What 2nd stage regulator has the most units in use now? -not including rentals.

[diversteve]

I'd have to think something with a Scubapro "S" on it but IDK which one.

Possibly whatever came with a Mk2 since they've been selling them since 1963.
And they're pretty reasonably priced.I don't know that it's the best breather for the money but...

Or maybe an Aqualung Titan for the same reason. Even recently - the Titan line has been re-badged as the Core.

When you start a new post, there's an option at the bottom of the first window to create a poll.



If this included rentals, I'd vote Sherwood Brut - there must be millions of them in rental fleets.

 

[drmayer]

I'd have to think something with a Scubapro "S" on it but IDK which one.

Possibly whatever came with a Mk2 since they've been selling them since 1963.
And they're pretty reasonably priced.I don't know that it's the best breather for the money but...

Or maybe an Aqualung Titan for the same reason. Even recently - the Titan line has been re-badged as the Core.

When you start a new post, there's an option at the bottom of the first window to create a poll.

View attachment 397681

If this included rentals, I'd vote Sherwood Brut - there must be millions of them in rental fleets.

Thank you Steve, I see it now.
Before I start a poll I want to make sure that it doesn't already exist, so I did a search on "poll" all boxes unchecked and got 3 pages with very few actual polls. I would think there would be more. Am I searching correctly?

 

[scubafanatic]

All of the AL, SP and Sherwoods mentioned are so common (and affordable, especially in the used market) that's it's no big deal to own a spare set or two of any of them as trip 'spares' anyway and not have to worry about servicing out 'in the field' during a trip. Of the higher-end 2nds I see most often, I'd say AL Legend and Scubapro S600 seem the most common.

 

[diversteve]

"Poll" in the post window form won't be searchable so someone would have to actually use the word in their post text i.e. "take my poll...etc." for it to show up as a search result. Or the title.

Poll for me returns 197 posts. Most don't have a poll attached though.

Seems low..

Thank you Steve, I see it now.
Before I start a poll I want to make sure that it doesn't already exist, so I did a search on "poll" all boxes unchecked and got 3 pages with very few actual polls. I would think there would be more. Am I searching correctly?

Don't worry about duplicating a poll, although I doubt there is one for 2nd stage selection.

 

[halocline]

Techs have become one of my concerns too.
So all 109/156/G250/G250H/G260 are balanced?

No, the 109 originally was unbalanced, and can rebuilt with a new unbalanced poppet. There is little, if any, perceivable difference in performance between the new unbalanced poppet (called the 'duro' poppet) and the balanced poppet. (the s-wing poppet) Changing 109s from unbalanced to balanced is simply a matter of replacing the poppet, spring, and adding a balance chamber, all relatively inexpensive parts. I find that the balanced poppet is a bit more stable in terms of holding a tune and to me it breathes a bit more smoothly.

The advantage of leaving them unbalanced is that you can rebuild them with a common flat seat that costs pennies and 2 standard size o-rings.

The reason I mentioned the G250 instead of the older metal 109 is that there is sometimes a compatibility issue between the levers in the old regs and the newer poppets. I realize this might not mean much to you unless you have a good picture in your head about the inner workings of these regs. But it does mean if you buy one, you will be relying on a tech to solve that compatibility issue. Many have no idea how to do this. As an example, I bought this reg and several others from a dive shop for $20 each; they were in a bucket ready to be discarded.

IMG_0504

• halocline
• Jun 19, 2016

 

[teknitroxdiver]

Hi Teknitroxdiver,
I'd like to standardize on 1 regulator model for my family and I, and be able to recommend it to anyone that might want to do that too. I know there are many features and occasionally newer technology that might be attractive to other divers, but I would think that a good choice of a model to standardize on would be the one out there that most divers purchased for themselves (not rentals) and has stood the test of time with many, many cumulative hours of diver's scrutiny. Some of the benefits I can think of are: most shops worldwide would be able to work on them, spare parts would probably be plentiful for years to come, and the regulator would most likely be a bulletproof performer if so many are out there being breathed on. Probably more benefits, those are just the ones that led me to ask the question.

Do you think many people would respond to a poll?
Have we had other polls like this?

Thanks

That's definitely a good idea to standardize. I'm in the middle of trying to do the same. Over the years I've bought a variety of regs, a Zeagle here, Scubapros there, Dive Rite, etc. Now I'm selling them all and buying multiples of one model that I can easily get parts for to service myself.

You probably don't need to be too hung up on getting exactly the right model. For most manufacturers, there are only a couple of service kits that cover their entire line of first stages. Even for second stages there's a lot of commonality. The point being, as long as you pick a popular brand, you'll be able to get it serviced anywhere in the world.

More important is finding a first stage you like (number of ports, swivel or no, sealed or not, etc), and a second stage you like (adjustable, physical size, purge button style, metal or plastic) at a good price. Don't get suckered into thinking a $1000 regulator is so much better than a $400 one. I've dove both ends of the spectrum and once you reach a basic quality level there's no real difference.

If you're going to be a long ways off the beaten path, a better plan would be to carry a spare regulator. No hoses needed, just a first a second, which doesn't take up much room. Then if something breaks or fails it's a simple swap you can do yourself right there in the boat/beach/jungle. Regulators are surprisingly tough, though. It takes real abuse to actually break them.

 

[oldschoolto]

Don't forget the Connie....

Jim...

 

[tep]

"Which reg has sold the most?" is an interesting question, in and of itself, but as we have seen there are all kinds of sub-questions and qualifications. Most of those are

Is there actually (intentionally or not) a question behind the question? Is there some other question that you are really thinking of that might be asked more directly?

1. What regulator is the most reliable? (assumes that reliable regs are sold more often than less reliable)
2. What regulator will I always be able to find parts and service for? (assumes that most sold is reflected longevity and stability of design)
3. What regulator is is the best value? (assumes that divers are more likely to be able to recognize value over the long run)
4. What dive company should I invest in? (assumes that lots of regs sold over many years can predict future value of a company)
5. What reg should I buy? (pretty much a combination of 1-3 above)

Of course, "which reg has sold the most" is an interesting question, and is bringing out a kinds of useful info. I did not know that AL sells >10K 2nd stages per year! I had no idea that market was actually anywhere near that big! Or that Mares sold that many as well. I don't think I've personally seen more than 3-4 Mares regs in the wild; what I see in my very limited exposure in San Diego is mostly ScubaPro and AquaLung, with some Atomic.

 

[mdb]

AL is, perhaps, the highest in overall sales volume.

Re: regulators in worldwide sales it is, most probably, Scuba Pro

.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

The thing I look for in a second stage now is, "Can I get parts to service it myself?"
Many second stages are incredibly easy to service and most don't require any special tools. A hex key or screwdriver and a sink of water is all you need to tune some of them. Two adjustable wrenches and something to clean them with and you're good to go.