All metal regulators - travel durability

[circusoflife]

This may be a dumb question, but when travelling extensively with scuba equipment, has anyone found that all metal regulators (Like the Mares regs) take more punishment than those made with metal and plastic. Up to now, i have always rented.

Not that I would be swinging the regluator around like a lasso but I would usually carry it in a protected bag on the plane as a carry-on. The opportunity might occur that I would need to check baggage though - where it would be exposed to rougher handling.

Of course, there is just the general carelessness of swinging it around on a dive boat too. Or someone else's carelessness.

I am considering at the moment:

Mares Abyss (Does this have humidifying properties like the Proton Ice?)
Mares V16 Proton Metal (same price as Abyss - difference?)
Mares Proton Ice
Atomic Aquatics Z1x (Sealed)
Zeagle ZD/DS-IV or V
Scubapro MK2+/R380
Scubapro MK2+/R190
Scubapro MK16/380

Thanks in advance.

 

[Viscya]

I have had plastic parts break off of a plastic reg. I have an Abyss (yes humidifying properties better than proton ice). It has 200+ dives and a few scratches, but still in great shape.

 

[Michael Schlink]

I have hundreds(and hundreds) of dives on my Atomics along with a lot of travel miles too. I have NEVER broke any part of my regs. Also I have never needed to put my regs in checked baggage. I wouldn't choose a reg because of the material it's made of.

 

[jbisjim]

I have traveled with my regs too and never broke anything.

 

[scubatoys]

I am considering at the moment:

Mares Abyss (Does this have humidifying properties like the Proton Ice?)
Mares V16 Proton Metal (same price as Abyss - difference?)
Mares Proton Ice
Atomic Aquatics Z1x (Sealed)
Zeagle ZD/DS-IV or V
Scubapro MK2+/R380
Scubapro MK2+/R190
Scubapro MK16/380

Thanks in advance.

As the others have said... Never broken one, even traveling everywhere... so I wouldn't make that a concern. To address your reg choices above:

Abyss... Yes, metal regs are better for humidity
v16 proton metal ... newer smaller version
Proton Ice... Just a blue proton metal with a different 1st stage that you won't notice.
Z1 Sealed (Don't both seal unless you're doing cold water)
Zeagle... Nice
Scubapro - Their top of the line are great... But unless you are willing to jump up to the pneumatically balanced ones (550, 600) I think some of your other choices would be better.

 

[redacted]

I am considering at the moment:

Mares Abyss (Does this have humidifying properties like the Proton Ice?)
Mares V16 Proton Metal (same price as Abyss - difference?)
Mares Proton Ice
Atomic Aquatics Z1x (Sealed)
Zeagle ZD/DS-IV or V
Scubapro MK2+/R380
Scubapro MK2+/R190
Scubapro MK16/380

Thanks in advance.

Want metal. I suggest you add to your list the Scubapro Mk5 or Mk10 paired with the Adjustable or Balanced Adjustable. The BA will give you the same performance as a G250. It is my perception that crowded dive boats or even a good shore dive slip is a greater hazzard than travel. Although I have gutted a hard sided brief case for travel protection. These regs are fairly readily available on ebay and may also be found in your LDS. The dents and dings on many of them attest to their durability.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I'll give a second vote for a Scubapro Adjustable or Balanced Adjustable. Actually any Adjustable can be upgraded to the current Balanced Adjustable confiuration using the same S-wing poppet as the G250HP and S600 and breathing performance is just as good as either of those second stages but without the dry mouth issues. All that is required is a current G250 annual service kit (which will have the poppet and balance chamber) and a new spring with a cost of about $1.00.

One nice thing about the metal case is that you could drop a tank on it, pound out the dents (if any) and go dive. Another nice thing is that they do acquire scratches over time but they are shallow, do not penetrate the chrome and over tiem acquire a nice semi-gloss finish as opposed to the just plain scratched and junky look that occurs with plastic cased regs after about 10 dives

 

[Michael Schlink]

DA Aqua-read your post, you want us to believe that an advantage to a metal reg is that you can drop your tank on it, pound out the dents and go dive it-please tell me that was a joke-and by the way read my post I have quite a few dives on a Atomic T1 including a bunch of cave dives and it still looks fine PLUS I feel a lot more comfortable diving it then the one you dropped your tank on-M

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Yes it is a bit of an exaggeration (although I suspect you could really do it.)

But the point is that you never have to worry about what will happen to your second stage if someone did drop a tank or weightbelt on it and you would not have to worry about discovering the case is cracked at 100' if someone neglected to tell you they dropped their weight belt on it.

 

[StSomewhere]

...
Z1 Sealed (Don't both seal unless you're doing cold water)
...

Why? What am I missing here?