Talk to me about the Conshelf XIV Supreme

[buddhasummer]

Kirby Morgan Superflow is my Grail reg.

N

Why don't you buy one?

 

[halocline]

I've actually asked this very question literally 5 or 6 times now,.....
forgive me for being rude, but you're just talking out of your backside.

Let's recap:
You're leaving "in a year or two" to go teach (presumably to take the IDC and then get one of the imaginary jobs teaching scuba in a tropical resort) and you're ALREADY this uptight about getting the "best" regulator?

You ask the same dumb question over and over, get an answer you don't like, and then accuse the people that have volunteered their time to help you of "talking out of your backside".

Forgive me for being rude, but you probably have more pressing concerns than getting a new regulator.

Good luck in your dive instructor career!

 

[Nemrod]

Why don't you buy one?

Oh, eventually, probably because I have dozens of regulator sets already inlcuding some of the most rare not to mention a collection of dh regs. And at the moment I am closing in on blowing about, oh, perhaps I shall not say, a wheelbarrow of money and my 2017 budget on a new rig to replace this:

Which, now that I mentioned it, the OP has a an insistence upon a good, better and best mentality. He should have shopped Sears Big Book back in the 1960s. There is no best, just that which meets your needs. And, none of these gurly mahn single hose toys are king of the hill anyways, why no, they are no Daisy at all. The twin hose Argonaut Kraken sits there.

The reason so many of us like the Conshelf and the SP 109 is that they are metal and they have bullet proof design. In the case of the Conshelf it kicks 109 butt, sorry. The only reason it is not more loved is it was ubiquitous in the 70s, 80s, 90s and those who have to have the best buy SP stuff even if it is not. So the belief remains the little 109 is best and it might be "better" but for the tinsy little exhaust valve and the Conshelf is to me therefore "best" IMO.

Why is the Conshelf better than todays regs like the Titan, Legend, Apeks, well, it is not except for the chrome brass casing which is far more durable than most modern second stages that brag about having a metal barrel, jeeeez, why not just have a metal body? Well, because then they would have to charge more for the premium feature and they would not crack out after a few years so they would not get to sell you another. The Conshelf breaths moist, resists freeze up, is more tolerant of rough handling, uses a simple downstream design instead of the so called balanced designs on most premium regs today and requires but a minimum of tools, easily obtained to maintain. How many times do we all have to collectively say this?

I have owned, or currently own, several of the regs mentioned by the OP and the rest I have been inside of at least a representative model. I choose the Titan LX, Conshelf XIV and SP109 as my go to single hose regulators. I tend to prefer simple devices that are beautiful in execution and durable in use.

My first two regulators:

The Mistral was a gift, the Calypso was a summer of work. The Mistral is what I learned to dive with. Best, for me, this is best:

Since up graded with the new Argonaut DSV, Argonaut shoulder cushions, and Argonaut slimline B&G SPG and Argonaut hose gaiters:

N

 

[2airishuman]

What is it, exactly, that makes the Conshelf XIV Supreme a superior choice to the newer, more expensive, and more mainstream options.. such as..

The Apeks XTX.. The Aqualung Legend.. The Scubapro MK17.. or The Atomic T-3 as an all-titanium option (a piston 1st stage, but one that atomics claims is sealed/dry)

1) It is cheaper.
2) Parts are inexpensive and readily available, in practice, to non-dealers.
3) The metal 2nd stages are less prone to damage than plastic ones.

I have two of the surpremes (one DIN, one yoke), one non-supreme, and an older Conshelf XII that I use for non-diving purposes (tires, dusting, etc). And a couple of Calypsos, which use the same 2nd stage as the Conshelf. And a couple of Hog D1s with Conshelf second stages.

You would want to avoid the Conshelf 1st stages if you really want a DIN reg, because DIN Conshelfs and DIN conversions for Conshelfs are nearly impossible to find without running the price up so high you'd be better off with something else. You would want to avoid the Conshelf 2nd stages if you really want to have a venturi switch or the ability to tweak the spring adjustment during the dive. I tune my Conshelfs in the sink to 1" for primaries and 2" for secondaries and just leave them like that, which I actually prefer to something that can be set wrong.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Oh, eventually, probably because I have dozens of regulator sets already inlcuding some of the most rare not to mention a collection of dh regs. And at the moment I am closing in on blowing about, oh, perhaps I shall not say, a wheelbarrow of money and my 2017 budget on a new rig to replace this:




The reason so many of us like the Conshelf and the SP 109 is that they are metal and they have bullet proof design. In the case of the Conshelf it kicks 109 butt, sorry. The only reason it is not more loved is it was ubiquitous in the 70s, 80s, 90s and those who have to have the best buy SP stuff even if it is not. So the belief remains the little 109 is best and it might be "better" but for the tinsy little exhaust valve and the Conshelf is to me therefore "best" IMO.

Why is the Conshelf better than todays regs like the Titan, Legend, Apeks, well, it is not except for the chrome brass casing which is far more durable than most modern second stages that brag about having a metal barrel, jeeeez, why not just have a metal body? Well, because then they would have to charge more for the premium feature and they would not cr

N

I like having the adjustability of the 109, I can adjust for it to almost freeflow, so my feeling is that the seat should last longer when I can store it with the pressure off the seat...

