COMPONENTS OF A REGULATOR

Perhaps you’re at the stage where you’re thinking of buying your own regulator.  It is not a cheap piece of gear, and definitely worth some time mulling over.  Here’re the 3 basic things to consider when picking your very own regulator.

  • Diaphragm vs Piston (1st stage)

A piston first stage is more precise, and hence more expensive in general.  They also tend to be more reliable and less expensive to maintain.  However, the diaphragm is cheaper to manufacture, hence much cheaper to buy.  They are also the preferred first stage for cold water divers.

 

  • DIN vs Yoke (1st stage)

The part that attaches to your tank.  Depending on where in the world you’re diving from, some places prefer one over another.  More often than not, Yoke tanks are the one used for recreational diving, but DIN is the safer one as it traps the O ring within the system.

 

  • Balanced  vs Unbalanced (2nd stage)

Balanced regulators give you a steady air flow, regardless of depth or air pressure left in tank.  For that very reason, it is the preferred choice for divers frequently doing deep/ tec dives and cold water divers.  That being said, most recreational divers would not feel the difference between the 2 of them, and the balanced regulator is, in fact, much more expensive than an unbalanced one.

Well, we hope that helped you understand a little more about regulators.  Just remember that the more complicated a piece of gear, the more points of failure there may be.  Feel free to come on in to the shop and speak to any of our friendly staff member if you’d like to learn more!

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