All around good recreational reg?

[halocline]

Yep, the scuba industry uses fear to sell stuff all the time. My personal favorite is "buy this expensive reg (or whatever) because your life is worth it." What a load!

Actually, I think the worst thing would be total catastrophic failure, maybe due to some well meaning knucklehead over torqueing the turret bolt on some regs. Still, if you're diving with a trusted buddy (which is a foundation of rec diving) total failure should not be life threatening. And, if reg failure is really a concern, then you should consider the lowly MK2, with one moving part, no dynamic hp o-ring, and a downstream design that makes it virtually impossible for the reg to not supply air.

 

[thor1]

if i am reading this thread right you have dove a Titan and a couple of the other less expensive work horses? If you werent happy with the Titan, I am thinking that the regs that would make you happy are going to be out of your 300 dollar or less catagory and probably closer to 400 dollars. Ive have dove several different regs from AL including the Titan (which my wife still uses), several different models from Zeagle (im looking at a new envoy for my sons first reg) and Apeks (i am now diving an atx 200) all of these manufacturers have some very nice and reliable regs in the 300-400 dollar range that would suit your needs, but as i said if you weren't happy with the regs you've tried there isnt much under 300 dollars that are any better.

 

[HAOWDIVER]

Hi Divers. I just received my Mk25 and S555 in the mail, boy is the mk25 heavy duty haha. This is my first reg setup and ive yet to dive it but its sure looks like SP did their homework when they built this thing. Has anyone else dove a similar setup off the east coast of New Hampshire or Massachusetts/RI? The only concern I really have is if I am going to be doing diving in colder water, if anyone thinks i'll have any issues with this setup freeflowing or freezing. All the diving ive done has been in the Caribbean so I don't know what it's like at 60ft in the NE Atlantic. It would be great if anyone has dove around here and can give any advice or cautions any is much appreciated.

Also I was wondering if there was a way to get a user adjustment knob installed on the left side of the S555 to kind of make it like an S600 or if it is even possible to do. thanks

 

[HAOWDIVER]

also i was thinking about getting an R295 as an octo to go with it. any comments?

 

[squidster]

This sounds like a good reason not to buy anything from ScubaPro (like they are doing in South Florida lately) and get a Zeagle DSV or Envoy Deluxe which gives you free parts if you get it serviced every year and has rebuild kits available for $32.00 if you don't. SCUBA TOYS matched LP on my DSV and are an authorized dealer. SCUBA TOYS and Zeagle are making sense.

Scuba pro is a top notch Company.Any Company that offers free parts for life is not going to do that if you buy on the Grey Market,Including Zeagle!
And if you think that we are to believe that the entire South Florida Dive community is not using Scuba Pro,Let Me Tell you That i was just diving down there and i seen more Scuba Pro regs then Anything Else.
Not that there is anything wrong with Zeagle,they make comparable Quality Regs.

 

[dschonbrun]

I have an R295 Octo... Functions just fine when needed.

 

[neptune08]

Titan, Hands Down.

 

[squidster]

Hi Divers. I just received my Mk25 and S555 in the mail, boy is the mk25 heavy duty haha. This is my first reg setup and ive yet to dive it but its sure looks like SP did their homework when they built this thing. Has anyone else dove a similar setup off the east coast of New Hampshire or Massachusetts/RI? The only concern I really have is if I am going to be doing diving in colder water, if anyone thinks i'll have any issues with this setup freeflowing or freezing. All the diving ive done has been in the Caribbean so I don't know what it's like at 60ft in the NE Atlantic. It would be great if anyone has dove around here and can give any advice or cautions any is much appreciated.

Also I was wondering if there was a way to get a user adjustment knob installed on the left side of the S555 to kind of make it like an S600 or if it is even possible to do. thanks

Dont worry about a diver adjustible second,the s555 will do just as well.
I like the R190 octo because its bigger ,easy to find and the whole front is yellow.
Actually i use an air2 inflator instead of an octo.
i was trained to use the regular octo but i like less hoses and i think it makes more since.

 

[HAOWDIVER]

i hear the integrated octo/inflators are very awkward when your buddy needs air and at the same time u need to use the inflate/deflate buttons. Is this true? and would this make any difference with the standard controlled ascent with your buddy? i trained with a regular octo so just curious.

 

[Couv]

i hear the integrated octo/inflators are very awkward when your buddy needs air and at the same time u need to use the inflate/deflate buttons. Is this true? and would this make any difference with the standard controlled ascent with your buddy? i trained with a regular octo so just curious.

Hello Haowdiver,

You will see just as many opinions on using an Air II and similar devices as there are people in this forum (and to be honest, some of those opinions come from people who never used one.) I can only relate my experience with one. I used to teach diving and one of the shops sold the unit and asked me to incorporate it into the lesson for their students. After spending just a short period of time learning to use it I began to like it. I never had a problem teaching with it or using it for the exercises in the pool or open water. Now, having said that, I have never had a real world experience of having to use it in an ACTUAL out of air situation, just training. Others have suggested the use of a long hose primary and I have to agree that it makes sense.

FWIW, I no longer teach or sell equipment, but I still use on on my set up today 20 years after I first tried one and my kids rigs will have the same.

c