I agree: don't get hung up on the manufacturer. Every manufacturer has specific items that they are known for. I currently use Scubapro and Atomic Aquatics regulators. But, I still have very fond memories of my old Mares MR12II. And it still lives on as my pony bottle regulator. Every manufacturer has recalled products and periods of quality control issues. Definitely keep on top of those things.
But look at gear from many manufacturers. Choose the items that you feel most comfortable with from manufacturers you trust. There is nothing wrong with choosing to use the best items from each manufacturer.
The question I get asked the most is "which regulator?" Here is what I tell them: Buy the best quality regulator that you can afford. It is probably the most important piece of equipment. But, don't obsess over it. If you can't afford the Super WhizBang Regulator, it's no big deal -> With modern materials and modern manufacturing methods, from all the well-established manufacturers, their lowest-end regulator is better quality than the high-end regulator they were making when I started diving.
---------- Post added September 3rd, 2014 at 10:10 AM ----------
AI - The #1 advantage of Air Integration is that "Air Time Remaining" number. When I'm paying a lot of money to travel, I want that number so I can get max bottom time. I watch that number, when it starts getting low, I come up a few feet. That reduces my air consumption and extends the remaining time. I can skirt that number all the way up until I am at the surface with the required reserve.
Adding AI is expensive. But if you can afford it, it really is a useful feature.
But look at gear from many manufacturers. Choose the items that you feel most comfortable with from manufacturers you trust. There is nothing wrong with choosing to use the best items from each manufacturer.
The question I get asked the most is "which regulator?" Here is what I tell them: Buy the best quality regulator that you can afford. It is probably the most important piece of equipment. But, don't obsess over it. If you can't afford the Super WhizBang Regulator, it's no big deal -> With modern materials and modern manufacturing methods, from all the well-established manufacturers, their lowest-end regulator is better quality than the high-end regulator they were making when I started diving.
---------- Post added September 3rd, 2014 at 10:10 AM ----------
I'd probably still get some argument, but a computer is now a mandatory piece of equipment IMHO. If you have to go cheap, get a simple computer that is easy for you to understand and operate. I agree that downloading or synchronization is the weak point on most computers. These features seem to be designed by diving engineers not computer engineers. They really ought to leave that sort of stuff to the real computer engineers. If I were designing it, they would all be WiFi or Bluetooth.
AI - The #1 advantage of Air Integration is that "Air Time Remaining" number. When I'm paying a lot of money to travel, I want that number so I can get max bottom time. I watch that number, when it starts getting low, I come up a few feet. That reduces my air consumption and extends the remaining time. I can skirt that number all the way up until I am at the surface with the required reserve.
Adding AI is expensive. But if you can afford it, it really is a useful feature.
