Where has DIN been required?

[Wheeler925]

Looking at buying a regulator set. Around here (Midwest), all the tanks I've seen are set up for yolk. I understand Europe has gone more DIN? Has anyone had problems outside of Europe by not having a DIN reg?

 

[Eric802]

I bought DIN for my reg set and haven't regretted it at all. The local dive spot has Pro valves that can be converted by removing the insert, and the couple times I've taken my gear on vacation (Hawaii and Caribbean) DIN valves or Pro valves have been available. I always bring a yoke adapter with but haven't had to use it yet.

 

[Bob DBF]

Ask the shop if they use convertible valves, if not get the yoke valve, if you think you may change later, buy a conversion kit. I've never had an issue having yoke regs.

 

[DiveLikeAMuppet]

Looking at buying a regulator set. Around here (Midwest), all the tanks I've seen are set up for yolk. I understand Europe has gone more DIN? Has anyone had problems outside of Europe by not having a DIN reg?

Europe is mostly DIN. I think I’ve seen a single weirdo diver with yoke on a boat.

Yoke is popular for “touristy” diving around the world. More serious diving is DIN.

 

[boulderjohn]

I own a lot of tanks and regulators, and all of them are DIN. That is because i do a lot of technical diving, and that calls for DIN. When I was a middle America recreational diver, my regulators were yoke. I had never even seen a DIN regulator until I ordered my own in preparation of tech classes. If I were to drop all my tech diving and go back to recreational diving only and then buy a new regulator, it would be yoke. Here are some stories from my recreational diving in the last few years, all dives done with two friends who also have DIN regulators.

1. When we registered for diving in Palau, we specified DIN, but when we got on the boat, we had yoke tanks. Fortunately we had brought adaptors. The dive shop got us DIN for the rest of our weeks there, but we were almost always the only ones.

2. When we signed up to dive in Taveuni in Fji, our travel agent, who does nothing but dive travel, notified them that we would be using DIN and nitrox, and they told he it would be no problem We did not bring adaptors. When we got there and they saw we needed DIN, the diving director was clearly stressed. He went out and came back later with 6 DIN nitrox tanks. I have no idea where he got them--probably borrowed from another resort on the island. They had no DIN nitrox tanks of their own.

3. On the same trip as #2, we were on the main island of Fiji for a week, and we had nearly the same experience. They did not have the DIN tanks we needed when we got there, but they somehow scrambled to get them.

4, For a trip to the Cayman Islands, we called ahead to both operators we were using and were assured that DIN nitrox tanks would not be a problem. In both cases it was a problem, although they were somehow able in both cases to get us the tanks we needed.

 

[TravisD]

I'm getting ready to convert my yokes to DIN, since the new shop I'm affiliated now is almost entirely DIN - had a couple times where wasnt' ready with spares and such when dealing with student equipment that I would have been good had all of my stuff been DIN.

Of course that now means I need to add some more DIN ends to my fill station whips... and maybe consider converting over the couple of AL80's that I keep around...which may mean I need to track down a way to keep using the old Reg that I use on the AL80's for shop/tire air....and the pony bottle reg... Oy...

 

[dflaher]

Maybe I'm oversimplifying, but it seems like if the OP decided to buy a yoke reg, he/she could also bring along an insert/"donut" and an Allen wrench in the event there were only DIN tanks at destination.

If the decision was DIN, then bring along a DIN => yoke adapter in case no DIN tanks were available.

 

[Wheeler925]

I do believe I'll be going with yolk.