Reducing Atomic Jaw Fatigue & Exhaust

[Peter_C]

Laserdoc, read this thread for some info on swivels. Nothing like real world stories to show what works and doesn't work.
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=107667

 

[ZzzKing]

I looked into to adding a swivel to my 5' hose. The Atomic one comes attached to a standard length hose and didn't look like it was possible to take it off and add to a different hose. I didn't secifically ask the sales guy about that, though.

 

[jc2]

I talked to Atomic today. They said the Atomic comfort swivel made for the Atomic second stage is no more reliable than the universal one. At least with the universal one, you can easily attach whatever length hose you want and don't have to pay extra for a hose you don't need. (You can custom order the comfort swivel with the hose in a length of your choice if your LDS doesn't have one.)

With reports of eventual leaks after many dives, and a decrease in the ease of flexibitly, the swivel is becoming less attractive to me. I'm sure it siginifcantly improves comfort but I'm going to see if I can't get a comfortable setup with the least amount of parts.

On the other hand, I think one thing I found on this board is that you have divers doing significantly different types of diving. The Rec Open Water divers should probably just focus on getting the most comfortable setup possible. If you are doing wreck penetration, deep dives, or cave diving, then you should probably pay closer attention to the DIR practices.

 

[scubafanatic]

I just called my LDS today about the swivel (the one that only fits the Atomic second stage, not the universal one). They want $120 for it including hose! (Retail is $140). You can't buy them without the hose. That's dumb because can't you just screw in any length hose you want anyway? I don't want a universal one as if I'm going swivel I want the most reliable one possible. Crap, now I'm thinking I should have just got a B2 instead of a Z1.

I've got a Seacure mouthpiece coming. The dealer I bought the reg from recommended the 5' routing under the arm and around the neck - I'm surprised they may have miscalculated. I suppose I could ask them to ship me a 6' and credit me for returning the 5' but that's probably not worth the hassle of shipping just a hose clear across the country.

The problem is I'm headed on a dive trip in 12 days and will only have one or two chances before then to get back in the water and fine tune everything.

I saw one post of someone that owned a B2 and the swivel started to leak at the point it attaches to the regulator. It seems I should try to my best to get it to a point where it is comfortable without a swivel - lower cost, less things to fail/maintain. But if I still have jaw fatigue even with a 6' then the swivel is obviously the answer.

So I'll wait until the Seacure mouthpiece shows up in a couple days and get that on, then try a 6' hose. My chest size is only about 39-40" last time I checked but I think when you add the drysuit and undergarment, that makes a significant difference.

Does anyone sell the Atomic Swivel (not the universal one) over the net?

...you can get the Universal Stainless Steel swivel for $ 70 retail @ Scubatoys........it will fit Atomic regs, as well as most other brands.............I know this with absolute certainty as I've installed the universal version on these regs :

Aqualung Titan LX
Apeks XTX 200
Atomic B1/T2
Mares Ruby
Mares MR 16 Voltrex
....my dive buddy had one installed on her Aqualung Legend Supreme too.

...that $140 Atomic swivel is the Atomic-only Titanium version....... I've been perfectly happy with the stainless-steel ones.

...I've also installed the Atomic M1 extended exhaust T on my B1/T2...works great...and, of course, the new Hi-Flow Seacure mouthpieces on all my regs.

Karl