SouthernSharktoothDiver
Contributor
Hey All,
I already own a primary regset (tusa RS1001) and I'm generally happy with it, since I got it for a very good price at my LDS and thus far it has served me fine. However, at some point I want to buy a second regset for redundant air supply and just to have as a backup. I'm aiming to spend less than $350 for a first and second stage, but could stretch that to $400 if suitably persuaded, and I would like a DIN reg, since my primary set is a yoke and I want to have the option of using this one on HP cylinders. Beyond that, my musts are that it should be balanced, if it's a piston I'd like environmental sealing, and I want it to be serviceable at a dive shop (so Sea Elite, for example, is out because they can only be serviced by Divers Supply).
I'm not planning to buy another RS 1001 for several reasons. For one, it's not actually that cheap to buy just the first and second. I got my current set as part of a package deal specific to my LDS, and paid slightly more for the first stage, two second stages, and a three gauge console than the sticker price for a first and second stage online. Additionally, I'd like different second stages to avoid potential mix-ups, for safety reasons.
Currently, I'm considering two options: The sherwood magnum pro (currently $350 on divers supply and scuba.com) or the Hog D1x (same cost). The Hog has the advantage of being serviced at the same dive shop as my tusa set, while the sherwood shop is on the other side of town. The hog is a diaphram, while the sherwood is a piston. Both have flow adjustment and environmental sealing. I'm not sure if piston vs diaphram matters if both are environmentally sealed. I would probably buy the hog on convenience, but for two concerns: first, I'm not sure how easily I could get the hog serviced if I were in another location, whereas sherwood service dealers seem fairly widespread, and second, I've had people warn me against buying hog (but both of those people were diveshop owners who sold brands other than hog, so take that with a grain of salt).
Ultimately, I won't be buying anything until closer to the end of the year, so I've got plenty of time to make up my mind, but I wanted to hear everyone's thoughts. I'm definitely open to other regs beyond those I've mentioned above, but subject to pricing and service availability (so no $1200 scubapro sets, nothing I can't get serviced at a LDS). I'd also love to hear people's thoughts on piston vs diaphram, and if anyone thinks I'm wrong about piston's needing environmental sealing, please speak up. I heard that unsealed pistons were a bad idea, but once again, that was from a dive shop owner who sold diaphram regs, so who knows what his angle is.
I already own a primary regset (tusa RS1001) and I'm generally happy with it, since I got it for a very good price at my LDS and thus far it has served me fine. However, at some point I want to buy a second regset for redundant air supply and just to have as a backup. I'm aiming to spend less than $350 for a first and second stage, but could stretch that to $400 if suitably persuaded, and I would like a DIN reg, since my primary set is a yoke and I want to have the option of using this one on HP cylinders. Beyond that, my musts are that it should be balanced, if it's a piston I'd like environmental sealing, and I want it to be serviceable at a dive shop (so Sea Elite, for example, is out because they can only be serviced by Divers Supply).
I'm not planning to buy another RS 1001 for several reasons. For one, it's not actually that cheap to buy just the first and second. I got my current set as part of a package deal specific to my LDS, and paid slightly more for the first stage, two second stages, and a three gauge console than the sticker price for a first and second stage online. Additionally, I'd like different second stages to avoid potential mix-ups, for safety reasons.
Currently, I'm considering two options: The sherwood magnum pro (currently $350 on divers supply and scuba.com) or the Hog D1x (same cost). The Hog has the advantage of being serviced at the same dive shop as my tusa set, while the sherwood shop is on the other side of town. The hog is a diaphram, while the sherwood is a piston. Both have flow adjustment and environmental sealing. I'm not sure if piston vs diaphram matters if both are environmentally sealed. I would probably buy the hog on convenience, but for two concerns: first, I'm not sure how easily I could get the hog serviced if I were in another location, whereas sherwood service dealers seem fairly widespread, and second, I've had people warn me against buying hog (but both of those people were diveshop owners who sold brands other than hog, so take that with a grain of salt).
Ultimately, I won't be buying anything until closer to the end of the year, so I've got plenty of time to make up my mind, but I wanted to hear everyone's thoughts. I'm definitely open to other regs beyond those I've mentioned above, but subject to pricing and service availability (so no $1200 scubapro sets, nothing I can't get serviced at a LDS). I'd also love to hear people's thoughts on piston vs diaphram, and if anyone thinks I'm wrong about piston's needing environmental sealing, please speak up. I heard that unsealed pistons were a bad idea, but once again, that was from a dive shop owner who sold diaphram regs, so who knows what his angle is.
