Looking for O2 equipment advice

I recently purchased an older Schweizer with a built in O2 system. The bottle is a Catalina and would need hydrostatic testing. The regulator is an older military type A-14 certified to 45,000 feet last overhauled in 2001. The mask is well worn and would need replacing. I would appreciate advice whether to bring the current system up to standard or chuck it and look at Mountain High equipment. I fly out of Truckee or Minden and plan to fly XC next summer and possibly wave in the fall. Is it possible to put together a Mountain High rig with bail out bottle to do all of that or would I need one system for XC and another for wave flying? Is it worth the time, effort, and money to overhaul the installed A-14 system?
Thanks

It depends on whether, and how often, you want to fly much above 18,000'
MSL. The A-14 system will be an oxygen hog but, properly functioning,
will take you about as high as you care to go. It's neither as
comfortable nor economical as a Mountain High system. Practically
speaking, you'll do a lot more cross country flying than high altitude
flying. For my dollar, I'd get the MH system and fly within its
altitude capabilities.

On 11/10/2015 10:11 PM, Dave White wrote:
I recently purchased an older Schweizer with a built in O2 system. The bottle is a Catalina and would need hydrostatic testing. The regulator is an older military type A-14 certified to 45,000 feet last overhauled in 2001. The mask is well worn and would need replacing. I would appreciate advice whether to bring the current system up to standard or chuck it and look at Mountain High equipment. I fly out of Truckee or Minden and plan to fly XC next summer and possibly wave in the fall. Is it possible to put together a Mountain High rig with bail out bottle to do all of that or would I need one system for XC and another for wave flying? Is it worth the time, effort, and money to overhaul the installed A-14 system?
Thanks

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Dan, 5J

It is probably going to cost you roughly the same whichever way you go with it, so as dan stated, you need to decide what you want to do with the system. I overhauled my A-14 a few years ago, and it was in the ballpark of $6-700. You can certainly replace the mask with other surplus or new equipment, but should expect to spend $1-200 for a new high quality mask. I have found that some of the military masks can get painful on the bridge of your nose after wearing for a few hours, so that coupled with the A-14 sucking down O2 may drive you away from that route if you aren't searching for your double lennie.
Chris

It is probably going to cost you roughly the same whichever way you go with it, so as dan stated, you need to decide what you want to do with the system. I overhauled my A-14 a few years ago, and it was in the ballpark of $6-700. You can certainly replace the mask with other surplus or new equipment, but should expect to spend $1-200 for a new high quality mask. I have found that some of the military masks can get painful on the bridge of your nose after wearing for a few hours, so that coupled with the A-14 sucking down O2 may drive you away from that route if you aren't searching for your double lennie.
Chris