Once upon a time the Yoke fitting, also known as A-Clamp or International fitting, was the regulator fitting of choice until along came a European standard connection type called DIN (short for Deutsche Industrie Norm) which offered improved safety a

<p>Once upon a time the Yoke fitting, also known as A-Clamp or International fitting, was the regulator fitting of choice until along came a European standard connection type called DIN (short for Deutsche Industrie Norm) which offered improved safety and an option for increased cylinder pressure.</p><p>So which is better? Is DIN safer? What if you do the majority of your diving in Europe with DIN but holiday somewhere that uses Yoke or vice versa? All are valid questions when deciding what regulator fitting is right for you.</p><h3 id="what-is-the-difference">What is the difference?</h3><div class="row"><div class="four columns alpha"><img src="//cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0283/6108/files/yoke-regulator.jpg?v=1556198495" alt="Yoke Regulator" class="fr-fil fr-dib"></div><div class="eight columns omega"><p>The Yoke connection uses a clamp-type mounting that places an A-shaped frame over the cylinder valve and is tightened into place by a screw at the end of the A-frame that pushes the first stage into the sealing o-ring on the cylinder valve face. This type of connection can only be used up to a pressure of 232 Bar.</p></div></div><div class="row"><div class="four columns alpha"><img src="//cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0283/6108/files/din-regulator.jpg?v=1556198519" alt="DIN Regulator" class="fr-fil fr-dib"></div><div class="eight columns omega"><p>DIN fittings work differently in that the o-ring is fitted to the regulator rather than the cylinder valve and the male thread screw into the cylinder valve to securely capture the o-ring. DIN fittings are available in three variants but generally only find two variants when it comes to picking a regulator. DIN regulators are typically fitted with an M25 300 bar connection as it will fit both 232 bar and 300 bar cylinder valves and negates the need for manufacturers to produce, test and market an extra model for each regulator. The other variant is a dedicated nitrox regulator which uses an M26 thread so is not compatible with standard M25 DIN cylinder valves.</p></div></div><p>The difference between 232 and 300 Bar DIN fittings is the number of threads with 300 bar having a few extra to support the extra pressure and prevent 232 bar rated connections being used in a 300 bar cylinder. A 300 bar regulator will seal correctly in both a 232 bar and 300 bar cylinder valve but a 232 bar regulator will only work in the 232 bar valve.</p><h3 id="why-choose-din">Why Choose DIN?</h3><p>There are five main reasons for opting for DIN over Yoke:</p><ol><li>Increased pressure capacity - DIN can handle up to 300 bar which, if you go by the numbers, offers an extra 120L of air from a 12L 300 bar cylinder (3600L total) compared to the larger but lower pressure 15L 232 bar cylinder (3480L total).</li><li>Seal integrity - The sealing o-ring in a DIN connection is housed in a groove on the first stage of the regulator which means it is less likely to subject to the pinching that can happen with Yoke, it is a lot less likely to fall out and is more protected from exposure to dust, grit and other contaminants.</li><li>Weight - That big lump of chrome-plated brass that makes up the A-frame and screw of a yoke fitting can add up to a surprising amount of weight. Depending on the manufacturer you might be looking at saving 200g just by opting for DIN</li><li>Technical diving - DIN is the widely accepted and preferred fitting for technical dives</li><li>Availability - If you do the majority of your diving in Europe or destinations where Europeans dive then DIN cylinder valves will be readily available and yoke regulators will likely need an adaptor (see below).</li></ol><p>In our store at least, for every one yoke regulator sold, we sell four DIN regulators.</p><h3 id="why-choose-yoke">Why Choose Yoke?</h3><p>The reasons to buy a Yoke regulator are definitely fewer but you can&apos;t ignore the fact that there have been literally millions of dives successfully and safely carried out using a yoke fitting.</p><p>The biggest reason a diver might choose a yoke regulator is for compatibility with cylinders when diving in North America where the yoke is still popular but with the availability of valve converters even that isn&apos;t a problem.</p><h3 id="adaptors-and-converters">Adaptors and Converters</h3><p>Making the decision to go one way or the other isn&apos;t final and permanent. Whether you or for DIN or Yoke there are adaptors and converters that will make your regulator compatible with the other fitting type.