what kind of diving are you doing? singles, doubles, <130ft? >130? EANx?
which 1st stage to keep
- Thread starter eelnoraa
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OP
eelnoraa
Contributor
so far, I only dive recreational, max about 100ft, and I do diving on vacation. I am thinking of taking UTD essential in the near future but I don't think I will ever go full tech/cave diving, but who knows.
I bought Hollis new last year without know anything about diving at all. I can tell it breath well noticeably compared to rental reg. I (personally) have two issues with the 1st stage & one issue with the 2nd stage.
1st stage:
1)DIN fitting, most in this board prefer DIN, but so far I only use rental tank. It is next to impossible to rent a tank with DIN. Also I do vacation diving, which also provide Yoke mostly. Yes, I have a DIN to YOKE adaptor, but it make make the 1st stick out more. It is hitting my head when I look up underwater. I figure if this is how I dive most of the time, why even deal with the adaptor, might as well switch to YOKE.
2)PORT location and the cavity. Ports are too close together. An AI transmitter won't fit. I have used a 6" HP to extend the transmitter out, very unclean setup. All ports are recessed in its own cavity, hose like miflex won't fit either.
IMO, this DC2 1s stage is for people who do true DIR diving, who don't use AI transitter nor non-standard rubber hose. Now, let's see the 2nd stage. It comes with a non-standard comfort swivel. You see the problem here!!! Hollis packaged a 1st stage which is very DIR oriented with a 2nd stage which is totally NOT DIR and not even DIR convertable. What are they thinking!! Only recently, Hollis offered non swivel 212 2nd stage. In order to convert the swivel to non swivel, the entire valve assembly has to be replaced. I will see what I can do with this 2nd stage now.
Well, enough rant about Hollis DC2/swivel212
I bought Hollis new last year without know anything about diving at all. I can tell it breath well noticeably compared to rental reg. I (personally) have two issues with the 1st stage & one issue with the 2nd stage.
1st stage:
1)DIN fitting, most in this board prefer DIN, but so far I only use rental tank. It is next to impossible to rent a tank with DIN. Also I do vacation diving, which also provide Yoke mostly. Yes, I have a DIN to YOKE adaptor, but it make make the 1st stick out more. It is hitting my head when I look up underwater. I figure if this is how I dive most of the time, why even deal with the adaptor, might as well switch to YOKE.
2)PORT location and the cavity. Ports are too close together. An AI transmitter won't fit. I have used a 6" HP to extend the transmitter out, very unclean setup. All ports are recessed in its own cavity, hose like miflex won't fit either.
IMO, this DC2 1s stage is for people who do true DIR diving, who don't use AI transitter nor non-standard rubber hose. Now, let's see the 2nd stage. It comes with a non-standard comfort swivel. You see the problem here!!! Hollis packaged a 1st stage which is very DIR oriented with a 2nd stage which is totally NOT DIR and not even DIR convertable. What are they thinking!! Only recently, Hollis offered non swivel 212 2nd stage. In order to convert the swivel to non swivel, the entire valve assembly has to be replaced. I will see what I can do with this 2nd stage now.
Well, enough rant about Hollis DC2/swivel212
AbyssalPlains
Contributor
Ok based on your current diving/travelling I offer the following suggestions. Which one was recently serviced vs needs service really wouldn't factor into my decisions.
I would sell the Hollis, the ports are obviously aggravating. And its DIN so not really working for your mostly yoke vacation diving either. Double strike.
I would keep the Mk25, its really the most versatile both from a port arrangement and O2 cleanability if you need that someday.
The second I'd sell would either be the Atomic or the Mk10+
If you are going at all down the tech route sell the Atomic. Titanium is incompatible with EANx>40% there's no way to make it compatible. Conversely, properly cleaned, the Mk10+ is a great deco reg for up to 100% O2.
If you want to be the recreational travel diver type for quite a few more years keep the Atomic. Its light weight for packing and yoke. Which means sell the Mk10+
OP
eelnoraa
Contributor
This is what I figured too. I have been trying to sell the Hollis, but with few and lvery low offers. I guess there is a reason for it.
I just sold MK10+. I am leaning toward Atomic for now. I think if I am to do tech later, it will most likely be double, then I would have go buy 2 DIN 1st at that time. I figure with the cost of going to tech diving, getting an additional DIN reg is the least of my concern at that point. Thank you for all you input.
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