PaulChristenson
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Creed:
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New Mistral
- Thread starter Zaphod
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PaulChristenson
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Greg Barlow
Contributor
AquaLung builds the Mentor two hose regulator for military training use. It is essentially a modern day rendition of the Royal Aquamaster with LP and HP ports. Now, that would be a model that I would purchase if the price were realistic. The Voit Trieste was such a reg. It had one LP and one HP port, along with a balanced diaphragm first stage.
I rebuild original Mistral and DA Aquamaster regs. The Mistral is so simple and rugged that Captain Cousteau's team used them even though they had the "higher end" models available to them. I have one video of the Calypso team diving the Brittanic at more than 350'. They were all using the French Mistral version. Of course, the heliox mix they were using would be the equivalent of breathing air at less than 150'.
For those of you who have never dove with a double hose reg, you should do so. I make at least 20 dives or so a year with mine. It's a great time, but completely different from using modern day regs.
Greg Barlow
Former Science Editor for Rodale's Scuba Diving Magazine
I rebuild original Mistral and DA Aquamaster regs. The Mistral is so simple and rugged that Captain Cousteau's team used them even though they had the "higher end" models available to them. I have one video of the Calypso team diving the Brittanic at more than 350'. They were all using the French Mistral version. Of course, the heliox mix they were using would be the equivalent of breathing air at less than 150'.
For those of you who have never dove with a double hose reg, you should do so. I make at least 20 dives or so a year with mine. It's a great time, but completely different from using modern day regs.
Greg Barlow
Former Science Editor for Rodale's Scuba Diving Magazine
Being an Aqua Lung dealer & double hose collector, I bought one. I've only used it once in my pool and it really doesn't breathe any better than my old double hoses. It has some neat features, one being a movable mouthpiece. You really need it too as the oversized rebreather type hoses are pretty floaty. Takes some adjusting to make it comfortable.
I really need to dive it more to give an honest opinion, but its not a reg I'd really recommend. There are much better for lots less.
I really need to dive it more to give an honest opinion, but its not a reg I'd really recommend. There are much better for lots less.
I dove an Aquamaster for several (6-7?) years when I first started diving in the mid-60's and I loved it -- especially the bubble noise, or more precisely, lack thereof. Having gotten back into diving last June, I was quite intrigued with the Mistral that was in the display case at my LDS.
Last night I was given the opportunity to dive it in the pool -- the first person to use that particular rig (and I think the first of our LDS group to use one). Anyway, I was quite excited to be able to be underwater without bubbles beating up my ears. I was NOT disappointed in that -- it is as quiet as I remember -- the soothing swoosh of the air as you suck it in, the slight resistance as you blow it out. Absolutely wonderful!
HOWEVER, there is no way I would buy the rig (and at a VERY reduced price). After only 5 or 10 minutes my mouth hurt from the hoses pulling the mouthpiece up. I do NOT remember that being an issue with the Aquamaster (but I'm also willing to admit memories are VERY fallible). It was flat out painful and would make a dive very miserable.
My wife and a friend, neither of whom had ever used anything except modern regs, tried it too and both said, No Way! They didn't like the way a change in attitude changes the breathing characteristics. That didn't bother me and was pretty much what I remembered.
I wish I could have felt better about it -- but it just isn't worth it. Perhaps I'll get an Aquamaster some day just for kicks, but this one is a missed opportunity by Aqua Lung.
Last night I was given the opportunity to dive it in the pool -- the first person to use that particular rig (and I think the first of our LDS group to use one). Anyway, I was quite excited to be able to be underwater without bubbles beating up my ears. I was NOT disappointed in that -- it is as quiet as I remember -- the soothing swoosh of the air as you suck it in, the slight resistance as you blow it out. Absolutely wonderful!
HOWEVER, there is no way I would buy the rig (and at a VERY reduced price). After only 5 or 10 minutes my mouth hurt from the hoses pulling the mouthpiece up. I do NOT remember that being an issue with the Aquamaster (but I'm also willing to admit memories are VERY fallible). It was flat out painful and would make a dive very miserable.
My wife and a friend, neither of whom had ever used anything except modern regs, tried it too and both said, No Way! They didn't like the way a change in attitude changes the breathing characteristics. That didn't bother me and was pretty much what I remembered.
I wish I could have felt better about it -- but it just isn't worth it. Perhaps I'll get an Aquamaster some day just for kicks, but this one is a missed opportunity by Aqua Lung.
Creed
Contributor
Zaphod:
No, it is not just the looks. It doesn't perform any better than a well tuned double hose, from what I understand from those who have dove both. They should just market the Mentor.
Greg Barlow
Contributor
Greg, The problem I had with the rig stems from a couple of design issues:
1. The First stage/2nd stage would not fit on my tank (1968 low pressure 72) in my BC (Balance) where I like the tank so I had to move it WAY up -- that meant the hoses floated WAY up and pulled on the mouthpiece. Had I been using a 95, for example, I think I would have been able to have the tank/valve, much lower and thus there would not have been such a high loop in the hoses.
2. As I suspected, the hoses are bigger (significantly?) than the Aquamaster in diameter and thus have more air volume in them and thus more lift. That lift MUST be felt by the mouth unless weights/straps are used on the hoses. I think the hoses might be longer in addition to being larger too.
When I took the reg back tonight, the LDS owner (old timer) and the head of the repair shop (REALLY old timer -- he got certified just about the time I did in 1967 but he never stopped diving) all stood around and talked about I felt. Roy (repair guy) mentioned that the AquaMaster hoses were designed to be about ear high -- these were over my head.
Although I wrote I'd never buy it, IF I happened to come upon several Bills that I just didn't know what to do with....
1. The First stage/2nd stage would not fit on my tank (1968 low pressure 72) in my BC (Balance) where I like the tank so I had to move it WAY up -- that meant the hoses floated WAY up and pulled on the mouthpiece. Had I been using a 95, for example, I think I would have been able to have the tank/valve, much lower and thus there would not have been such a high loop in the hoses.
2. As I suspected, the hoses are bigger (significantly?) than the Aquamaster in diameter and thus have more air volume in them and thus more lift. That lift MUST be felt by the mouth unless weights/straps are used on the hoses. I think the hoses might be longer in addition to being larger too.
When I took the reg back tonight, the LDS owner (old timer) and the head of the repair shop (REALLY old timer -- he got certified just about the time I did in 1967 but he never stopped diving) all stood around and talked about I felt. Roy (repair guy) mentioned that the AquaMaster hoses were designed to be about ear high -- these were over my head.
Although I wrote I'd never buy it, IF I happened to come upon several Bills that I just didn't know what to do with....
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