Consideration for first set of doubles regs?

[Scuba Cobra]

I prefer to stick with a company that’s been around for a while, but that’s just me.

How long does a company have to be around before they get your blessing?

Deep 6 has been around a decade now. Additionally, some of the biggest names in the industry dove their regs

 

[PfcAJ]

How long does a company have to be around before they get your blessing?

Deep 6 has been around a decade now. Additionally, some of the biggest names in the industry dove their regs

Biggest names in the industry?

 

[macado]

Ask 5 people and you'll get 5 different opinions. I'm fond of Apeks despite some random HP seat issues (which can happen with any regulator manufacturer).

If you're not interested in servicing your own regulators Apeks and ScubaPro are "safe bets." Most dive shops can service them and get parts. Both companies have also existed a lot longer than a single decade..

While it is true that Apeks wont sell service kits to consumers, third party service kits are available and there is a black market of official Apeks kits available. I own a lot of them and this allows me to standardize on service kits. A lot of tech divers do end up servicing their own regulators at some point. It becomes especially cost effective when you own 20+ regulators (doubles regs, sidemount regs, singles, multiple stage/deco regs, etc).

I've always used DS4s first stages for my backgas/doubles. These regs are 20 years old at this point. They are work horses. The hose routing does have some bends that aren't great but it has never really bothered me to an extent that I felt the need to buy new regulators.

If I had to do it all over again I'd probably get Apeks DST with 5-port for more optimal hose routing but I guess I'm slightly "old school" and I don't like swivels on my backgas. I use the DSTs with 5-port for sidemount and they work very nice for that.

Since you mentioned the ability to switch back and forth from sidemount you should look at Apeks DSTs first stages with 5-port adapters. Most people end up with dedicated sets of regulators for sidemount and doubles but there is nothing stopping you from reconfiguring them if you only have one set.

 

[VikingDives]

Budget - I'm hoping to get a set of regs I can rely on for many years to come, so while I definitely appreciate affordability, I'm trying not to let a couple hundred difference be the primary factor in my choice of regulators. Looks like $850 - $1,300 is the rough range for a lot of doubles sets, and I can make anything in that area work if needed.

Service - I think it'd be cool to learn to service them myself, but not make or break for me. But seems like a nice bonus.

The ability to configure the same regs for sidemount would be cool also since cave training is in my future, and it'd be great not to have to buy a completely new set for that purpose.

Assuming you dive dry, you could have all that in HOG gear for $834 with D3 1st and Classic 2nds. That would work for Sidemount. If you went with the D1 regs like Jim recommended, you could save another hundred or so.

 

[Celt]

You actually don’t need din unless you’re using 300bar tanks, you don’t need a fifth port, I’ve never used one back mount or side mount and you don’t need a swivel turret it’s actually a weakness.

 

[PfcAJ]

You actually don’t need din unless you’re using 300bar tanks, you don’t need a fifth port, I’ve never used one back mount or side mount and you don’t need a swivel turret it’s actually a weakness.

Yoke is a trash connection compared to DIN.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Since you are from MA, I would go with sealed diaphragms instead of pistons. I have owned Apeks, Dive Rites and Hogs and to be honest, they perform quite similar. If I could do it all over again, I would go with Hogs as they are cheaper of the three.

 

[Celt]

Yoke is a trash connection compared to DIN.

You only think that. I think yoke is much better for low pressure tanks.

 

[macado]

You actually don’t need din unless you’re using 300bar tanks, you don’t need a fifth port, I’ve never used one back mount or side mount and you don’t need a swivel turret it’s actually a weakness.

This is poor advice but this is also Scubaboard and I'm sure somebody is willing to argue the merits of yoke doubles. I'm not one of them. I can think of literally no one that uses yoke first stages for a modern or standard doubles or sidemount configuration and I've seen plenty of janky configurations.

Can you do it? Sure. Should you do it? No.

It really has nothing to do with the pressure at least in the US. High pressure tanks in the US are often filled to ~230-240bar. DIN is simply a more secure connection with less of a chance of an O-ring extrusion.

The 5th port with turret is debatable. Some people are willing to deal with another potential failure point for better hose routing. Personally I don't find it that important for backmount configuration however it does offer routing advantages for sidemount.

 

[Chris H]

I've had great luck with my Scubapro MK25/G250HP/G250V/G260. The MK25 first stages route really nicely. I mostly dive CCR now on the deeper stuff, but I've used the Scubapros in the Great Lakes on many dives and I never had an issue with back gas or deco.