Buying cheap Regulator Set??

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ermaclob

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Location
Miami Dade County, Florida
# of dives
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I'm just about to finish my open water cert. and am thinking on buying equipment after words. i would like to know if anyone knows a brand or place that sells an affordable regulator set (1st stage, 2x second stage, depth/psi gage), or if it would be cheaper to buy separately.

my optimistic price range is 150-220 dollars...... but realistically 230-280

all i can fined in google is 300+:shakehead::(

also is this a good BCD; "Tusa 2100 BCD" (no url posting yet)

thanks
 
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One thing that I personally didn't realize when I started looking into getting regs is the service. Regs should be serviced every year and will cost anywhere from $80 - $150 (I'm sure others could be more specific).

I was hoping to get away with buying everything used for < $300 and soon realized there was no point since in 2-3 years I would spend that much on service and still have a crappy reg set. I waited until I knew I wanted a better reg set and spent the extra money on a set of HOG regs. Unless you have a specific reason not to, rent for now since your regs won't be any better then rented regs anyway.

tl;dr Buy quality. You need your regs to live so don't buy cheap.
 
One thing that I personally didn't realize when I started looking into getting regs is the service. Regs should be serviced every year and will cost anywhere from $80 - $150 (I'm sure others could be more specific).

I was hoping to get away with buying everything used for < $300 and soon realized there was no point since in 2-3 years I would spend that much on service and still have a crappy reg set. I waited until I knew I wanted a better reg set and spent the extra money on a set of HOG regs. Unless you have a specific reason not to, rent for now since your regs won't be any better then rented regs anyway.

tl;dr Buy quality. You need your regs to live so don't buy cheap.

? what is the difference between an expensive or nonexplosive reg?
 
Have you tried looking for used equipment yet? you should be able to get a better quality set for within your price range compared to what you would get if you purchased new equipment. :wink:
 
Take a look at the Oceanic Alpha 8 ($175), Oceanic Slimline ($60) and Tusa Compact Double Gauge ($95) at LeisurePro. Search through Bing shopping and you get 10% cash back. That should come in just below $300.

You could save a couple bucks and go with the Edge line of regs which come in around $200 with octo, but I would rather have the Oceanic personally.

I am sure some on here will advocate used, but if you buy used plan on around $50 for a servicing.
 
Save your money and buy right the first time. Honestly, to buy a piece of gear, just to have that piece of gear, is not really worth it.

And as a novice diver, I honestly think you will get more out of your own BCD than a regulator. Take the money you were going to use on a regulator and get a BCD that you feel comfortable in.

Before settling in on a specific BCD, figure out what you wish to do overall and go there. I wanted to eventually do Tech Diving so I went with back plate and wing. Also, some diveshops let you try a BCD before you buy it if they have a pool (my LDS is moving into a new place w/ pool specifically for this reason).
 
Take a look at the Oceanic Alpha 8 ($175), Oceanic Slimline ($60) \

??????let me ask, this has been bothering me for a wile...what is the differences between 2nd stage and alternative air 2nd stages other then color and purpose. alternative seem cheaper cant i just buy 2 cheaper yellow ones?
 
? what is the difference between an expensive or nonexplosive reg?
Expensive regs cost a lot.

Non-explosive regs...well...errrr...don't explode. I suppose that nonexplosive regs could be either expensive or inexpensive. :wink:

If you're asking about the difference between an expensive reg (top-of-the-line) and a more modestly priced reg in the middle of the line from a given manufacturer...there will be features that vary and this may/may not significantly affect performance.

I would recommend that you rent regs for a few post-certification dives in order to get some experience with using different brands/models of regs. You'll find that you might like how compact/lightweight a reg is (good for traveling), how "natural" breathing from it feels, whether it has an inhalation adjustment knob on the side, or whether your exhaust bubbles are deflected properly away from your field of vision.

An important thing to do before making your reg purchase is to ensure that a trustworthy local reg tech can service it for you. Reg tuning can make a world of difference in breathing performance. An expensive reg can under-perform if it's tuned improperly or requires servicing. The reality of the situation is that often middle-of-the-road regs can be tuned/serviced to perform pretty darn well by a competent reg tech.

Some reg manufacturers will try to distinguish their offerings by providing a "lifetime warranty" which includes the cost of overhaul parts. One still has to pay for the labor associated with cleaning the chrome parts and installing the o-rings/seats in the overhaul kit. The free-overhaul-parts-for-life policy (provided you service the regs on a manufacturer-specified timetable) may or may not be a good deal in the long run. Some people are comfortable stretching out the recommended interval by performing more frequent functional reg checks on their own. This usually results in voiding the free-overhaul-parts-for-life, but they still might save a few bucks in the long run. Others will purchase the overhaul kits and do a DIY overhaul. The vast majority of divers regard the reg setup as a magical "black box" that is "life support" equipment and should only be cleaned/adjusted by a pro. For a beginner diver making a first reg purchase, it's probably best to find a good reg tech and have him do the reg overhauls according to the manufacturer-recommended interval.

In most cases, buying a used regulator makes a lot of sense if you know how to service it yourself. If you are considering buying a used reg setup and you lack the knowledge to assess the value/condition of the gear, then take it to an honest, competent reg tech in your local area before making the purchase. You should learn how much it will cost to get the reg into a dive-able condition. The cost of labor and overhaul parts may surprise you. Add the servicing cost to the seller's advertised price and compare that number to how much a new reg setup costs. Understand that, in general, the original manufacturer's warranty is non-transferable to secondhand buyers.
 
Expensive regs cost a lot.

Non-explosive regs...well...errrr...don't explode. I suppose that nonexplosive regs could be either expensive or inexpensive. :wink:

from my research on Google explosive regs cost alot more then nonexplosive. ?? just dont see the recen behind nonexplosive

thanks for the info on regular regulators though.
 
One thing that I personally didn't realize when I started looking into getting regs is the service. Regs should be serviced every year and will cost anywhere from $80 - $150 (I'm sure others could be more specific).

I was hoping to get away with buying everything used for < $300 and soon realized there was no point since in 2-3 years I would spend that much on service and still have a crappy reg set. I waited until I knew I wanted a better reg set and spent the extra money on a set of HOG regs. Unless you have a specific reason not to, rent for now since your regs won't be any better then rented regs anyway.

tl;dr Buy quality. You need your regs to live so don't buy cheap.

Where in the world do you guys have your regs serviced? I've never paid more than 35 to 45 dollars for servicing, parts included!
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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