What Reg Do You Recomend

[YOUDUKE]

I just started but would like one that is dependeble and easy to breath with. Dont wont to have to upgrade for a while and would like to have one that is a good brand name that can be worked on and serviced most anywere if need be. thanks .maybe 3 to 400 dollar range.
I mostly will do sping diving maybe some ocean thanks again

[Vie]

Scubapro MK25/G250 HP.

[StSomewhere]

Apeks. ATX40/DS4 or ATX50/DS4.

[ScubaSarus]

I second the Scuba Pro from a LDS since you get great service after the sale.

[Quarrior]

Zeagle DSV and DX second stage. Made in Florida and lifetime warranty. Awesome reg for any diving conditions, water temp, or murky water.

[WileEDiver]

I'm real happy with my Atomic Aquatics B2. It's a little over your price point, but with only having to do an "annual" service every 2 years, you'd make that difference up pretty quickly.

[aquaoren]

Just to give you a different perspective, I'd recommend considering the Mares MR22/Abyss. :D

[Spoon]

get the apeks atx 100/atx20

[ScubaSarus]

Wow All of us have practically suggested a diff reg. Now he's as cunfused as ever. May I also suggest the Sherwood Maximus

[Spoon]

Wow All of us have practically suggested a diff reg. Now he's as cunfused as ever. May I also suggest the Sherwood Maximus

i know the feeling. i had the same problem when i joined this board:) what helped me was that i had one clearly in mind before posting for advice

[YOUDUKE]

I was going to go with the sherwood maximus but had read a bad review somewhere on it. That got me trying to find out about others I will keep all these in mind and try to reserch some more. Any more recomendations are apreciated.

[Spoon]

I was going to go with the sherwood maximus but had read a bad review somewhere on it. That got me trying to find out about others I will keep all these in mind and try to reserch some more. Any more recomendations are apreciated.

bro you cant go wrong with apeks or scubapro. either or and your fine. most of these regs nowadays are made to high standards. its a matter of preference from here. but from where im from, the apeks line is the most popular especially with the tech diving community.

[Mverick]

Scuba Pro MK25 is a great reg. But, I don't trust it in cold water. I have 2 of em. Had them under Ice with no problems. But, I've seen others have a lot of problems.

Apeks anything is great in Cold and warm water. Cheap and good is the TX50/DS4. Or for a smaller second stage ATX50/DS4. TX100 and ATX200's are great also. If you want to spend more money for the same performance of the DS4.

ScubaPro can be worked on Anywhere. Apeks should be able to also. But definately more ScubaPro shops...

That's what I use. Never used an Atomic. Heard they are great. Same with Zeagle. Do know Apeks are great regs though... Sherwood Blizzard is a good reg. But not in the same league as the Apeks..

[Jarrett]

I was in your shoes a month ago. I read and read and looked at reviews and posted questions and polls and got tons of answers. This forum tends to like ScubaPro and Apeks regs mostly with Atomic and Zeagle coming in a somewhat distant second. All 4 of those score well on the various reviews. (Check out the regulator articles on www.scubadiving.com under the grear/regulator section) What I gleened from all this "research" was that modern days regs don't suck. Most of them are fairly good. Some are slightly better than others.

Anyway, I posted this poll:

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=107553

I didn't include Apeks in my poll because I didn't have access to them locally. But based on the feedback on the poll, I went into my LDS certain I was going to buy two ScubaPro MK25/S600's. Fortunately or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, they only had one at the time. So we purchased one SP reg and one Oceanic Delta3 Titanium setup.

We jump in the pool at ScubaToys to try out the new equipment and I quickly notice that at 11 feet my ScubaPro Mk25/S600 was not giving me as much air as I was hoping to receive. I am sure it was enough air, but for a big guy and newbie like me it gives me comfort to feel like my regulator is delivering a bunch to me. So for reference I swapped regs with my daughter's Oceanic and it was giving me much more air at 11 feet. I was immediately more comfortable with it. Luckily, ScubaToys let me swap my ScubaPro reg out for the Oceanic and that's the one I am using now.

Now the quesion arises, did I get the right reg? If you ask the forum which regulator you should buy, the Oceanic won't come up most likely. In fact, I have seen it called a cheap, low end regulator by some. But under the water where it counted, I felt a lot better about it than the more expensive and highly reguarded ScubaPro. I have been in the water with it about 20 times now but only down to 33 feet so far and I am still liking this Oceanic a lot.

