XS Scuba Clear-Path buckle on sale (and mini review)

[stuartv]

No way. I do not like the soft gooey purge cover and the need for tools to take the diaphragm out. Nope, solid G250/G260 for me all the way. The Mark 11 is not much heavier than the titanium Atomic first stage. True, every ounce counts but I have to draw the line somewhere.

The only tool you need to get the diaphragm out of a TFX is pretty much any skinny "stick". The shaft of a screwdriver, a long hex wrench. I used an O-ring pick the last time I took the cover off mine so I could check the diaphragm.

 

[fatgeorge]

Then you should get an Atomic Ti regulator without complaining

My goal is also to reduce weight, and I wouldn't buy a regulator at all. This is a bulkiest and very sensitive piece of hardware which requires periodic maintenance. I'd rather rent.

 

[BoltSnap]

This is a bulkiest and very sensitive piece of hardware which requires periodic maintenance.

The regulator????

 

[scrane]

I wouldn't call the webbing pathway innovative. It's similar to a normal 3-slot buckle, but with the first slot built-up so it can be parallel to the belt instead of perpendicular. The tail runs back along the belt in both cases.

Can't fault the lack of noise or barracuda attraction, however.

The last time I was in Roatan I was diving my double hose, hanging out in vertical trim towards the blue, lazily watching the other divers in my group poking along on the wall 50' away. All of a sudden a good sized baracuda flashed close by my right shoulder and stopped on a dime to give me the evil barracuda eye. I figure he made big, shiny can as a nice fish dinner, only to bail out at the last minute.
A couple of dives later, a big, free swimming green moray fell in love with the yellow supply hose on the DH regulator. He kissed the elusive corrugated eel three times before before swimming away, discouraged. I like morays, but that was a little too close to my throat for comfort. The buddy pair nearby got a kick out of it.

 

[inquis]

I'd rather rent.

... and use a reg that sees 100x the traffic, who knows how many vomit episodes, and rely on the commercial operator to service before needed (rather than after a customer reports an issue). Ask any reg technician what most rental regs look like when they finally get to them! It's certainly a personal choice, but there are downsides to renting.