Anyway, I have also used the Dacor metal second stage for a pony reg for a long time. How does that rate compared to the conshelf second stage?

I have been using SP first stages with swivels primarily now for around 20 years, and it seems like the swivel adds some comfort, however, now that we have the light weight and very flexible woven hoses, I don't see the benefit in a swivel AND the lighter woven hose helps offset the "heavy" metal second stage. For the pony/octopus the benefits of a super robust metal housing seem overwhelming for me - compared to plastic. If the second stage is clipped off or worn around the neck, the weight saving of a plastic second stage is irrelevant.

I am pretty sure I have a Conshelf Din regulator in my boxes in the garage - maybe even a yoke I could try out for fun. They just look so primitive and non-sexy. I probably should sell some of my SP regs..

 

[buddhasummer]

I've actually asked this very question literally 5 or 6 times now, and literally gotten no answer from the collective expertise on this board other than "it has a chrome plated 2nd stage."

What, exactly, makes the best available conshelf better -- or why is it an advantageous choice to.. these regs?

-Apeks XTX
-Aqualung Legend
-Scubapro MK17
-Aqualung Titan
-Atomic T-3

If you can't answer simple questions like this, forgive me for being rude, but you're just talking out of your backside. If you just know a ton about one reg, and you love it to absolute death -- great, say that. But don't say it's better than other regs you don't know much about. If you don't know much about them, that is. I'm guessing you do. And I'd like to hear the specific reasons why the Conshelf is, in your opinion, superior to the above regs..

Dude, if you spoke like that to my face...We have all tried very hard to help but you just insult, it's not my fault you lack basic comprehension skills. Congratulations you are the first person on my ignore list. This trout will now retreat back to the depths.

 

[oldschoolto]

I've actually asked this very question literally 5 or 6 times now, and literally gotten no answer from the collective expertise on this board other than "it has a chrome plated 2nd stage."

What, exactly, makes the best available conshelf better -- or why is it an advantageous choice to.. these regs?

-Apeks XTX
-Aqualung Legend
-Scubapro MK17
-Aqualung Titan
-Atomic T-3

If you can't answer simple questions like this, forgive me for being rude, but you're just talking out of your backside. If you just know a ton about one reg, and you love it to absolute death -- great, say that. But don't say it's better than other regs you don't know much about. If you don't know much about them, that is. I'm guessing you do. And I'd like to hear the specific reasons why the Conshelf is, in your opinion, superior to the above regs..

You asked.. And we told you why the conshelf was the go to regulator of divers in the know.. It is bullet proof and very easy to work on.. Parts are available all over the place and will be for along long time.. No special tools are need .. The metal 2nd stage stops the dry breathing that you get from plastic ones.. They breath really nice down deeper than you'll ever go..

Ask yourself this... Why would the military and commercial divers still be buying and using them ? Why would divers that have 1000's of dives and can dive any regulator they want dive them ? Why would people with no skin in the game tell you something wrong ? Why would you listen to a " TECH " that doesn't know that kits are not only available for the conshelf but are the same as the Titan ? I gave you the link to my post on going 37 years on a conshelf 1st stage before it failed.. and there are photo's that Herman posted of it disassembled...

You have gotten a bunch of responses to your post... You just don't like the answer...

Jim....

 

[TheShark1]

The Titan (older model, not the newer one) and Conshelf first stages are identical inside, the Legend (older version) uses the same parts in a slightly different layout. The latest version of the Legend and Titan first stages are identical to each other (but NOT the older versions) and are NOT the ones we are suggesting. The environmental seal on the Titan and Conshelf are optional features, its' standard on the Legends. Unless you are diving very cold water, it's a waste of money.

Idk. Is it a waste of money? I certainly don't like the idea of all that salt and chlorine water (and whatever else) getting inside of my first stage.

 

[TheShark1]

Dude, if you spoke like that to my face...We have all tried very hard to help but you just insult, it's not my fault you lack basic comprehension skills. Congratulations you are the first person on my ignore list. This trout will now retreat back to the depths.

You still seem to not be able to answer the very simple question. Comparing and contrasting the Conshelf with modern regs. Name call away, sir.

 

[TheShark1]

You asked.. And we told you why the conshelf was the go to regulator of divers in the know.. It is bullet proof and very easy to work on.. Parts are available all over the place and will be for along long time.. No special tools are need .. The metal 2nd stage stops the dry breathing that you get from plastic ones.. They breath really nice down deeper than you'll ever go..

Ask yourself this... Why would the military and commercial divers still be buying and using them ? Why would divers that have 1000's of dives and can dive any regulator they want dive them ? Why would people with no skin in the game tell you something wrong ? Why would you listen to a " TECH " that doesn't know that kits are not only available for the conshelf but are the same as the Titan ? I gave you the link to my post on going 37 years on a conshelf 1st stage before it failed.. and there are photo's that Herman posted of it disassembled...

You have gotten a bunch of responses to your post... You just don't like the answer...

Jim....

I don't dislike the answer at all. I'm just delving deeper into it.

..The same question could be asked - if it's such a great reg, why is Aqualung no longer selling it to the public?