Best Regulator set up for under 500$ (1st stage, 2nd stage, and octo)

[Lorenzoid]

OP: Good recommendations have been given. In addition, keep mind that most new divers just buy whatever regulator their local dive shop is selling, and from what I've seen, very few of these new divers end up seriously disliking their regulator. There is no such thing as a "crap" regulator--none of the widely sold brands is going to fall apart on you and get you killed, because such a manufacturer would have been out of business quickly. Those test results we see published in Scuba Diving magazine or wherever that measure and compare work-of-breathing and such are interesting, but many of us recreational divers cannot perceive much difference in practice. Regulators are simple mechanical things, and most are built to last a long time. They all work more than adequately for the majority of divers. My bet is that whatever you choose, you will be happy with it. That said, yes, there are nuances like diaphragm versus piston, but I would wager that most new divers who buy a reg are blissfully unaware of whether theirs is diaphragm or piston. I'm not trying to advise you to just buy whatever you see, but only to reassure you that you almost cannot go wrong with a reg from any of the widely available brands.

As for the seemingly never-ending (on SB, at least) "yoke versus DIN" debate, if you do a search on that here on SB you will find many previous threads that should bring you up to speed on what that is all about. I bought a HOG reg set, which has a DIN fitting, thinking I might "grow into" it as I ventured into more advanced diving, but I ended up getting frustrated with having to search for DIN-valve tanks in the Caribbean and eventually just converted it to a yoke fitting. The Edge line of products--same company as HOG--is geared toward recreational divers and comes standard in yoke. So I might as well have bought Edge to begin with.

 

[Yellowdog]

Keep your eye on this ebay auction for an Aqualung Legend Aqualung Legend LX ACD Yoke Regulator No Reserve | eBay? If you can buy it for less than $300 it would be a good value. Keep looking the deals are out there. A few months ago, I bought a new Legend LX on ebay for $380.

 

[ev780]

You might get a better value by buying used on Ebay/Craigslist and having it serviced. Diving is one of those sports that is lifestyle dependent. I find a lot of good quality gently used gear on these websites. The most common theme is either a new SO that doesn't dive or the arrival of kids. Then the gear gets liquidated. Takes a little time and patience but I have had amazing luck buying gear this way.

 

[Texasguy]

I bought a HOG reg set, which has a DIN fitting, thinking I might "grow into" it as I ventured into more advanced diving, but I ended up getting frustrated with having to search for DIN-valve tanks in the Caribbean...

Why? Just get this: https://www.divegearexpress.com/dgx-din-to-yoke-spin-on-adapter

 

[Lorenzoid]

Why? Just get this: https://www.divegearexpress.com/dgx-din-to-yoke-spin-on-adapter

In fact, one of those adapters came along with my HOG reg set, which I bought from Dive Gear Express. The problem with those adapters, as has been pointed out in many threads before on this topic, is that some people--myself included--find that they reduce the clearance between the back of your head and the first stage by just enough to be annoying. The adapter adds something like a centimeter, but it's just enough to be noticeable to some of us. I tried using that adapter several times, and I eventually decided it wasn't something I wanted to put up with. Judging from the posts I've seen, there are plenty of others who don't find it annoying at all. I suppose part of the issue is how high one likes to put their rig relative to the tank, for purposes of optimizing trim or whatever. For me, it was not possible to put the rig at a height on the tank that would both achieve good trim and allow sufficient freedom of movement of my head without it coming into contact with the first stage.

 

[Texasguy]

The adapter adds something like a centimeter, but it's just enough to be noticeable to some of us. I tried using that adapter several times, and I eventually decided it wasn't something I wanted to put up with.

Just use a thicker hood. :cool2:

 

[Lorenzoid]

Just use a thicker hood. :cool2:

Or get a thicker head!

 

[eelnoraa]

In fact, one of those adapters came along with my HOG reg set, which I bought from Dive Gear Express. The problem with those adapters, as has been pointed out in many threads before on this topic, is that some people--myself included--find that they reduce the clearance between the back of your head and the first stage by just enough to be annoying. The adapter adds something like a centimeter, but it's just enough to be noticeable to some of us. I tried using that adapter several times, and I eventually decided it wasn't something I wanted to put up with. Judging from the posts I've seen, there are plenty of others who don't find it annoying at all. I suppose part of the issue is how high one likes to put their rig relative to the tank, for purposes of optimizing trim or whatever. For me, it was not possible to put the rig at a height on the tank that would both achieve good trim and allow sufficient freedom of movement of my head without it coming into contact with the first stage.