I'm not recommending any specific regulator for you here. My point is, if you can only go by people's opinions to buy a reg then buying what they recommend is your only way to go. But if at all possible, try to get in the water with some of them and you might be surprised at which you choose personally. I was.

[jonnythan]

The thing to take home from this is that any manufacturer's high-end regulators work well and are very reliable.

*I* suggest that you make your choice based on the recommendations of your favorite shop and your pocketbook.

[Duckgill]

Well, Scubasarus is correct in saying everyone had a different view. But, Apeks came up more than once. And Apeks is owned by the famous U.S. Divers aka. Aqua Lung. I have used U.S. Divers equipment since the 1970's and it has always been reliable. I did up grade in 2004 to an Auqa Lung Lengend LX. I upgraded from a U.S.Divers Calypso III purchased in the early 70's. It still works and I still have it and can get service on it. It's your choice and preference but you might look at the Apeks or an Auqa Lung Titan or the Titan LX. I'm like you in the sense that I don't like having to buy new equipment every couple of years.

[halocline]

We jump in the pool at ScubaToys to try out the new equipment and I quickly notice that at 11 feet my ScubaPro Mk25/S600 was not giving me as much air as I was hoping to receive. I am sure it was enough air, but for a big guy and newbie like me it gives me comfort to feel like my regulator is delivering a bunch to me. So for reference I swapped regs with my daughter's Oceanic and it was giving me much more air at 11 feet. I was immediately more comfortable with it. Luckily, ScubaToys let me swap my ScubaPro reg out for the Oceanic and that's the one I am using now.


Something's really strange about this, because the MK25/s600 delivers WAAAYY more air than it is humanly possible to breathe, no matter how big you are. I can guarantee you that the Oceanic does not deliver more air; maybe you had the 2nd stage adjustment set so that the reg would breathe harder or the reg was seriously out of tune, or for whatever reason at the time you were using the SP your state of mind and/or physiology was different causing you to have some sort of reaction about not being able to breathe easily enough..who knows. As long as you got the reg you want, you're set. People sometimes criticize the MK25 for having too high a flow (something around 5 times the capacity of the most high performance 2nd stages available under full freeflow) so I'm certain your problem was not the reg's capacity.

[Mark Vlahos]

Pick a regulator from any of the major manufacturers. Choose a regulator that is in the middle of their product line or higher. Choose one that is not gimmicky, stay away from ones that are far more expensive because they are slightly lighter. Exotic aluminum alloys or titanium are almost always not worth the extra money, and in some cases do not hold up well over the years. ScubaPro and Aqualung both have histories of continuing to provide parts for regulators that are very old. If you plan on keeping your new regulator for the next twenty years this might be a big factor.

One factor that is often overlooked is the long term cost of ownership. Some regulator manufacturers have "parts for life" policies. Typically when you get the regulator serviced every year, you pay for the labor but the parts are free. If you miss one service interval you are usually out of the program, and you will need to start paying for parts. Parts may cost you as little as $10 per stage, or $30 for a typical set, or as much as $25 per stage, or $75 for a typical set. These parts costs are in addition to the cost of the labor. ScubaPro has a policy where if you miss any service intervals you can buy yourself back into the program by paying the parts cost once, and on the next yearly service you are back in the program. In all of the cases you need to save the recipts and warranty cards or booklets from EVERY service to prove that you are the original ownner and that you are current on the service.

In my opinion it is usually cost efective to spend a few dollars more to get a regulator in one of the "parts for life" programs and keep current on the service, rather than save a few bucks but need to spend extra with every service. It is your choice, but be informed. Ask the shop what the cost of service for each regulator you are considering is. Once you know this cost factor out the total cost of ownership for five years and make any price comparisons based on purchase price PLUS the cost of maintenance for five years.

If you are looking for brand names many other posts have given you those. I have either owned or used as rentals ScubaPro, Apeks, US Divers (now Aqualung), Zeagle, Oceanic. I have been diving with people who have been using DiveRite, Atomic, Mares. Any of these brands will be worth considering, as well as other major brands that I have not mentioned. Take your time, and make your choice based on price and solid proven designs from good companies. If anything I would probably stay away from flashy regulators and choose one that looks relatively normal and like all of the competition.

