Yet another Hog thread

[Desertlifter]

So like so many other posts hereabouts I am considering a Hog D3/Zenith setup. I don’t have a LDS, so unless I decide to drive for 6 hours round trip to drop off my stuff I will be shipping it for maintenance. Anyway, I see some individual reports of people using Hog equipment and liking it for the most part and it seems pretty well reviewed, but there is really a paucity of actual reviews that I’ve found. Thoughts on their gear? I’m comfortable with getting certified to do my own maintenance or shipping the reg off as needed. Do they breathe dry? How do they tolerate inversion? How is their cold-ish water performance? Puget Sound is my home water and it gets down to 45F, although my dives during that time of year would be very rare. Most of the time when I dive in the sound it is in the 50-55 degree range.

Veritas numquam perit
Brian Williams

 

[lowwall]

Most regs just work. If it's a mainstream reg and you don't see threads about specific problems, then it's going to fall into the just works category. And then you can choose based on what's important to you: price, features, ease of finding a tech, ease of finding parts, aesthetics, what your buddies are diving with, the largest ad budget...

 

[decompression]

They work great, breathe great, second only to deep6 regs in bang for the buck. I have 4 sets of hogs and recommend them to my students……

 

[tbone1004]

Do they breathe dry-yes
Do they tolerate inversion-no "normal" regulator tolerates inversion due to the exhaust valves being above the inhalation valve. They will all breathe a little wet when you're upside-down. If you want to spend a lot of time upside down, get a Poseidon.
Cold Water-45 is not cold for these regs, they're fine under the ice.

If you want a slightly better regulator that is a better value get Deep6 Signature. It is an iterative improvement of the D3/Zenith, but it is a noticeable one and it has a lower total cost of ownership since the first service is free and if you take the class you get free parts kits.

 

[arew+4]

I have five Hog sets, bought a set for my wife and I and then three more when got the kids certified. No problems at all, and hopefully this fall I will take the course to service them my self and save even more money over time.

 

[tursiops]

if you take the class you get free parts kits.

I took the class. How do I get the kits?

 

[rhwestfall]

The wife and daughter use HOG D1/Classic sets for cold water home diving (as low as low 30 temps). My buddy has the same as his primary set. This is diving in the Great Lakes. They have performed well.

I also have Deep6 regs.

I've taken both classes, and work on my own gear one consideration however is also the cost of tools to do the work...

 

[tbone1004]

I took the class. How do I get the kits?

message Deep6, I believe it's one kit per stage every other year

 

[Shabaday]

I came here to post if you plan on being inverted a lot then look at the Poseidon Xstream. I have a Deep 6 signature and no issues with it

 

[Bowers]

I dive mine under ice, in caves, in muck, deeper than 200’, strong current, salt and fresh and haven’t had a problem with them.