road. You may want to consider buying a yoke reg for diving warm water and have a specialty kit for tech/ice diving.

You'll find over time that you'll have a good sense of your gas consumption. Relying on an alarm to remind you to check your spg seems to me like you'll develop bad habits rather than good ones. Practice estimating your remains psi during your dive and check it against your actual. When someone asks you how much gas you have left you should be able to give a fairly accurate answer without having to look at the spg.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
I have a couple questions and any comments I would welcome greatly!

1. Regulator: I was looking at the aqua lung core supreme DIN. I figured DIN since DIN -> Yoke seems easier than yoke -> DIN. The reason for the supreme is that with good maintenance, i would think it is a regulator that will last and can grow with me. Some day down the line I think I would like to take the ice diving course and this seems it would work well for that since it is sealed correct?

2. I know some people will say gear solution to skill problem, but I will ask anyways. I am going to be doing diving courses with instructors and would like to start getting into good habits. One of the bad things i can see myself doing, is losing track of time. There is a lot going on underwater and a lot to keep in mind and constantly think about. Is there any sort of watch that allows you to set an vibrating alarm for every 3-5 min or something? I can see this being a good way to get into the habit of checking air/computer/time. Just like bad habits, once you start good habits, it's hard to break them. Over time, the alarm wouldn't be needed.

1. Your first reg will probably not be your last, especially if you get into tech, so it is not as big a decision as you might think now. You get yoke now and DIN later or get DIN now and get yoke later so you don't have to change configuration and use a converter when using yoke valves. If you read the threads you hear all the stories.

2. I attach my SPG to the left D-ring on my harness so I can glance at it whenever I like without inturupting what I'm doing at the time. Pressure is indicative of time and depth as well as the gas left in your tank, I use pressure to que checks on run time, depth, and NDL time to determine if my dive is going according to plan. No alarms necessary.

Of course that's the way I dive, it is up to you to learn an decide how you want to dive. There are a lot of choices and a a lot of those choices are right.



Bob
 

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