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Post by william on Jun 18, 2006 19:42:38 GMT -8
I would like to ask if there is any Discussions and Comparisons made between the New Aqua Lung Mistral and the Vintage Aqua Lung Double Hose Regulators at ( Vintage Scuba Supply Forum ) where actual use of the New Mistral is known by someone who owns one or has used one and knows what the New Mistral really breaths like? >>---> Reading the Aqua Lung Website, they Claim that the New Mistral has much better Breathing Characteristics. I do not care about the Cosmetic Comparison. William
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Post by Linda on Jun 19, 2006 8:27:00 GMT -8
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Post by william on Jun 19, 2006 11:20:57 GMT -8
Hi Linda I read both of the Threads and WOW, that is exactly what I needed. Thank you. There is so much information and it goes way beyond what I could have Ever have Imagined I would see. Lots of Opinions too. To really appreciate the OLd we should have the New also. When I go into a Dive Shop, ALL of them, they critisize and Laugh about the Vintage Double Hose Regulators I use and love. But I remember the first time I used a Single Hose Regulator and I hated it. But I never critisized my friends for useing it. Funny how they Always wanted Me in their Pictures they took, so they could all see me useing my Voit Double Hose. I could easily tell that the Double Hose looked more like a Scuba Diver than the dinky single hose in pictures and could see it in the eyes of all the people looking at the pictures too. But everybody Follows the Crowd in everything we do and the few of us who do not are critisized for not ( Conforming ). I stayed with my Double Hose. Now I see a New Mistral and hear the same thing from many Double Hoser Guys that I hear in the Dive Shops. But you know I just Will buy one of the New Mistrals now. To appreciate anything we need to keep our minds open and just have Fun. Thank you so much for the Perfect and Generous help Linda.( You Are Very Good:) :DWilliam
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Post by luis on Jun 19, 2006 12:16:04 GMT -8
I tried the new Mistral when we were in Florida; I thought it performs very well. From a performance stand point the only bad thing was the buoyancy of the hoses and the mouthpiece. It was nice that I could adjust the angle of the mouthpiece underwater, but you do need to add hose weights. I understand Aqualung (USD)/ Draeger makes hose weights for this hoses.
I wouldn’t change the hoses. With hose weights I am sure it would be fine. Being able to replace the mouthpiece bite, to a standard mouthpiece of your choice would be a nice feature also.
Considering that USD basically put it together from of the shelf parts it is not a bad attempt at a double hose. It does look funky, but beauty on the eye of the beholder.
Breathing performance is probably as good as one of my Royal Aqua Master. If money was no object, maybe I would even own one myself. But, they are asking way too much for it.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 19, 2006 12:34:04 GMT -8
William
I judge any equipment by an old aviation axium about aircraft......if it looks it'll fly fast, then it probably will.......form follows function however but there are too many negatives about this piece, price being one of them.......
Do as you will.......not as others want you to do........and enjoy....
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Post by william on Jun 19, 2006 12:55:08 GMT -8
Yes Sir There is a lot to improve on it seems from all I am hearing from guys that Really know what they are talking about. ((( I never knew there were Hose Weights?))) That is just amazeing. If this Double Hose Regulator is not offered, (Discontinued) in the Future by Aqua Lung, because of ( Too Slow Of Sales Over The Counter ) then will this be something that will maintain value and even go up in the future and become a Collectors Piece? I think maybe ( Yes ). I thought that about all the Older Vintage Regulators so I bid and paid much more than others. I was very right in what I did. I must admit that Vlaues going up so fast is a little scary in one way, affording to buy them Now and in another way, many of my many like 40+? double hose regulators are more valuable now than when I bought them. I do like the Looks of the new Mistral and there is an advantage of the 4 High & 1 Low Pressure Ports. I could look like a Spider Diver if I fill up all those Ports, ha OO))William & Scubydoo
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Post by luis on Jun 19, 2006 16:24:12 GMT -8
That would be 1 high pressure and 4 low pressure ports. It is a Titan first stage.
My understanding is that the new Mistral uses Draeger re-breather hoses. Re-breather hoses are design to have the minimum possible air flow resistance since you are breathing into and out of a counter-lung. That is the reason for the big diameter hoses and therefore the need for hose weights.
