Sidemount reg options

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I have used the DiveRite regs, dived the Apeks variants a couple of times and then all sorts of Franken-rigs. The swivel is, for me, indispensable. The 5th port is super useful for me for DS inflator, I can take it or leave it for wing inflator but it is nice.

For the last 2 years I have been using almost exclusively Deep6 for my SM, bailout and deco regs. Do everything I ask, easy to get parts for and serviced, well-priced and light to travel with.

I see a lot of good feedback about the Deep6 on here, pity it's not readily available in Australia as far as I can see.
 
I see a lot of good feedback about the Deep6 on here, pity it's not readily available in Australia as far as I can see.
Yeah, the only availability is via the website. That being said, PM me if you are interested, I have airline friends travelling to Oz all the time, I can probably get some to you without crazy shipping issues. If you don't service yourself, anyone that can service Apeks/Scubapro regs will be able to service them. Manual is on the website and service kits are freely available.
 
In my opinion, when using two cylinders in sidemount the left one MUST be equipped with a second stage having the hose coming from the left.
So You always have a positive feedback of which cylinder you are using.
Some SP regs have the capability of being configured with the hose coming either from left or from right (as standard).
As I am a very old school guy, hence this is my left-hand SP second stage:

20191213_131950-jpg.555131.jpg


It is called a Scubapro 129. You can read its history here: Scubapro mod. 129
 
In my opinion, when using two cylinders in sidemount the left one MUST be equipped with a second stage having the hose coming from the left.
So You always have a positive feedback of which cylinder you are using.
Some SP regs have the capability of being configured with the hose coming either from left or from right (as standard).
As I am a very old school guy, hence this is my left-hand SP second stage:

View attachment 570844

It is called a Scubapro 129. You can read its history here: Scubapro mod. 129
My left reg hose has a 110 degree fitting at the second stage to relieve routing strain. My brain quickly learned to process which reg was in my mouth by the presence or absence of that angle fitting if I wasn't already consciously aware of which I was using which I usually am. It ends up being confirmation of what I already think is in my mouth. This wasn't immediately automatic but it doesn't take long for it to be ingrained and easy.

I kind of dislike the phrase "a gear solution to a skills problem" because it seems insulting. In this case, however, it really is better for me to have both hoses enter from the right and all second stages in my kit to be identical. Learning by doing then sorts out any potential confusion.
 
I kind of dislike the phrase "a gear solution to a skills problem" because it seems insulting.
It is not insulting. A lot of great innovations and inventions were developed exactly for solving skills problem, making easy for everyone something which previously only very skilled people could do...
Furthermore, basing safety on skilfulness is not a great approach, in my opinion. Inherent safety, built in the equipment, is more reliable than human skills, which can diminish suddenly for a number of reasons.
I am an engineer, and the design philosophy I was taught at the university is to always design for the fool, for the inexperienced, for the impaired. It will work well also for the super-skilled...
Doing the opposite is the recipe for accidents.
 
It is not insulting. A lot of great innovations and inventions were developed exactly for solving skills problem, making easy for everyone something which previously only very skilled people could do...
Furthermore, basing safety on skilfulness is not a great approach, in my opinion. Inherent safety, built in the equipment, is more reliable than human skills, which can diminish suddenly for a number of reasons.
I am an engineer, and the design philosophy I was taught at the university is to always design for the fool, for the inexperienced, for the impaired. It will work well also for the super-skilled...
Doing the opposite is the recipe for accidents.
You are interpreting RayfromTX incorrectly as he agrees with you. The term is often used by a certain group that believes everything should be done their way and anything not done their way demonstrates a lack of skill.
 
Yeah, the only availability is via the website. That being said, PM me if you are interested, I have airline friends travelling to Oz all the time, I can probably get some to you without crazy shipping issues. If you don't service yourself, anyone that can service Apeks/Scubapro regs will be able to service them. Manual is on the website and service kits are freely available.

Thanks for the offer. I'll stick to what I can source locally here, just to keep it simple I think.
 
In my opinion, when using two cylinders in sidemount the left one MUST be equipped with a second stage having the hose coming from the left.
So You always have a positive feedback of which cylinder you are using.
Some SP regs have the capability of being configured with the hose coming either from left or from right (as standard).
As I am a very old school guy, hence this is my left-hand SP second stage:

View attachment 570844

It is called a Scubapro 129. You can read its history here: Scubapro mod. 129

I like the idea of being able to reverse the hose routing, particularly because I haven't yet ironed out my kit and haven't properly tested behind the head hose routing versus regs straight up and down to decide what I like better. I know the Apeks XTX50's can do this, as can the Scubapro G260's.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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