</p><div class="row"><div class="four columns alpha"><a href="https://mikesdivestore.zendesk.com/collections/regulator-accessories/din-regulator-adaptor" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="DIN To Yoke Adaptor"><img src="//cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0283/6108/files/din-adaptor.jpg?v=1556200074" alt="DIN To Yoke Adaptor" class="fr-fil fr-dib"></a></div><div class="eight columns omega"><p>For DIN regulators you can buy screw-on <a href="https://www.mikesdivestore.com/collections/regulator-accessories" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="DIN To Yoke Adaptors">DIN to Yoke adaptors</a> that will temporarily convert them for occasional use on a holiday for instance. These are not ideal and certainly not a permanent conversion as they add extra weight to your kit and their design means the first stage sits closer to the back of your head which might cause some discomfort. Some adaptors, like the <a href="https://www.mikesdivestore.com/collections/regulator-accessories/products/scubapro-yoke-adapter-din-to-int-ultra-light?variant=28498949645#foo&amp;gid=1&amp;pid=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Scubapro Ultra Light Adaptor">Scubapro Ultra Light Adaptor</a>, are also made from alloys that are not compatible with the chrome-plated brass fitting on the regulator so it is important to remove them when not in use to prevent them essentially welding together.</p></div></div><div class="row"><div class="four columns alpha"><a href="https://mikesdivestore.zendesk.com/products/beaver-cylinder-valve-din-insert" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Cylinder Valve Insert"><img src="//cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0283/6108/files/cylinder-valve-insert.jpg?v=1556200123" alt="Cylinder Valve Insert" class="fr-fil fr-dib"></a></div><div class="eight columns omega"><p>For Yoke regulators, the temporary conversion is much more subtle with just an <a href="https://www.mikesdivestore.com/products/beaver-cylinder-valve-din-insert?variant=606019865#foo&amp;gid=1&amp;pid=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Cylinder Valve Insert">insert</a> screwed into the 232 bar cylinder valve to provide you with a surface o-ring to seal against. The only issue is remembering to remove your insert from the valve once you have finished with it otherwise you&apos;ll be regularly buying more.</p></div></div><h3 id="personal-choice">Personal Choice</h3><p>At the end of the day, it will come down to personal choice and what is best for you and your diving. There are no price differences between yoke and DIN and adaptors are available for both. If you think you might move into technical diving you can opt for a bit of future-proofing and go for DIN.</p><p>If push came to shove and you decide you want to switch then the vast majority of first stages (age depending of course) can be converted by a technician at a cost.</p>

DIN Versus Yoke (A-Clamp) Regulators

Choosing a Scuba Diving Regulator can be one of the biggest and toughest decisions you make when purchasing your dive kit. There is a lot of different aspects, components and technologies to consider, let along the cost involved. To help to prepare y

<p>Choosing a <a href="https://www.mikesdivestore.com/collections/diving-regulators" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Scuba Diving Regulator">Scuba Diving Regulator</a> can be one of the biggest and toughest decisions you make when purchasing your dive kit. There is a lot of different aspects, components and technologies to consider, let alone the cost involved. To help to prepare you for the final decision we&apos;ll run through some of the key features and technologies of a regulator set so that you can make an informed decision.</p><p>When shopping for a regulator it is always recommended to choose a primary and octopus from the same brand. The pressures at work within each manufacturer&apos;s regulators can differ slightly so mismatched products may not work as intended. There is also only so many ways you can design and build a regulator so the basic types and concepts apply to all manufacturers but with their own spin and clever names for how they do it.