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Post by william on Jun 19, 2006 18:37:36 GMT -8
Oh how embaressing. I read my posting 3 times Luis, looking for spelling errors and never saw my mistake at all on the H & L Ports, ha. The Larest Hoses-that is what they remind me of now. Rebreather Hoses. But I wonder why AquaLung chose those larger hoses? (1) Price lower because they are already being produced by a manufacturer or (2)Function, so they will have the least breathing resistance and make their New Mistral a little better or (3)Cosmetic Only, because they liked them for their looks??? <<<One thing that comes to mind, how do the Hose weights attach.>>> Do they clamp off to the mouthpiece area or center length of the hoses. Are the weights made like sinkers and out of Lead or some other material? If there is a website where I could get a Good Look at a set of ( Draeger Hoses useing Hose Weights ) I sure would like to see it. I personally would not want weight attached to the center of my hoses but would rather attach them at or near the mouthpiece itself. That way, the lightest weights could be used. A Titan single hose regulator 1st Stage used for the New Mistral? I am assumeing that they used the Titan because it served their purposes of a good functioning and (GooD Functioning) part of a new Mistral Aqua-Lung Double Hose Regulator and for no other reason. But I could be wrong. I have been wrong a Lot of the time when discussing Vintage Diving Items. There could be other reasons they used it. One thing I read where a gentleman got moisture on the inside of his new Mistral a location that is a no-no. I wonder if anyone knows how that could happen and thus) know how to prevent it in the future. Right now I am assumeing it is a Leak and that is it. They do advertise it as a Cold Water Regulator that will Not freeze up on the diver from moisture in his breath. I also wonder why the man did not send his Mistral in for warranty service. This water inside seems to be a Serious thing to me. William
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Post by william on Jun 21, 2006 16:36:59 GMT -8
I am mainly interested in getting a compact,Modern Double Hose Regulator that everything, including my air integrated computor can be rigged up with, yet be Compact too. That is important to me. I think I have a few Dents in the back of my head from the regulator body bumping me, ha, ha. I have to admit , that ALL my life I have been told the Single Hose Regulator is safer than the double hose regulator. ( First>>--> Talking with experts like Luis I found out that my double hose is safest after all and that is a relief ) but I am totally fascinated with the idea of Combining a double hose regulator with a single hose regulator and having them marry and provide the best of both worlds. I just like that. I also think it is very cool in it's design and very much so in it's appearance. I am, worried about one thing. The fact that water got into one gentleman's 1st stage and I hope that it is a simple fix and not going to be a (Lemon) Problem that anyone who buys one will encounter. Saying that I am very Excited about getting my Aqua-Lung Mistral one fine day. Soon as it happens, I sure will get going on a dive trip soon, hopefully to include & visit beautifull Weeki Wachee Springs again. They truely welcome divers there and it was really fun diving around the smileing Mermaids too. They are all beautifull. William
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Post by swimjim on Jun 21, 2006 18:45:25 GMT -8
The reg body on a double hose reg should ride bettween your shoulder blades for optimum performance. If its denting the back of your head its riding to high.
Jim
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Post by SeaRat on Jun 21, 2006 19:28:51 GMT -8
I am mainly interested in getting a compact,Modern Double Hose Regulator that everything, including my air integrated computor can be rigged up with, yet be Compact too. That is important to me. I think I have a few Dents in the back of my head from the regulator body bumping me, ha, ha. I have to admit , that ALL my life I have been told the Single Hose Regulator is safer than the double hose regulator. ( First>>--> Talking with experts like Luis I found out that my double hose is safest after all and that is a relief ) but I am totally fascinated with the idea of Combining a double hose regulator with a single hose regulator and having them marry and provide the best of both worlds...I am, worried about one thing. The fact that water got into one gentleman's 1st stage and I hope that it is a simple fix and not going to be a (Lemon) Problem that anyone who buys one will encounter. [/B] Saying that I am very Excited about getting my Aqua-Lung Mistral one fine day. Soon as it happens, I sure will get going on a dive trip soon, hopefully to include & visit beautifull Weeki Wachee Springs again. They truely welcome divers there and it was really fun diving around the smileing Mermaids too. They are all beautifull. William[/quote] William, I'm glad you're excited about it too. Concerning your question about getting a lemon with water in the first stage, the Titan first stage is pretty well tested, and there are only a few ways of getting water into it. It has to come through the tank connection interface, or from the second stage side. The only way it can get in through the tank is if it is not connected to anything, and submerged in water. While that guy says he didn't do this, he probably did. The other way is through the second stage, like a single hose regulator. To do that, you need to take the hoses off, as it must go up the intake hose beyond the non-return valve in the mouthpiece. This would almost have to be deliberate to get water in there. I'm also looking at picking up an Aqualung Mistral, and one reason is to experiment with the potential of chest-mounting this regulator second stage. That still is intrigueing to me. John
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Post by duckbill on Jun 21, 2006 20:56:01 GMT -8
I'm still wondering how one can get the new Mistral down between the shoulder blades on a set up which has the cylinder lying as close to the body as possible. I think I remember the new Mistral regulator being quite long from the yoke connection point out to the furthest point (exhalation hose elbow). That would make a nice item to report when you try yours out, William.
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Post by william on Jun 21, 2006 23:47:28 GMT -8
It is really late, but I hope I can make some sence, ha. <Water in the 1st Stage> John, I am glad to hear that, about the water in the Mistral. It is something that I was very concerned about, but I have never heard that before, so I hope it is not common at all. What you are saying is very reassureing and makes good sence. < Reg Bumping my head> Hey SwimJim. I have been useing and prefer the hard Voit bac-pac with all my small twins and now adjusting it much lower than I normally have been doing, so that has made an improvement in the number and size of bumps I got, ha. I am just used to the tank being all over the place it seems. I just got used to it and have learned how to handle it pretty well or carefully, just knowing when to Bow my head automatically to keep from getting bumped, I should say. Duckbill. Looking at the design of the new Mistral, The 1st stage comes out like a normal single hose then the Intake/Exhaust Body is attached but offset Downward a good bit. I am hopeing that the Offset is enough to make new design work well. ( Center of yoke to Top of Exhaust Body)>>-->I would like to know the measurement difference for the Vintage double hose body and for the new Mistral. Even an inch might help a lot. Only diving with one will tell. I best go.Good night. William
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Post by SeaRat on Jun 22, 2006 6:49:46 GMT -8
Duckbill has a good point, and I tried mounting it on my twin 45s at the LDS. With the yolk down (the on-off knob up) it is more difficult, but can be done. Mounted in the normal position, it seemed to apply some pressure to my back which was not pleasant. I think this reg is meant to be mounted to a single 80 AL tank, rather than doubles.
Chest-mounting the regulator would completely bypass this problem.
John
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Post by Deleted on Jun 22, 2006 7:22:19 GMT -8
William
try using a crotch strap on your doubles and singles......this will help keep the tank from riding up on your back.....I rotate my manifold out about 4 degrees so the reg is angled a bit from my back.......helps some from banging one's head if the tank assembly rides up.....but I had better results with the crotch strap......even with a single 80 in Cozy Mel.......
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