Good Luck,

Mark Vlahos

[Jarrett]

or for whatever reason at the time you were using the SP your state of mind and/or physiology was different causing you to have some sort of reaction about not being able to breathe easily enough..who knows.

Heh, I like this theory. It CAN'T be the reg, I'm just too dumb to breathe :)

[jonnythan]

Heh, I like this theory. It CAN'T be the reg, I'm just too dumb to breathe :)
No one said that.

However, I believe that there is no chance whatsoever that the reg was incapable of delivering the amount of air you wanted. There are many possible explanations, including the reg being out of tune.

[Jarrett]

Exotic aluminum alloys or titanium are almost always not worth the extra money, and in some cases do not hold up well over the years.

Ah, I should have mentioned that in my post. I wouldn't have gone with the titanium setup had it not been less expensive than the non-titanium ScubaPro, Atomic and top of the line Zeagle regs. I figured since I could get titanium for less than non-titanium, it was worthwhile for me in this case.

[msedivingdoc]

Just a quick reminder to a new buyer...online purchases of scubapro and some other regs will not come with the free parts deal. Read the online schpeal if you agree buy online. Since I like to have mine worked on @ LDS that is where I have to buy my next reg.... wish someone had told me before I bought. BTW I just wanted to let him know, not turn this into a online vs LDS thread... there are plenty of those, just do a search if curious.

[Jarrett]

There are many possible explanations, including the reg being out of tune.

That could be possible. I didn't ask Larry at ScubaToys if these new regs were properly setup when he sold them to me. I just made the assumption since its ScubaToys and pretty much everyone agrees they are one of the better stores in business that all was fine.

[Wreck]

I second the Scuba Pro from a LDS since you get great service after the sale.

That's only relative - depends on the shop, the day, the proprietor, the reg tech, and how much business you do with them.

ScubaPro has a lot of market penetration here in the States, you should not be having a problem getting it serviced in most places. If you buy a reg from an LDS, they should be able to service it.

[Wreck]

Zeagle DSV and DX second stage. Made in Florida and lifetime warranty. Awesome reg for any diving conditions, water temp, or murky water.

Zeagles used to be made by Apeks, not sure if they have their own manufacturer and custom designs now or what.

[Web Monkey]

We jump in the pool at ScubaToys to try out the new equipment and I quickly notice that at 11 feet my ScubaPro Mk25/S600 was not giving me as much air as I was hoping to receive. I am sure it was enough air, but for a big guy and newbie like me it gives me comfort to feel like my regulator is delivering a bunch to me. So for reference I swapped regs with my daughter's Oceanic and it was giving me much more air at 11 feet. I was immediately more comfortable with it. Luckily, ScubaToys let me swap my ScubaPro reg out for the Oceanic and that's the one I am using now.


It may have been mis-adjusted, or maybe the tank wasn't turned on all the way. The Mk25/600 has a huge flow rate and will supply more air than you could possibly breathe.

Terry

[Wreck]

Something's really strange about this, because the MK25/s600 delivers WAAAYY more air than it is humanly possible to breathe, no matter how big you are. I can guarantee you that the Oceanic does not deliver more air; maybe you had the 2nd stage adjustment set so that the reg would breathe harder or the reg was seriously out of tune, or for whatever reason at the time you were using the SP your state of mind and/or physiology was different causing you to have some sort of reaction about not being able to breathe easily enough..who knows. As long as you got the reg you want, you're set. People sometimes criticize the MK25 for having too high a flow (something around 5 times the capacity of the most high performance 2nd stages available under full freeflow) so I'm certain your problem was not the reg's capacity.

Most every regulator should deliver plenty of air above 100'. If you are able to overbreath your reg under stress-free diving conditions, something is certainly not right with your reg.

A lot of second stages have cracking pressure adjustment knobs that can make the reg so sensitive that it will nearly free-flow. A Venturi lever (AKA pre-dive/dive lever) will assist in shoving air into your mouth once the valve is cracked open and air flow begins for each breath. Many upper-end (but still within your price range) regs will have this feature. I find it most useful when diving against current or scootering as both can cause your reg to freeflow via the pressure against the purge button depending on the reg's sensitivity.

