Anyone know why DGX has dropped the HOG line?

[redacted]

I've seen a couple of my buddies regs that needed lever height adjustments, or the IP needed adjustment.
Both very minor things, and easily corrected by me.

These were purchased almost 2 years ago; so I would imagine your dealers are now doing a better job of setting things up before shipping.

In fact, I know DRIS does now.

As I said...VERY minor issues, and not the sort of thing you wold hear about. It's not like they were going to call the owner of the company and complain about a simple lever height adjustment.

I would imagine a customer that didn't have the tools or knowledge to make these corrections, would be a bit worried about it.

I am sure this is common with other brands as well, it's more of a dealer set up issue.

BTW....I have to say....I really do like the chrome finish on your 1st stages. I have a bunch of Dive Regs, and some of my buddies bought HOGs......I DO like that chrome finish!!

I see a big difference between adjustments and "failures and defects". Waiting to see the answer.

It is my impression that the name "HOG" brings out almost a much sour grapes as the name Leisure Pro. To the point of it becoming a testament their a good value.

 

[Pullmyfinger]

I see a big difference between adjustments and "failures and defects". Waiting to see the answer.

It is my impression that the name "HOG" brings out almost a much sour grapes as the name Leisure Pro. To the point of it becoming a testament their a good value.

I wasn't using the terms "failures and defects"

I was simply adding to the thread, to point out that not everything necessarily makes it back to the company.
I have never said they weren't a good value.

They most definitely are a good value...a very good one indeed.

 

[robertarak]

I've seen a couple of my buddies regs that needed lever height adjustments, or the IP needed adjustment.
Both very minor things, and easily corrected by me.

These were purchased almost 2 years ago; so I would imagine your dealers are now doing a better job of setting things up before shipping.

In fact, I know DRIS does now.

As I said...VERY minor issues, and not the sort of thing you wold hear about. It's not like they were going to call the owner of the company and complain about a simple lever height adjustment.

I would imagine a customer that didn't have the tools or knowledge to make these corrections, would be a bit worried about it.

I am sure this is common with other brands as well, it's more of a dealer set up issue.

BTW....I have to say....I really do like the chrome finish on your 1st stages. I have a bunch of Dive Regs, and some of my buddies bought HOGs......I DO like that chrome finish!!

This is true. I test, and adjust if needed, every regulator that I sell. Of all the HOG regs I have tested pre-sale, only one was not able to be tuned to spec. That regulator was returned to HOG and a new one sent to me. I have had no HOG regs returned to me. HOG/EDGE does a VERY good job supporting their dealers. The dealers need to do as good supporting their customers.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I have had a couple customers ask me NOT to tune their new regs. They want to do it themselves. So all I do is check the IP on the 1st, check the second and note how it is and ship them on. Otherwise they all get tested and tuned if needed.

 

[DevonDiver]

Interesting I have never heard of those issues...

I am curious, what issues?

2 students had issues with the 1st stage DIN being loose/improperly adjusted. For 1 student, the DIN completely detached from the regulator on a dive, flooding the reg and jeopardizing his safety (luckily he was on sidemount), the dive was aborted though, costing him money.

2 other students both had issues with the 2nd stage barrel/spring/lever-height. One was rectifiable with adjustment. The other was not rectifiable. 3 instructors (trained reg techs) examined at en-situ and all three said "manufacturing defect, cannot fix through adjustment".

All four issues, I believe, were reported to the dealer/s (my memory fails me who they were...)

From my experience, and the disruption it has caused to my classes, I now advise students not to bring HOG regs to a class unless they've been tested/confirmed in advance. I don't consider them reliably 'diveable' straight out the box (which all 4 of my students were... brand new, undived Hogs).

 

[Wookie]

2 students had issues with the 1st stage DIN being loose/improperly adjusted. For 1 student, the DIN completely detached from the regulator on a dive, flooding the reg and jeopardizing his safety (luckily he was on sidemount), the dive was aborted though, costing him money.

2 other students both had issues with the 2nd stage barrel/spring/lever-height. One was rectifiable with adjustment. The other was not rectifiable. 3 instructors (trained reg techs) examined at en-situ and all three said "manufacturing defect, cannot fix through adjustment".

All four issues, I believe, were reported to the dealer/s (my memory fails me who they were...)

