Which 2nd stage should I choose as a back-up?

[Boneisland Photo]

I'm looking for some advice on a singles rig I'm putting together. I currently have a Zeagle Tech 50d 1st stage (DIN) and ONE Zeagle Tech 50d second stage that I'm dedicating to this rig. These are the older Zeagle Tech 50d regs that were made by APEKS. My question is this:

Which of the following would you use as your back-up?

A- Scubapro G200

B- Scubapro D350

C- US Divers Conshelf 21

I mention these three regs because they're sitting in my garage right now and I'm trying not to spend any more money on this singles rig.

Thanks for your thoughts. --Brian

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

G200 has readily available parts and its a great breathing reg. No experience with the other regs, but I have no qualms with my G200 backing up a G250(same thing, with adjustment).

 

[Boneisland Photo]

Thanks, I was leaning toward the G200 but I've heard good things about the D350's dive/predive switch when used as a back-up 2nd stage.

 

[xiSkiGuy]

Thanks, I was leaning toward the G200 but I've heard good things about the D350's dive/predive switch when used as a back-up 2nd stage.

I personally do not like the way regs with a case design like the D350/400 or X650 sit when bungeed around your neck.

 

[Boneisland Photo]

Thanks Jeff. That's two votes for the G200 and one in the DIR forum (where I asked the same question) before the thread was closed because my regs weren't DIR enough.

 

[fireflock]

Your thread could have been closed for cross posting (posting the same question more than once in multiple places).

Just a thought....

 

[Boneisland Photo]

Well, I was just attempting to get more than one opinion...I wasn't trying to step on any toes.

 

[Adobo]

I'm looking for some advice on a singles rig I'm putting together. I currently have a Zeagle Tech 50d 1st stage (DIN) and ONE Zeagle Tech 50d second stage that I'm dedicating to this rig. These are the older Zeagle Tech 50d regs that were made by APEKS. My question is this:

Which of the following would you use as your back-up?

A- Scubapro G200

B- Scubapro D350

C- US Divers Conshelf 21

I mention these three regs because they're sitting in my garage right now and I'm trying not to spend any more money on this singles rig.

Thanks for your thoughts. --Brian

You posted this question in kind of a weird forum. The answer to your question for cave diving might be slightly different than the answer for open water diving.

Anyway, as I own a couple of the regs you are talking about, I will give this a shot..

Open water answer:
I personally really like the way the way the D350 breathes. I also like the way the G200 breathes. For a while, I dove a D300 (similar to a D350) with a G200B (I had a G200 converted to be a balanced 2nd stage - thus the B designation). I dove that setup in cold water to 100 ft with 32%. It worked pretty well. I don't have any experience with the Apeks regs that you are talking about but I suspect the scubapro 2nds, tuned properly, will perform just as well, if not better than anything else being sold today.

Cave diving answer:
Some agencies are advocating 2nd stages that can be opened without any tools. This presumably allows the diver to effect some basic repairs to regs that are misbehaving - even while under water. As such, the D350 is out. The G200 has a cover that can be unscrewed and would therefore allow access to the diaphragm and some of the other internal parts of the second stage. So for cave diving, presumably, the right answer is the G200. (Note: I don't know how much utility one would get out of being able to dismantle regs under water. But it is what I was personally taught in my cave class.)