Yes, my preferred serial number type (just like in the Phoenix) includes the manufacturing year and the manufacturing batch number.
---------- Post added April 8th, 2013 at 06:34 AM ----------
Hi Nemrod,
I think you meant "New Mistral", not "New Mentor", isn't that right?
Yes, sorry, I did mean the so called New Mistral.
The Argonaut had a bunch of admirers down here in Florida. Much drooling. Not sure how Rob kept it from going on an unescorted adventure
.
Some of the obvious advantages over the Phoenix are:
1. If I recall, stock HP seat pin length.
2. Reduced weight
3. Reduced height/length from nozzle face to can top
4. Integrated nozzle assembly removes a failure/leak point
5. Hose clocking is set and very well thought out for singles use especially
6. Adjustable LP orifice
7. An improved HPR second stage
Then of course what it shares in common with a PRAM HPR, unequalled among any double hose regulator and very few single hose regulators, superb breathing performance, effortless, so I am told, but well experienced with the Phoenix. It is a shame some of those less "trumped up" big time companies with those "real" engineers could not have designed something half as good. But, look on the bright side, all of the folks who have been hoarding parts and "big time collector"ing of old, busted down, inadequate performance double hose regs may now have a real option for what those big time companies should have built. If they knew how, apparemtly they do not however, thus stuff like the New Mistral.
Well, I could live with a nice Mentor, even if it is second fiddle to the PRAM HPR. Being trumped up and all. Course, I am not a big time tech diver and regulator hoarder, just a little ol' scuba diver with 47 years experience. Last time I checked my math, that is more than "40 years experience."
I got a new and un used AMF Voit Trieste 2 in original box. It has same ports . I am interesting black T-shirt with logo La Spirotechnique where it is sold ?
If you want a shirt, why not just have one printed up. Should be easy for someone with so much experience. By the way, the Trieste, cute little thing, too bad it breaths like sucking air through a vacuum cleaner. But, it was professionally engineered, supposedly, forty something years ago. I guess that was before they understood things like diaphragm size and Venturi effect and mechanical advantage of levers. I thought the Romans figured some of that out a few thousand years ago, but, what the heck.
But, you know what, I think here in the 21st century, Luis has figured all that complicated technical stuff out.
N
