DIN valves are continuing to grow in popularity, even amongst recreational divers. Their first stages are much smaller and lighter which make it a preferred choice for divers that travel a lot.
The yoke valve has a clamp set-up to hold the first stage onto the pillar valve. It puts an A-shaped frame over the cylinder valve, which is then tightened by a knob-handled screw, pushing the first stage against a sealing o-ring on the face of the tank valve. These types of valves can handle a working pressure of up to 232 bar – a normal cylinder pressure for most recreational divers.
On the other hand, the DIN valve has a sealing o-ring inside the first stage. The male thread on the DIN valve screws into the tank valve, securing the o-ring firmly in place.
Which one you chose really comes down to personal preference. Consider what type of diving you wish to do and, if in doubt, speak to your local dive shop – they often have a large range of regulators to view and test!