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Post by william on Jun 22, 2006 13:25:37 GMT -8
One thing I was thinking about Mossback. A soft rubber Bungy crotch strap. That way it would do it's job but not make me feel like, well, you know, ha, ha. I have used a crotch strap before and the 1st time it gave me a quick tug>>--> I almost had a heart attack, ha, ha. If a soft rubber bungy crotch strap was made right, then that may do the trick.  John,I am Very Surprised that you were able to get the New Mistral attached on the Underside mounting valve set-up on doubles. I would Not have thought that it was possible at all. I have all my doubles with the valve regulator mount on top. If the new mistral is going to press against my back, then that is just something I will have to put up with and try and get used to I guess. It is just too Cool looking. Every time I look at it, I like it a little more. I sure would like to see some pictures of you useing your New Mistral, to see what it looks like when actually being used. How high where it sets and what it really looks like when used. That would be good.  William |
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Post by waltstearns on Jun 22, 2006 15:13:03 GMT -8
Hi William, I am new to this forum but I do dive a lot with the new Mistral . Unfortunately, at the moment I don’t have any pictures of me diving with it. Everyone’s right about the hoses being very buoyant (little more so than my previous Trieste II). To this, I have remedied the problem with a set of hose weights I purchased from Golem Gear - www.golemgear.com. These are the stainless steal ring weights for rebreather hoses, but they work quite will on the Mistral hoses. OxyCheq - www.oxycheq.com carries them as well. Both have them priced at $35 a set, one set is all they need. Also a good tank option for getting the first/second stage portion of the reg down closer between the shoulders is the High-pressure steel 80’s. They are close to the same size as an aluminum 63 cu.ft. tank, and couple inches taller than a 50. |
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Post by william on Jun 22, 2006 15:34:21 GMT -8
:DHi Walt That is good. I had not thought about the fact that your Mistral can be used with much higher air pressures. I think I have seen where some of the tanks go all the way up to 5000 psi. I do not know if the New Mistral can be used for those super high pressures or if it stops at like 3500 psi. Either way means a good bit more air to be able to use. I look forward to any pictures you may get of you useing your new Mistral in the future. I have never seen that before. It would definitely be interesting and a 1st for me and Many others too.  William |
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Post by william on Jun 22, 2006 15:36:17 GMT -8
I forgot. Thank you for the Links to the Hose weight sites and all. I sure will go there and get the information. That is a big help. William |
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Post by jamiep3 on Sept 11, 2006 10:03:50 GMT -8
Took the plunge last week (finacially at least), have not had a chance to dive it yet. Maybe in the pool next week, trying for Lake Rawlings the week after. At Rawlings I'm hoping to have time to do backc to back dives with my nerw Mistral and my old Aquamaster.
In answer to the posts above, the yoke on the new Mistral is marked for 3000psi, but it can be converted to DIN. Apparently most of the new Aqualung regulators have their yoke marked that way, but I know a lot of people using them on 3485psi tanks.
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bsea
Regular Diver
Posts: 42
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Post by bsea on Sept 11, 2006 11:05:15 GMT -8
I'm going to borrow a new mistral this weekend & try back to back dives with it & my RAM to see what (if any) the differences are as far as performance. My LDS knows I dive double hoses from time to time, and asked if I'd like to try it. I said sure as long as you know I have no intention of buying it. From what I've read, I guess I'll wish I could borrow some of those hose weights too.
BTW William you might be right about the price of these going up. My LDS said HIS new Mistral wasn't for sale anymore. He was going to hang onto it. However, AL still has them on their website, so I guess they'll be around for a few more years.