From my experience, and the disruption it has caused to my classes, I now advise students not to bring HOG regs to a class unless they've been tested/confirmed in advance. I don't consider them reliably 'diveable' straight out the box (which all 4 of my students were... brand new, undived Hogs).

This was a tech class and they went to the Philippines with brand new untested straight from the box regs? I hope you failed them for stupid. I mean, c'mon. Who spends that kind of cash for class and doesn't bring proven gear. That's like showing up on a week long liveaboard with a brand new rebreather you've never dove.

 

[cerich]

My replies in bold

2 students had issues with the 1st stage DIN being loose/improperly adjusted. For 1 student, the DIN completely detached from the regulator on a dive, flooding the reg and jeopardizing his safety (luckily he was on sidemount), the dive was aborted though, costing him money.

Virtually every time I see this it is due to the diver lifting and moving his cylinders by the first stage and twisting the DIN so it loosens. this happens with any brand and has been a universal problem since sidemount has become popular.

2 other students both had issues with the 2nd stage barrel/spring/lever-height. One was rectifiable with adjustment. The other was not rectifiable. 3 instructors (trained reg techs) examined at en-situ and all three said "manufacturing defect, cannot fix through adjustment".

You may not be aware but first and second stages need to be tuned to each other, then the process checked again after a few dives, couple hours diving. The seats take a set. this is normal like adjusting the lash on a chain.

The one that could not be adjusted to work, it's hard to say what happened but 90%+ that have come back to us with that type of description have had the LP seat cut but somebody adjusting the LP oriface without pressing the purge button so they cut the LP seat.


All four issues, I believe, were reported to the dealer/s (my memory fails me who they were...)

From my experience, and the disruption it has caused to my classes, I now advise students not to bring HOG regs to a class unless they've been tested/confirmed in advance. I don't consider them reliably 'diveable' straight out the box (which all 4 of my students were... brand new, undived Hogs).

As a Technical Course director and Cave instructor I personally don't recommend my students consider doing ANY tech or cave dives with regs right out of the box or back from service. Of any brand.

 

[rhwestfall]

These issues seem to be ones that a competent dealer/reseller would have addressed upon preparation of the regs for the consumer. I don't care what brand we are talking about, anything right out of the box is suspect. "Dealer Prep", the term frequently used in the Automobile Industry, is a perfect example (and it is even itemized on your purchase contract).

It says more about a distributor/reseller, than the brand......

(Full Disclosure - I own 3 HOG items: a singles wing, a doubles wing, and a mask)

 

[Wookie]

One of the things I LIKE about HOG is that I can buy the parts in the box. Maybe not from Jim or DRIS, and maybe I don't actually buy them, maybe I test them in the worst of all conditions, leaving them in the sun on the dive deck without ever rinsing them, but I digress. I want to set up the regulators the way I want them, not the way a tech at a dive shop wants them. Not that I have any worries about how the tech sets them up, but I know that no one has cut the seat, or strained a hose end, or dinged a thread, or any of those other things that happen when setting up a regulator. If I do any of those things, I know where the problem lies, and can choose to fix it, or get another box of regulator.

OTOH, tech divers have the reputation of being notoriously cheap. When faced with buying 3 or 4 new reg sets, they can choose the path I took, which was to buy another titanium and 2 monel Atomics, or they can buy 4 hogs online from DGX (well, not any more) and gat them in the box. Tech divers also have the reputation of thinking they know just about everything. So, with some miflex hoses (also from DGX) they can save $20 per reg on "setup" costs and do it themselves. Unfortunately, what many tech divers think of their skills and the reality of their skill set are sometimes far apart from each other. So the potential tech diver gets his new rig, flies with it to the Philippines, sets it up the night before the big dive, and geez, it must be the (insert derogatory origin of regulator comment here) regulators fault it doesn't work.

I don't use HOGS. I test them in harsh conditions for Chris. When they wear out (let's see, my oldest is 5 years old, it's never been serviced, and it's a daily diver for my stewardess) I send them back to Chris for teardown and evaluation. I've never sent one back, not have I ever serviced one. Nor have they ever been rinsed. They might have been in a pool, once, though.

 

[mrfixitchapman]

The pool? Oh no! The chlorine will turn your black webbing pink. I've seen it.

DC