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You must ensure your breathing hose—the tube that delivers air to your mouth—is disconnected before you rotate the internal valve mechanism. We selected this model for our comparison because it includes a reversible demand valve, which is the part that opens to let air flow into the mouthpiece.
Reversible demand valve design allows for left and right handed configurations
The reversible demand valve allows the internal components to pivot, changing which side the exhaust and intake ports face. This is important for a second stage regulator because improper orientation can cause the breathing hose to kink or create resistance, making it harder to inhale during a dive. The Hollis 200LX features a pneumatically balanced PVD plated brass valve and an adjustable inhalation knob to maintain consistent flow. While the listing does not state if the breathing weight shifts during this swap, the reversible design is intended to keep the unit balanced regardless of the hose’s side.
What to Check Before Buying the Hollis 200LX
Verify these details to ensure the regulator fits your specific diving configuration before purchasing.
If you need a quick summary, see our final Hollis 200LX verdict.
- Check that the mouthpiece—the part you place in your mouth—is the correct size for your dental requirements.
- Ensure the exhaust channels are positioned to clear your face when the regulator is switched to a left-handed setup.
- Verify that your existing breathing hose length provides enough reach for your specific tank and buoyancy setup.
Choosing the Right Second Stage Regulator
A second stage regulator is the piece of equipment a diver holds in their mouth to breathe from a tank. The Hollis 200LX is a solid choice for a general-purpose diver who needs a reliable, balanced unit with easy installation features. If you require specialized sidemount configurations or a specific high-end engineering benchmark like the Apeks XTX, you might look for models with more specialized modularity. This unit is ideal for those who want a simple, reversible solution without needing to swap out multiple physical parts.
If you need a versatile regulator that accommodates both left and right-handed hose routing without requiring a full assembly swap, the Hollis 200LX is a practical choice.
The other second stage regulator guides we have published
- Which Second Stage Regulator Is Easy to Breathe for Intermediate Diving?
- The Second Stage Regulators That Serve as a Backup Breathing Device for Scuba
- Second Stage Regulators for Extreme Environments Compared
- Choosing the Best Scuba Regulator for Beginners
- The Second Stage Regulators That Work Best for Left Handed Divers
- Which Second Stage Regulator Is Best for a Full Face Diving Mask?

