Considering our own regs

[togatown]

My wife and I just returned from a brief dive trip to Grand Cayman. We brought our mask, fins, wetsuits, and newly purchased computers after our recent Nitrox certification, and enjoyed having that part of our own gear. The dive operator was accommodating enough to change our mouthpieces, to ones that we brought and are comfortable to us. Upon return, I started thinking about buying our own regulators as well.

My question is: Is it a big big deal to change just the reg on a rental octo, or will most dive operators not want to do that for you?

Thanks!

 

[runsongas]

not really, but most people who would bother to buy and bring their own first stage and primary generally bring their own octo. you could also wait till there is a free octo promotion to buy your first and primary. aqualung runs that promotion about once a year.

 

[doctormike]

My question is: Is it a big big deal to change just the reg on a rental octo, or will most dive operators not want to do that for you?

Thanks!

I'm not sure I understand the question - I guess the issue is what you mean by "reg". Do you mean bring your own mouthpiece, your own second stage, or your own complete regulator (first stage, one or two second stages, BC inflator hose and a pressure gauge)?

 

[tbone1004]

you're not going to save any money by having your primary and not the whole thing because you still have to rent a set. If you're going to do it, just get the whole reg set and be done with it. More importantly, you don't actually know if your regulator is going to behave on their first stage. While most all regs are in the same general IP range and will perform OK, you may be tuned on the low side of IP and theirs is on the high side which will lead to slight freeflows. If it's the other way around, it will be hard to breathe. Not worth the hassle. Used regs are cheap, hell Deep6 makes top end regs that are still cheap. Just grab a set of those and be done with it. Every other year you send it in and it's done

 

[togatown]

Thanks for the replies, I guess it doesn't make sense to just buy the primary. So you guys typically bring your entire reg set-up and hoses on dive trips?

 

[Damselfish]

It's not clear to me either what you are including in "reg" or "octo" - if you can explain that it will be easier for people to answer. But even if places are willing to swap pieces for you (other than a mouthpiece, or possibly a hosed air integrated computer or transmitter, which make sense) I would continue renting until you can get the whole setup. Probably it is not going to save you money on the rental to bring one part of it. And usually first and second stages are serviced together and you'd like them tuned to play well together. Might be fine, but if something isn't right it may be hard to tell immediately which part is the problem, yours or theirs. Renting can be convenient and makes sense for some people, especially if you go places that take good care of their rental stock. Bringing your own is nice and a very good thing. But doing it halfway seems both less convenient and less good, and isn't typically done.

You don't always have to spend a fortune on a reg - there are plenty of perfectly good reasonably priced ones and twice as much is probably not twice as good. You will likely spend more on service over time, which is something to consider.

 

[george_austin]

Sure, I bring two sets (regs) in my carry on along with my PDC and mask. The PDC has lithium batteries in it so most airlines don't want lithium batts in checked luggage.

Since we almost always dive with aluminum tanks when traveling, I usually bring my heaviest, most robust reg which is the Poseidon Jetstream - every extra ounce of static weight helps to offset the less than optimum buoyancy characteristics of the aluminum. IMO

And by the way - I've never seen a dive op when traveling that questioned me about not having an octo (safe second) attached to my first stage. I bring one, just in case but I've never been stopped from diving because I don't use a safe second. My primary is on a 29 inch hose and we will buddy breathe to the surface old school - sharing one reg.

I have a second stage, spg and LP inflator hose and that's it.

 

[Damselfish]

Thanks for the replies, I guess it doesn't make sense to just buy the primary. So you guys typically bring your entire reg set-up and hoses on dive trips?

No, actually it's common for the first&second stages to be sold together. Adding the rest is not that much. People bring the whole thing.

 

[BoltSnap]

Thanks for the replies, I guess it doesn't make sense to just buy the primary. So you guys typically bring your entire reg set-up and hoses on dive trips?

You buy the WHOLE setup, primary second stage, first stage, backup second stage/octo., pressure gauge, dive computer, LP hose for BC.

I actually bring ALL of my equipment and not rent anything except for tanks and weights, everything else is mine, mine, mine, mine, mine!!

 

[togatown]

It's not clear to me either what you are including in "reg" or "octo" - if you can explain that it will be easier for people to answer. But even if places are willing to swap pieces for you (other than a mouthpiece, or possibly a hosed air integrated computer or transmitter, which make sense) I would continue renting until you can get the whole setup. Probably it is not going to save you money on the rental to bring one part of it. And usually first and second stages are serviced together and you'd like them tuned to play well together. Might be fine, but if something isn't right it may be hard to tell immediately which part is the problem, yours or theirs. Renting can be convenient and makes sense for some people, especially if you go places that take good care of their rental stock. Bringing your own is nice and a very good thing. But doing it halfway seems both less convenient and less good, and isn't typically done.

You don't always have to spend a fortune on a reg - there are plenty of perfectly good reasonably priced ones and twice as much is probably not twice as good. You will likely spend more on service over time, which is something to consider.

Sorry for the confusion. I was thinking about bringing as little as possible, so it would have been just the Second Stage Primary and a hose to attach to the rest of the octo.

Everyone's replies have been very helpful and answered my question, thanks again to the community!