What is the oldest regulator still in production or that you own?

[Poseidon8118]

I’m just sitting here looking at all my old gear (because I just thru my back out this weekend) and “bam” it came to me…an epiphany (or it’s the vicodin I’m on right now). I’m getting old and so is my gear! Well here it goes the three questions I’m pondering are as follows:

Please try to give years of availability i.e. 1975-2000


1. What is the oldest regulator still in production i.e. Kirby Morgan, Conshelf 14, Scubapro G250, Oceanic Omega, etc?

2. What is the oldest serviceable regulator i.e. kits that are still available from the manufacturer?

3. What is the oldest regulator that you own?


Let’s see how old you really are…


Please list all of your favorites right or wrong this should be interesting!

 

[mdb]

I’m just sitting here looking at all my old gear (because I just thru my back out this weekend) and “bam” it came to me…an epiphany (or it’s the vicodin I’m on right now). I’m getting old and so is my gear! Well here it goes the three questions I’m pondering are as follows:

Please try to give years of availability i.e. 1975-2000


1. What is the oldest regulator still in production i.e. Kirby Morgan, Conshelf 14, Scubapro G250, Oceanic Omega, etc?

2. What is the oldest serviceable regulator i.e. kits that are still available from the manufacturer?

3. What is the oldest regulator that you own?


Let’s see how old you really are…


Please list all of your favorites right or wrong this should be interesting!

I have a Poseidon CS 300, Swimaster MR-12, USD Conshelf, SCUBA-PRO,MK V, all these regs, in some form, are still in production. I like the Poseidon for my secondary even though I carry an IP gauge and reset the IP every 6-8 dives. The MR-12 is "bulletproof" it works very well, I've been diving it for over 20 years. I also have a number of Healthways regs from the early 70's,
The "sonic" etc.

 

[Poseidon8118]

I have a Poseidon CS 300, Swimaster MR-12, USD Conshelf, SCUBA-PRO,MK V, all these regs, in some form, are still in production. I like the Poseidon for my secondary even though I carry an IP gauge and reset the IP every 6-8 dives. The MR-12 is "bulletproof" it works very well, I've been diving it for over 20 years. I also have a number of Healthways regs from the early 70's,
The "sonic" etc.

Nice collection from the 70's & 80's...The MR-12 is a long running design that I forgot about.

I have a Conshelf XII from 1977...thats my oldest, still can get it serviced with no problem.

 

[drbill]

All my regs are Mk10/G250's of various vintages except for my Mk2+ pony first stage.
Wish I knew where all my old vintage equipment went to.... I actually can't remember.

 

[Gilldiver]

My posidon is so old I still call it an Oden (or a showerhead vs the hocky puck). My Sherwood 3000 dates from 1979. Next is a Sherwood Blizard from 1986 or so then a USD SE2 from about 1990 that is sitting on my 50% bottle, a few various others and my main working ones are Abyss Posidon/Kerby's from 2000 ot there about.

But my double hose DW Mistral is 1958 and is still a diver.

 

[Wiggsy]

I have a US Divers Aquarius Regulator in mint condition from the early 70's. The other old (antique) reg is a pretty unique old Nemrod, ( I think the model designation is 'Sirius) that's so old it's just laughable to look at - it only has 1 HP and one LP, so it has a 'splitter' to allow for a line feed (they weren't invented back then.)
I don't need them anymore, so if there is a collector out there - then make me an offer. The Aquarius is an absolute gem of a regulator. Service kits are still available here in Australia for the Aquarius - all that bright shiny chrome harks back to a bygone era.

 

[herman]

I still on occasion dive (and loan) an old Sherwood Magnum, early 80s vintgage. But my oldest is a 64-66 Aqualung double hose, dove about 3 weeks ago. There is still a place that will service them.

 

[captain]

Old and still in use 1955 Le Spirotecnique Mistral, 1957 Voit VR2, 1968 U S Divers AquaMaster, 1968 Conshelf VI, 1969 Voit Swimaster MR2 and the newest 1984 Scuba Pro MK V/ R109.

 

[Poseidon8118]

Old and still in use 1955 Le Spirotecnique Mistral, 1957 Voit VR2, 1968 U S Divers AquaMaster, 1968 Conshelf VI, 1969 Voit Swimaster MR2 and the newest 1984 Scuba Pro MK V/ R109.

Now that's what I'm talking about! A 1955 Spirotecnique (Aqua-Lung) Mistral! Would this be the one in your avatar?

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I have a DA Aquamaster made in 1956 that sees regular weekend use as my recreational reg of choice. It has been rechromed, restored inside and out and incorporates a few modern upgrades such as new hoses and mouthpiece, a new silicone diaphragm and Luis's wonderful Pheonix Royal Aquamaster nozzle that allows the use of a standard octo, low pressure inflator and SPG/air integrated computer. So it is more of a 1956/2007 double hose regulator.

I also still use the first new reg I ever bought, a Scubapro Mk 3 purchased in 1985, on one of my deco bottles and use similar Mk 3 and Mk 200 regs on my other deco bottles.

I also have some other double hose regs that are fully restored and fully divable.
1953 or 1954 blue label "Agualung"
1956 DA Navy Approved
1958 DA Aquamaster
1959 DA Aquamaster
1958 or 1959 DW Mistral
1964 Royal Aquamaster

I have a fully operational near mint US Divers Deep Star single hose regulator from the early 1960's (also sold by Healthways as the Scubastar), as well as US Divers single hose Conshelf XI, XII and XIV and Aquarius regulators.

Many older designs use generic soft parts that are still readily available and/or they have descendants that have new parts that are backwards compatible. With the older double hose regs, the recent resurgence in popularity over the last decade has resulted in the production of new parts for many of them with the results that prices for doubel hose regs previously driven by the collector market are actually falling as more and more of them are put back into service or at least servicable condition. So in short, regts are very durable in general and if it was produced in significant numbers by a company that provides long term parts support it is potentially still useable. The main issue with early single and double hose regs is the limited number of LP ports (1 or 2) that preclude the use of one or both the octo and power inflator that are considered standard equipment now.