Question Regulator recomendation

[BoltSnap]

Wow, thanks for sharing this hard to come by info! Ok, I am worried about AQL then...

It is worse if you know people from the inside who used to work for AL in the US and EU.

 

[johndiver999]

I wonder if Poseidon is a good choice if you travel to a lot of tourist destinations?

 

[Bigbella]

The Xstream is IMHO a niche reg that has no competition in extremely cold water, especially deep. Deep diving in swiss lakes year round would be a good application. They breathe amazing at depth, but feel mechanical in the shallows. A bit like a Landrover.

It's all about the tuning -- sadly, far too often, piss-poor tuning -- and I've made more Poseidon coverts in the last ten years or so, especially when they've had a chance to use my setup, which is serviced in house; and I also use the XStream first stages (4751, etc) with Jetstream, Cyklon seconds, and a full face mask.

The sensitivity of the XStream or Jetstream second stage (the guts of which are almost identical) can be tuned, anywhere from 28-40 mm w.c., just by screwing the valve tube towards or away from the diaphragm, depending upon the desired setting, with a hemostat.

At the low end, it is more prone to free-flow but very easy breathing; and at the upper end, sucking through a bamboo straw at 10 meters -- simple choice . . .

 

[Angelo Farina]

.

 

[lowwall]

Any Mares deals?

I agree with the caution on AL stuff. But you have all the ScubaPro fanbois on here. There are other decent manufacturers.

 

[Khell]

So, I just learned from my lsd, that you need two separate first stages when diving in switzerland, so this adds budget restraints and reduces the number of choices down to whatever first stage the french store sells on it's own. My lds said that they dont have any problems getting service parts for al, sp, and mares.

The final possible choices from cheapest to most expensive are:

Is an upgrade from C370 + R095 to S600 + R105 worth 115 euros? Is the upgrade to G260 and mk19 evo worth 20 euros? What are the advantages the differences between the G260, the S600, and the C370? Sadly, I can not upgrade the octos as they are part of the pack.

And ignoring the possibility for an AL downfall, isn't the Helix Pro offer incredible value? How does the Mares compare? Would the 55 euro premium be worth it? I guess the Legend Elite would be the lest value per money spent.

 

[FreqFlier]

Two separate 1st stages???? That doesn't sound realistic?

 

[Khell]

Two separate 1st stages???? That doesn't sound realistic?

Yes, actually in France, instructors always need two first stages with one second stage each for redundancy. So you don't have your octo on the same first stage as your primary second stage.
You also have two connectors on tanks when you have a single bottle

 

[BoltSnap]

Yes, actually in France, instructors always need two first stages with one second stage each for redundancy. So you don't have your octo on the same first stage as your primary second stage.
You also have two connectors on tanks when you have a single bottle

View attachment 878454

That's for diving deeper than 30 meters afaik not for shallower water.

 

[Khell]

That's for diving deeper than 30 meters afaik not for shallower water.

In France, the dive leader or instructor always has to have two separate first stages, all other autonomous divers just need one with an octo.

In Switzerland it seems that every autonomous diver needs two separate first stages.