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Post by william on Sept 11, 2006 18:12:17 GMT -8
Hi The last New Special Edition ( Carbon Fiber ) Mistral I saw sell on Ebay sold for $800 to Dacor Jerry. I spoke with Jerry and he is extremely happy he won it too. Jerry is an Authority on Double Hose Regulators and if he bought it for $800, then I am sure it is worth it. At least to me it would be. William |
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Post by spirotechnique on Sept 23, 2006 8:31:24 GMT -8
I am the owner of both Mistral and "New Mistral" reg :  thoses are quiet different even if they share the same advantages of bubble free experience the New Mistral have all the modern features you can expect from a 2006 regulator, multiple ports HP and MP for BC, octopus .... the comfort while diving is a BIG improvement compared to a Mistral even if divers with no experience of a double hose will feel it at least strange or difficult but when you are used to double hose you'll find it very easy and comfortable ... on the downside it is of course a complex piece of equipment (as all modern regulators) quiet heavy too, not ideal for dive trips  Price in France for the New Mistral have drop down drammaticly from around 900 euros to a little bit more than 500 euros , probably because they are not selling very well ... I have not seen any except mine  cheers Jean-Michel |
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Post by scubadiverbob on Sept 27, 2006 23:35:39 GMT -8
Ok ... don't laugh or make fun of me ... I have one of the new ones ... dove with it three or four times and shelved it !!! Maybe someday it will be a collectors item ... My DAAM works a hundred times better !!! Try turning a summersault underwater or doing a surface swim on your back with one of the new ones and see what happens (hope your tank isn't low on air; 'cause, it will be !!!). I contacted US DIvers about this and they said all double hoses have same problem ... I tend to disagree. My DA might free flow a very (I mean VERY) little bit ... but not like the new mistral .... I do like the mouthpiece ... has anyone came up with an adapter to use the mouthpiece, from the new mistrals, on a DA yet ? My DA fits in the case the new mistral came in ...
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Post by duckbill on Sept 28, 2006 0:03:02 GMT -8
Try ........................... doing a surface swim on your back with one of the new ones and see what happens (hope your tank isn't low on air; 'cause, it will be !!!).....................My DA might free flow a very (I mean VERY) little bit ... but not like the new mistral .. Robert, my DAAMs (and Mistrals) HOWL if I swim on my back. Interesting. |
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Post by nemrod on Sept 28, 2006 9:45:25 GMT -8
 If you even think about rolling over on your back to surface swim it will sound like a Saturn V on your back. When tightly tuning a RAM for max breathing performance they also become sensitive to freeflow. I think I was actually taught to surface swim with a snorkel when using double hose but I prefer on my back so I just turn the air off. Nemrod |
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Post by nemrod on Sept 28, 2006 9:55:27 GMT -8
 And so you think you need a new Mistral huh? Phoenix RAM supporting all needs. Just about to hook up slung 30 "buddy" bottle. The Sharkskin vintage suit given me by Clevelanddiver is way warm. The tank looks high because I removed my crotch strap from the BP and the tank is resting on the leaning post hiking it up while I was waiting to have the 30 handed to me--I am going deep and I like the buddy bottle along. I need to get that crotch stap adjusted to allow the use of this old fashioned, warm, bouyant, 1/4 inch plus thick suit.  Nemrod |
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Post by duckbill on Sept 28, 2006 10:46:58 GMT -8
Try ........................... doing a surface swim on your back with one of the new ones and see what happens (hope your tank isn't low on air; 'cause, it will be !!!).....................My DA might free flow a very (I mean VERY) little bit ... but not like the new mistral .. Robert, my DAAMs (and Mistrals) HOWL if I swim on my back. Interesting. I just spoke with Robert, and I misunderstood what he was saying. I assumed that the mouthpiece would be out during the surface swim as usual, but he meant that even with the mouthpiece in your mouth the regulator freeflows heavily out of the exhaust port on the new Mistral. I've never given the new Mistral a good look, but he said he would let me use his. Maybe then I can see why it would freeflow like that. Then again, just an armchair observation may be all it takes to figure it out, but I still want to try it to see how it compares to the original design (if it ain't broke, don't fix it!). Nice pix, James. |
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Post by nemrod on Sept 28, 2006 11:00:06 GMT -8
If I roll over on my back with the mouthpiece in my mouth--or not-- for a surface swim and the can is submerged all of my RAMs will freeflow--heavly. I don't see how this could be avoided with sub .5 cracking settings and the resulting pressure differential. A pre/post dive lever that locks the diaphram would be nice. With my back inflate wing/BP I can swim on my back with the can out of the water but everytime a wave washers over me the reg freeflows. I don't worry over it to much.
James
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Post by duckbill on Sept 28, 2006 11:35:57 GMT -8
A pre/post dive lever that locks the diaphram would be nice. Or even a simple mouthpiece valve right up front where it's easy to get to. |
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John,I am Very Surprised that you were able to get the New Mistral attached on the Underside mounting valve set-up on doubles. I would Not have thought that it was possible at all. I have all my doubles with the valve regulator mount on top. If the new mistral is going to press against my back, then that is just something I will have to put up with and try and get used to I guess. It is just too Cool looking. Every time I look at it, I like it a little more. I sure would like to see some pictures of you useing your New Mistral, to see what it looks like when actually being used. How high where it sets and what it really looks like when used. That would be good. 
