Mares Dual Octo Regulator Normal Use

Follow the interval in your regulator's manual, since manufacturers commonly specify an annual inspection or a set number of dives and many warranties depend on it. A regulator is life-support equipment, so service belongs with a factory-trained technician rather than being attempted at home. Have it looked at sooner than scheduled if you notice increased breathing effort, free-flow, bubbles, or water in the second stage.

Make sure the dust cap is dry and firmly seated over the first-stage inlet before the regulator goes anywhere near water, because water inside the first stage is the leading cause of internal corrosion. Rinse in fresh water without pressing the purge button, since purging while depressurized can draw water back into the second stage. Shake out the water and hang it to dry with the hoses in wide, gentle loops rather than tight bends.

Regulators travel well and are usually best carried in hand luggage where they will not be crushed or lost. A regulator holds no gas of its own, so there is nothing inherently problematic about it on an aircraft, though the airline and security screeners always have the final say. Pack it dry with the dust cap in place, in a padded regulator bag or wrapped in soft gear.

Many modern regulators are supplied as suitable for nitrox mixes up to 40 percent oxygen, which is the widely used recreational industry standard, while anything above that requires dedicated oxygen-clean equipment and procedures. Confirm what your specific regulator's manual states, and follow your nitrox training and your fill station's requirements. Never assume a regulator is oxygen-service clean simply because it looks clean or is new.

A yoke (A-clamp) fitting clamps over the tank valve and is the most common connection across much of the recreational world, while a DIN fitting screws into the valve and is standard in much of Europe and in technical diving. DIN captures the o-ring inside the threads, which many divers consider more secure, but yoke is often what rental cylinders provide. Adapters exist in both directions, so check what is used where you dive before deciding.

The octopus is your backup second stage, carried so you can share air with a buddy who is out of gas, or breathe from it yourself if your primary fails or free-flows. It is normally on a longer, brightly colored hose so it is easy to find and hand over under stress. Secure it in the triangle between your chin and the bottom of your rib cage so it is instantly accessible and not dragging through sand or coral.

Store it fully dry, out of sunlight, with the dust cap in place and the hoses in wide loops rather than tightly coiled. Avoid hanging it by the second stages for long periods, which stresses the hose fittings; laying it flat in a padded bag or hanging it by the first stage is kinder. If it has sat unused for a long stretch, have it checked before your next trip rather than assuming it is ready to dive.

Yes. Mares marks the Octopus Dual as nitrox compatible on its product page. Mares does not publish a specific oxygen percentage limit for this second stage on that page, so confirm the mixes and any oxygen cleaning requirements in the official "Dual 2S (416275) / Dual Octopus (416570) Manual" and follow your training agency's procedures for the blend you plan to breathe.

It weighs 183 g. Mares achieves that figure with an ultra-lightweight technopolymer housing that it says considerably reduces the weight of the second stage. It weighs 183 g thanks to an ultra-lightweight technopolymer housing that Mares says considerably reduces the second stage's weight.

The purge button lets you flush water out of the second stage and start airflow before you breathe from it. Mares specifies a large purge button on the Octopus Dual and states that it guarantees maximum reliability and safety, which makes the button easy to locate and press quickly, including in the moment you hand the octopus to an out of gas buddy.

Mares lists the Octopus Dual under product code 416570, and this item ships as SKU 416570NR with barcode 194151130980. Mares publishes the matching documentation as the "Dual 2S (416275) / Dual Octopus (416570) Manual" in the regulators section of its charts and manuals downloads. Quote 416570 when ordering service parts so the technician matches the correct second stage.