[StSomewhere]

Well, Scubasarus is correct in saying everyone had a different view. But, Apeks came up more than once. And Apeks is owned by the famous U.S. Divers aka. Aqua Lung. Funny how people have different perceptions of brands. I have an Apeks TX50/TX40/DST and the one downside to this IMO is that Apeks is owned by Aqualung which means I have to deal with the Aqualung America bull**** internet/mailorder policies, since I live in the good ol' US of A.

OTOH, its been a good set so far, and seems like it would be very easy to get serviced around the world if need be (which IIRC is what youduke originally asked, not just what everyone's favorite was).

If I had been able to find a Zeagle shop at the time I first bought my regs I would almost certainly own a ZX/Flathead-VI instead.


Zeagles used to be made by Apeks, not sure if they have their own manufacturer and custom designs now or what.That was true once, but hasn't been the case since maybe 1999 or 2000 (whenever it was that Aqualung bought Apeks). The ZX/Flathead-VI is a different (modified?) design and its WOB numbers are actually superior to the Apeks/Aqualung lines, go figure.

[Wreck]

I just started but would like one that is dependeble and easy to breath with. Dont wont to have to upgrade for a while and would like to have one that is a good brand name that can be worked on and serviced most anywere if need be. thanks .maybe 3 to 400 dollar range.
I mostly will do sping diving maybe some ocean thanks again

If diving springs leads to cave diving, which it usually does, you will be entering a realm requiring specialized gear and training. If you think that might be in your future, it would be good to look at what that crowd uses so you don't end up getting equipment you will have to upgrade/replace in the future. First off, buy a first stage that can route hoses cleanly down along the tank.

Most new buyers just want to be told they're getting a really good reg - it's the psychological "feel-good" factor when they're not sure which one is better. Those annual regulator ratings are nice, but mainly window dressing. The average user is not going to notice the difference for which he/she just paid an extra $200 for one reg over a similar one. Get a reg that's been proven. Apeks and Scubapro have been there and continue to get the job done.

My personal favorite is Apeks because I prefer:
1.) An environmental seal (diaphragm) to keep water-borne debris out
2.) Cold-water performance
3.) Deliver plenty of air during stressed moments
4.) Clean/streamlined hose routing for technical configurations
5.) Compact and clean (less of a snag potential)
6.) Proven reputation among those who dive the extremes.

That's not to say Apeks has the best reg for you, it depends on what you plan to do with it.

[dustbowl diver]

Many of today's regulators are built to be replaced, not serviced. Consider what the regulator is made up of and factor that into your decision. I went inexpensive for my first purchase, a TUSA set up from our very own ScubaToys. I am very happy with it, but know that I will want to upgrade at some point.

I am leaning toward the retro movement as a good many of these dependable models don't contain the amount of plastic found in today's itterations

[markfm]

Something supported by your LDS is generally a good idea. I bought mine local (Sherwood Maximus), very happy with it. The LDS will know local conditions, (where I am there's a fair amount of cold water diving, and the Maximus does well at that) and it cna be REALLY nice to be able to pop in to the LDS for tuning or follow-up questions.
(Nothing against Internet purchases, just that I have a better comfort level buying some things right where I live)

[kjgoh]

Using US Diver Cousteau 1st Stg, and Mirca Adj 2nd Stg. Love the performance, as well as the build and the size of the 2nd Stg. Would love to have a APEKS soon......

[treedawg]

Atomic regs are great. I own the Z1 and am very happy with it. My Girlfriend dives a MK25/ G250 and at 93 feet I can't tell a difference between the 2. The Z1 is 150 dollars cheaper locally. That helped drive my decision.

[Jarrett]

Something supported by your LDS is generally a good idea. I bought mine local (Sherwood Maximus), very happy with it. The LDS will know local conditions, (where I am there's a fair amount of cold water diving, and the Maximus does well at that) and it cna be REALLY nice to be able to pop in to the LDS for tuning or follow-up questions. (Nothing against Internet purchases, just that I have a better comfort level buying some things right where I live)


This is great advice. Visit all your LDS's. Pick one that gives you the warm and fuzzies and establish a relationship with them. Then get their recommendation on a reg for your diving needs for your area. If they give you a few to choose from, breathe on them if you can. Rent them each if you can and try them under water. Pick one and go :)

[scoufr]

Same considertions here.... same level of confusion.

I'm essentially choosing between APEKS TX-50 (if I can find) or ATX-50, or SP 550. (sure , I like the extra adjustment knob on the 600, but don't know if I can motivate the extra monet).