</p><p>A regulator has four main components:</p><ol><li><a href="#h_66175097011515412574853">First Stage</a></li><li><a href="#h_457417425101515412785268">Second Stage</a></li><li><a href="#h_990618292201515412794721" rel="noreferrer" title="Octopus">Octopus&#xA0;(a redundant second stage)</a></li><li>Hoses</li></ol><p>&#xA0;</p><h2 id="h_66175097011515412574853"><span class="wysiwyg-underline">First Stage</span></h2><p>The first stage does a lot of the work, converting your cylinder pressure from up to 300 bar down to usually somewhere between 9 and 10 bar, ready for your second stage to use it on demand. As with everything in this world you get what you pay for, with a more expensive first stage being able to deliver higher flow rates, respond faster to pressure drops and incorporate more features.</p><p>There are four main variations of a first stage design which are made up of the mechanism design (piston or diaphragm) and whether it is unbalanced or balanced.</p><p><strong>Design</strong><br>Piston and Diaphragm are simply two ways of doing the same basic thing but they do tend to lead in certain directions. Piston first stages are often fitted to seriously high-performance regulators with unbelievable flow rates, etc whereas diaphragm first stages, whilst still high performing, are more commonly found in cold and extreme cold water regulators because they are easier to protect.</p><p><strong>Balancing</strong><br>Un-balanced first stages are the simplest and are therefore cheaper but their performance&#xA0;is affected by the cylinder pressure as it drops and ambient pressure as you dive deeper. Balanced systems offer consistent performance by compensating for these two factors but this makes them more complicated and a little more expensive as result.</p><p><strong>Fitting</strong><br>Pretty much every regulator comes with the choice of either a DIN or A-Clamp / Yoke fitting for connecting to your cylinder. The choice is purely personal but DIN is a safer fitting as it traps the sealing o-ring whilst A-Clamp / Yoke merely pushes against it which can mean it can be forced out under pressure. Choosing DIN has another advantage in that it can be temporarily converted to A-Clamp / Yoke using an inexpensive adaptor which means you can have the best of both worlds.</p><p><strong>Extras</strong><br>Everything beyond these basic elements is purely extra but in the same way a basic spec car is essentially the same as the top of the line version feels better to drive, it definitely feels nicer to dive with a high spec regulator.</p><p>Some extras you are likely to come across are:</p><ul><li><span class="wysiwyg-underline">Environmental Seal</span> - Totally seals off the internal components from the outside water, protecting them from contamination and the cold. More likely to be found on a diaphragm first stage but there are piston first stages available with it. It&apos;s a must if you plan on diving in water temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius to reduce your risk of a freeflow.</li><li><span class="wysiwyg-underline">Heat Exchanger Fins</span> - These fins increase the surface area of the first stage to help dissipate the cold that is generated as the air in the cylinder decompresses, helping to reduce the risk of a free flow under extreme use.</li><li><span class="wysiwyg-underline">Swivelling Turrets</span> - Low pressure swivelling turrets allow for a bit of extra freedom and movement.</li><li><span class="wysiwyg-underline">Coatings</span> - Most first stages are made from marine brass which is then chrome plated to provide a bit of extra protection. Tougher and more durable coatings such as &#xA0;Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) can be found on higher spec regulators.</li></ul><p>&#xA0;</p><h2 id="h_457417425101515412785268"><span class="wysiwyg-underline">Second Stage</span></h2><p>The second stage has the job of bringing the intermediate pressure down to a pressure that you can breathe as and when you need it.&#xA0;You are likely to only&#xA0;come across two variations in how this is achieved, using either a downstream unbalanced or balanced valve. Upstream valves are very few and far between because they don&apos;t offer an important safety feature that downstream valves provide... If they freeflow a downstream valve will be forced open with the increased flow whereas an upstream valve is effectively forced shut in this situation (ie. not providing air!).</p><p>With regards to the unbalanced and balanced side of things, the same principles apply in that performance is consistent throughout the dive with a balanced second stage.