+1 on this. I went through exactly the same thing for the same reason. Brought DIN on the advice here, thought I can grow with it. Then sick and tired of having the adapter 100% of the time on single tank diving.

Having thicker hood will just make the head clearance issue worse

 

[gbf]

If you don't need it now, or aren't really sure why/if you will need it buy yoke.

They day I decided I wanted din regs I looked in my milk crates at 8 cyklons.



When the time comes that you do need it you will already have so many regs that your first yoke reg won't even be on your radar.

Dont buy a hammer to drive screws now just because you may want to drive nails someday. (I know that is an extreme example...)

 

[stuartv]

I have been diving less than a year, so take my perspective with a grain of salt.

I bought regs (Hollis DC3 + 212) right after I got certified. I got 2 sets - for me and my g/f. One is yoke and the other is DIN.

I have traveled once to the Caribbean (Playa del Carmen, Mexico) and once to Hawaii.

I have never used the Yoke reg. My g/f did use it once, then she never dived again.

I had no trouble getting DIN tanks (actually, ones with convertible valves) in MX or HI. Of course, that was only 2 trips for 16 total dives. I did buy the $20 DGX DIN-to-Yoke adapter, for just in case.

My thought is this: If you think you MIGHT ever want DIN regs, then get DIN. You can use a DIN reg with a Yoke adapter. But, you cannot use a Yoke reg on a DIN-only tank, period. And a DIN-only tank could mean a DIN tank that does not have a convertible valve, or I think it could mean a DIN tank with a 300-bar DIN valve. I THINK I've read on here that 200 (232?) bar DIN valves are the only ones that can take an insert to use a Yoke reg with. IOW, as an example, I'm pretty sure if you drove over here to VA and we went diving, and you wanted to borrow a couple of my tanks, you could not use a yoke reg because mine have 300 bar DIN valves.

If you are only going to travel to tropical destinations and rent tanks, then you should be just fine with a yoke reg. Or so it seems to me, with my limited experience.

Bottom line: A DIN reg with a Yoke adapter is universal. A Yoke reg is not. The only downside to DIN is that it MIGHT cost you a 1/4" of clearance behind your head if you have to use a yoke tank. For me, that would not matter and, honestly, I'm unclear on how it affects other people. The adapter moves the reg towards the back of my neck. It does not make it taller. The only time the back of my head touches anything on the tank is when I look "up" (i.e. look straight ahead when in a horizontal trim). And even then, it's only if I mount my tank a little too high in the tank straps. Looking "up" puts my head at 90 degrees to my body and it seems like it would be making the tank/reg taller, not closer to the back of my neck, that would be an issue. But, I guess maybe if you wear your rig with the tank up "higher" on your body then the reg could be in the way just by being closer to the back of your neck.

Here's (another) 2000 words. Random pics from the Internet, not me. See where the tank valve is? If you look like that, how is moving the reg 1/4" closer to your body going to make you more likely to hit your head? It seems like you'd have to be wearing your tank REALLY high on your back for the yoke adapter to matter. Maybe the people that trouble with really do where their tanks that high. I don't know. I just know I have a DIN and a Yoke reg and I have never used the Yoke (though I've only traveled and rented tanks twice).

As far as the Hollis regs go. I like mine. But, I have only used them for less than 40 dives. And, on two dives, in 38F degree water, I did have issues with free flows. However, I was swimming hard and breathing really hard at the time, so I'm not sure that any other reg would have necessarily fared better.

Dive Right In Scuba does have a screaming deal on these regs, though. $199 for a 1st and 2nd stage with hose.

http://www.andamanexotica.com/images/right-side-images/Scuba Diving.jpg

You could get 2 of those, plus an SPG and a LPI hose for under $500, I think, and either have a spare 1st stage or sell the 1st stage for a few bucks to help defray the cost. FYI, a lot of the info on the Internet says the DC3 only has 1 HP port. That is incorrect. It has 2.

The only real knock I have on mine is that they do not have a LP port on the bottom. Not an issue for using with singles. But, I am going to doubles and I really wish I had LP ports on the bottom of my regs to make the hose routing nicer in a doubles configuration.