Should I buy one for travel?

I am just getting certified right now. I am wondering if I need to buy a regulator that I can trust for travel. I am going to the Philippines, and I don't know if I can trust their rental equipment. If I should buy, could you steer me towards a good travel companion that is tough, a good beginners setup (or should I say the price should be under $250 or so), and something that would work well in my home waters of Monterey??? THNX

I believe in the Philippines Scubapro is very popular. Go to scubatoys.com and get the Scubapro 190/Mk2 for $179.

Anywhere I travel that may include some diving, the very least amount of dive gear that I always bring is my regulator setup and air-integrated computer. I keep them in a separate bag and it's a carry-on staple. Do you need to bring your own reg setup? Certainly not. Is it a good idea? Definitely.

Since you are getting certified right now, you need to consider your perspective on diving. Are you going to jump in with both feet (no pun intended), or is this just something you wanted to try for a couple of times? If you have nay intention of sticking with it, you should prepare to invest in you own equipment (regs, bc, fins, weights, & wetsuit should be enough. You can always rent tanks).

With that in mind then you should do your homework and see what's best for you. Personally I'm a budget diver. I don't have the money for all the greatest gear and usually go for what has the best reviews and best prices. And to be honest, I have a hard time beleiving that one reg is so much better than another that it warrants an extra $200. Myself, I have a Cressi reg set up. I have no idea what model though - I forgot and I don't really care. All I know is that I'm happy with it and it continues to give me the air that I need, when I need it.

In fact I just happened to think,.. I still have a regulator that I bought when I was starting out that I never used. You are welcome to come and look at it if you want (I'm near Monterey too). It's an IST R-20 I think. It got good reviews from Rodalle's, but as soon as I got it I found a screaming deal on the reg set I have now. Anyways if you're interested, just send me a message.

Here's some info:
http://www.scuba.com/shop/product.asp?category=35&fromsearch=1&hashvalue=033492

I would recommend you budget yourself $500 - you may spend less, but you'll need:

-1st & 2nd stage regulator
-octopus
-BC hose
-pressure gauge
(& perhaps a reg bag; usually pretty cheap, sometimes free w/reg)

"Regulator" as a blanket term is misleading, and it can add up.

This is the minimum with which you should be diving, and if you get your own it should be complete. It is nice to have your own, since it's going in your mouth all the time, and you can be sure of where it's been and how well-serviced it is.

You'll probably want a depth gauge with the SPG as well. I just got a kicking zeagle setup for $440, but it doesnt have the extensive worldwide support Scuba Pro does.

Figure $110 for the gauges
$20 for the BC hose
$80 for the octo
Plus what ever you want to spend on a primary reg/ 1st stage

Where did you get the Zeagle setup? Online deal, or used?