I have seen some debate about the SP 1st stage: mk16 or 25... adding to the confusion.

So, instead of asking "which is better" (which seems to generate a lot of list of what people have themselves (thus, better as neither one of us wants to buy 'less good') - I'll ask the question like this:

between the Apeks(A)TX 50 and the SP 550(possibly 600): are there any features on one of them that you do not like, and if so - why?

(*PUH* I think i almost made a syntaxical knot on myself there now!:) :D)

[dirthead]

I have a ScubaPro MK25/S600, a Zeagle ZX Flathead XP, and an Apeks ATX200. The ScubaPro and Zeagle breathe the same. Both very well, but there is a very slight amount of effort to overcome the cracking resistance of the second stage....VERY SLIGHT. The Apeks ATX200 breathes better. There is virtually no effort needed to overcome the cracking resistance. It is the most like taking a normal breath outside. I also like the metal adjustment knob on the Apeks, versus the plastic ones on the ScubaPro and Zeagle, and I like the hose routing of the Apeks a little better. I have all three to choose from, and the ATX200 is my first choice, followed by the ScubaPro, then the Zeagle. I have heard that the ATX50, ATX100, and ATX200 all breathe the same, so you could go with any of those and have the same breathing performance.

[scubadiver180]

I just started but would like one that is dependeble and easy to breath with. Dont wont to have to upgrade for a while and would like to have one that is a good brand name that can be worked on and serviced most anywere if need be. thanks .maybe 3 to 400 dollar range.
I mostly will do sping diving maybe some ocean thanks again

Zeagle Regulators are always a great way to go. Zeagle makes very reliable regulators as well as offers a lifetime warranty. The Zeagle Flathead XP is a little more then your price range at $450 from Divers Direct but with its performance underwater it’s more then worth it.

[StSomewhere]

between the Apeks(A)TX 50 and the SP 550(possibly 600): are there any features on one of them that you do not likeThe fist stage turrets are not nearly as useful for single tank diving as you might think. Skip the Apeks DST first stage, and get a DS4 first stage since it will actually save you a little money over the DST.

I like the bubble dispersion of the TX50 second stage for my primary, I wish I had the ATX50 second stage for my bungeed backup vs another TX (in my case a TX40) since I find the wider exhaust is more bulky than necessary under my chin.

YMMV.

[scoufr]

Skip the Apeks DST first stage, and get a DS4 first stage since it will actually save you a little money over the DST

Thanks. Here's a stupic question - many times 1st and 2nd stages are sold together here. Does that mean they are normally specially adapted to each other, or could one mix brands and designs freely without compromising quality?

*newbie to all technical stuf...*

[DA Aquamaster]

Most first and second stages operate with an intermediate pressure in the 120 to 150 psi range and are generally speaking compatible with each other. A second stage does not know or care what brand of first stage is sending it air, it is only conerned that the air is arriving at the correct intermediate pressure.

That being said though, some adjustment may be required to prevent a freeflow and some adjustment is almost always required to tune the second stage to the first stage in order to get peak performance. Those statements hold true even for regs that are made by the same company but are purchased separately.

A potential problem with mixing brands is that you then need to find a shop that servcies both brands to get a proper annual service.

[Paddy_1]

Hi scoufr,

I'd say that you probably can mix different makers if they have compatible intermediate pressures. If you have not tried yet I'd advise to go to a pool and try there, then go diving with your buddy close to you just in case. I've made quite a few dives with different maker's 1st and 2nd stages. If they are worse than a dedicated. one (only 1 maker) is something I do not really know. We will wait for somebody with more knowledge to enlighten us.

My 2 cents

Paddy

[StSomewhere]

Thanks. Here's a stupic question - many times 1st and 2nd stages are sold together here. Does that mean they are normally specially adapted to each other, or could one mix brands and designs freely without compromising quality?The DST (turret) and DS4 first stages are functionally identical. They even have the same rebuild kit. Any Apeks first stage will work with any Apeks 2nd stage, they are just bundled together in packages to be sold as a set. But any Apeks dealer (including mine!) can order whatever combination you are looking for.

I couldn't tell you about Scubapro or other regs, but I'd assume it'd be similar in terms of first/second stage interchangability?


*newbie to all technical stuf...*I'm by *no* means a tech expert, I'm learning all this as I go along. I do like the Apeks stuff, and have come to appreciate it more as I learn more.