</p><h4 id="extrasas-with-the-first-stage-a-higher-specification-second-stage-with-more-features-is-nicer-to-dive-with-than-a-basic-model-but-it-will-do-the-same-job-here-are-some-of-the-extras-you-are-likely-to-come-across"><strong>Extras<br></strong>As with the first stage, a higher specification second stage with more features is nicer to dive with than a basic model but it will do the same job. Here are some of the extras you are likely to come across:</h4><ul><li><span class="wysiwyg-underline">Diver Adjustable Inhalation / Cracking Resistance</span> - This allows the diver to adjust the inhalation effort required to open the valve and let air flow through. This is purely the first bit of effort as more second stages are designed to assist with the airflow for a more responsive breathe. Bear in mind that the factory default is the optimal setting and you can only increase the effort required to open the valve.</li><li><span class="wysiwyg-underline">Venturi</span> - This has a lot of different terms and implementations but the basic principle is that an area of low pressure is created behind the second stage diaphragm to help pull it inwards, pushing the valve lever down and opening the valve wider. Some regulators have an adjuster, some are automatic and some are pre-configured.</li><li><span class="wysiwyg-underline">Heat Exchangers</span> - Some cold water approved second stages have finned sleeves over the hose inlet to help dissipate the cold in the same way as mentioned for the first stage.</li><li><span class="wysiwyg-underline">Metal Components</span> - Some second stages use metal valve barrels and/or housings to improve cold-water performance as the metal has a higher thermal transfer characteristic than plastic. As a further upgrade, Carbon-based regulators are both lighter plastic and better at transferring heat than metal.</li><li><span class="wysiwyg-underline">Coatings</span> - High specification models may feature PVD coated elements to improve their aesthetics and increase the resistance against scratches and scuffs.</li></ul><p>&#xA0;</p><h2 id="h_990618292201515412794721"><span class="wysiwyg-underline">Octopus (Alternate Air Source / Alternate Second Stage)</span></h2><p>An <a href="https://www.mikesdivestore.com/collections/diving-regulators/Octopus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Octopus">Octopus</a> is simply a modified version of a standard second stage that has been fitted with a longer hose to make it easier to donate it to your buddy in an out of air situation and also with high visibility yellow panels to make it more obvious.</p><p>When it comes to buying an octopus the temptation is to opt for the cheapest one you can get but think about when it is likely to be used in earnest. A diver that you are donating it to in an out-of-air situation is not necessarily going to be as absolutely calm as they could be and is likely to be breathing at a harder and higher rate than normal until the situation has calmed down a bit. Do your buddy a favour and choose an octopus that has a reasonable performance level and flow rate, they certainly appreciate it when sucking on it to get their breathe back.</p><h2 id>&#xA0;</h2><h2 id="hoses"><span class="wysiwyg-underline">Hoses</span></h2><p>Not all regulator hoses are created equal! There are three regulator hose types:</p><ul><li><span class="wysiwyg-underline">Basic rubber hose</span> - These are stiff, heavy and prone to deterioration when exposed to UV, etc.&#xA0;</li><li><span class="wysiwyg-underline">Rubber hoses with a larger internal diameter</span> - referred to as superflow or something similar, have the same basic construction and problems with rubber hoses but the larger internal diameter offers better performance and flow rates</li><li><span class="wysiwyg-underline">Braided hoses</span> - These are lighter, have a higher burst pressure (improved safety) are much more flexible and are more resistant to UV and contamination damage. More and more manufacturers fit <a href="https://www.mikesdivestore.com/collections/miflex-dive-hoses" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Braided Hoses">braided hoses</a> as standard now.</li></ul><p>&#xA0;</p><h2 id="nitrox--enriched-air"><span class="wysiwyg-underline">Nitrox / Enriched Air</span></h2><p>If you plan on diving with nitrox / enriched air gas mixes you are going to need to take note of the out of the box oxygen compatibility percentage. Most regulators are compatible with an oxygen content of up 40% which will be more than sufficient for most divers.</p><p>Beyond that point, you&apos;ll need to look for a dedicated <a href="https://www.mikesdivestore.com/collections/diving-regulators/nitrox-regulator" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Nitrox Regulators">Nitrox Regulator</a> that is compatible with oxygen percentages of up to 100%.</p><p>&#xA0;</p>

How to choose the best regulator

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