Time to Test

On a sun-splashed Southern California morning last April the ScubaLab test team, aboard Body Glove’s dive boat Disappearance, skirted the eastern coastline of Santa Monica Bay, headed for the rocky cliffs of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Skipper Bob Meistrell eased his 64-foot vessel into a quiet spot on the edge of a massive kelp bed and dropped anchor on a sandy bottom in 40 feet of green water. The test team, comprised of six divers and one test coordinator, got ready to hit the water with this year’s new crop of regulators. There were 14 in all, running the gamut from economy to money’s-no-object. This was judgment day — the final of three test stages — and we couldn’t have asked for a better one. When all was said and done, we found what we were looking for — the year’s best breathers.

Hollis DC3/212

Features

An overbalanced diaphragm allows the reg’s intermediate pressure to progressively increase as depth and gas-density increase for consistent gas flow regardless of depth. The 212 second stage comes with Hollis’ Dynamic Adjustment that automatically maintains inhalation effort throughout the dive, along with a dive/predive switch. For comfort, the orthodontic mouthpiece has high-density tabs that so you can bite down without overclenching the jaw. This reg scored near-perfect breathing-machine performance and an ergo rating rivaling the most expensive regs. A sweet breather in all positions and extremely dry, test divers also liked the set-it-and-forget-it function of the Dynamic Adjustment.

Specifications

Bottom Line

A solid reg designed for a wide range of conditions, it delivers first-string performance at a reasonable price.