Kharon
Contributor
Someone PM'd me about the Hollis and asked for an opinion once I dove it. What follows is what I sent them:
Got a chance to dive the 500SE yesterday. Wow, WOW, WOW!!! Ok, first I got it for the side exhaust. I was happy with my Cressi XS2 and the way it breathed. Used it cold (low 40's) and used it deep (130') and it breathed easy. The 500SE doesn't breathe easy - it breathes so smooth it's not real. It's like there is NO cracking pressure. As soon as you start a breath you get air immediately. It's like breathing at the surface sitting on your couch. I don't think you could over-breathe it.
Also, the exhaust extending to the side balances the reg in your mouth. With the Cressi the hose was always twisting it somewhat so I had to grip the mouthpiece some. Not so the Hollis. It just sits in my mouth unnoticed. Some of that is from the mouthpiece. The grips are at the back so your molars naturally grip without any real pressure.
And, no bubbles. I actually had to stop and look for them. The side exhaust is totally great. All the bubbles go to the side and behind my vision. I have terrific peripherial vision and I had to conciously look for the bubbles.
I can't tell you how happy I am with this reg. I bought only the 500SE 2nd stage. I'm using it with a Cressi AC2 1st stage. It's an unbalanced piston type - which I like because they are simple, very reliable, bulletproof. I'm not sure there could be any improvement with the Hollis 1st stage but I could be wrong. Any improvement would have to be very small - not enough to move me from the unbalanced piston design.
In short - I'm happy, happy, happy.
Added for BurhanMuntasser: Yes it absolutely uses standard hoses/connectors.
Got a chance to dive the 500SE yesterday. Wow, WOW, WOW!!! Ok, first I got it for the side exhaust. I was happy with my Cressi XS2 and the way it breathed. Used it cold (low 40's) and used it deep (130') and it breathed easy. The 500SE doesn't breathe easy - it breathes so smooth it's not real. It's like there is NO cracking pressure. As soon as you start a breath you get air immediately. It's like breathing at the surface sitting on your couch. I don't think you could over-breathe it.
Also, the exhaust extending to the side balances the reg in your mouth. With the Cressi the hose was always twisting it somewhat so I had to grip the mouthpiece some. Not so the Hollis. It just sits in my mouth unnoticed. Some of that is from the mouthpiece. The grips are at the back so your molars naturally grip without any real pressure.
And, no bubbles. I actually had to stop and look for them. The side exhaust is totally great. All the bubbles go to the side and behind my vision. I have terrific peripherial vision and I had to conciously look for the bubbles.
I can't tell you how happy I am with this reg. I bought only the 500SE 2nd stage. I'm using it with a Cressi AC2 1st stage. It's an unbalanced piston type - which I like because they are simple, very reliable, bulletproof. I'm not sure there could be any improvement with the Hollis 1st stage but I could be wrong. Any improvement would have to be very small - not enough to move me from the unbalanced piston design.
In short - I'm happy, happy, happy.
Added for BurhanMuntasser: Yes it absolutely uses standard hoses/connectors.