Recommendations for a Regulator

I am new to the sport of diving and greatly enjoying my certification course. My most important piece of gear to purchase now is a regulator and I have found the offerings overwhelming. I enjoy doing research in large expense items before I decide what to purchase but lack direction when it comes to this item.

What brands should I stay away from?

Is there a good all around regulator for beginners that are looking for a quality product?

I understand this question may seem redundant to those who are familiar with the sport. Whatever feedback I get is appreciated.

i haven't look to much into regs. but if your buying new i cant see anything going bad. just make sure you can find info on the brand that makes it. ive come across what i call Generic regulators on ebay that are made in god knows where by ??? . i can never find any info about them so i can only assume that if it brakes and needs repair, it wont happen. as far as i can tell all repeatable brands make decent regs. but someone with more experience might say different

if your buying used however, make sure the reg is still serviceable. some older regs dont have a company to support them anymore, parts will be hard to find , example dacor. also make sure to add the cost of servicing them to the buying price. they need servicing.

The most recent thread on this topic I am aware of is
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/advanced-scuba-discussions/412014-need-new-octo.html
You can find some good answers to your question there.

Important points to consider seem to be
budget
available service point near to your home / intended dive sites
personal preferences
type of dives (cold water / travel by plane / ...)

If you decide to buy second hand regs be sure to have them serviced before use and add that cost to the price you pay when comaring prices.

You might want to check out Comparative Gear Reviews

I use Scubapro MK25 A700 definitely wonderful, s600 is also a choice.
Apeks XTX 200 is a great one too

TravisS.:

I am new to the sport of diving and greatly enjoying my certification course. My most important piece of gear to purchase now is a regulator and I have found the offerings overwhelming. I enjoy doing research in large expense items before I decide what to purchase but lack direction when it comes to this item.

What brands should I stay away from?

Is there a good all around regulator for beginners that are looking for a quality product?

I understand this question may seem redundant to those who are familiar with the sport. Whatever feedback I get is appreciated.

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What type of diving will you be doing? Local, just vacation, warm water, cold water, etc... There are factors that will affect your decision. If you just plan on travelling to warm water locations, then you're not going to need a environmentally sealed reg. But, if you eventually wanted to move into cold water diving, then you would want an environmentally sealed reg.
Also, no need to go to the top of the line ranges for any brand. Most of the time, the mid-range regs are exactly the same internally as the more expensive ones (just with less bling/bells and whistles that you don't need).
I personally use HOG regs. A few of my buddies use apex. My first reg set was an aqualung titan (which while great for warm water and travelling, not so great for cold water). If you want a great reg set at an affordable price, take a look into the hog and edge ranges. Also, don't forget you'll also need an spg at the same time you buy your reg set.

+1 for HOG regs. Divers typically get very loyal to their brand of regulator so youll likely get many opinions on this topic. Personaly I see no reason to buy any other reg except a HOG.

naim06:

I use Scubapro MK25 A700 definitely wonderful, s600 is also a choice.
Apeks XTX 200 is a great one too

Click to expand...

I'm also using the Scubapro MK25 A700...awesome reg, if it's within your budget. Some prefer the s600 because it's lighter.

OH! ..and Scubapro is the BEST because I use it

I have a Hollis 212 and an Atomic B2. Both have always performed flawlessly.

Scubatoys has a nice deal on their Hollis regs...get a free second stage when purchasing the reg. Hollis DC1 221 Regulator With Free 2nd Stage discounts on sale Hollis

I don't know where you are in Texas but ST always takes good care of us.

Welcome to SB and dive safe.

My opionion -- they're mostly all the same and it really depends on personal preferences. Modern regs when well maintained don't break and they all perform their functions very well. I think the only significant performance related design issue is environmental sealing (see rivers' post). If you will dive in cold(ish) water, you will need this. It adds a little weight and if you travel and dive only in warm waters, the weight may make a difference and you may not want it. I like the tropics and use an Apeks Flight, which is not ES and I'm very happy with it. The other "big" thing is whether it has enought LP and HP ports for what you want to do. Do you have (or want) a wireless air-integrated computer that needs an HP port? Will you also still use a backup SPG that requires another one? You get the idea. Beyond that is comfort -- is the first stage configuration okay so you don't hit your head, etc. Venturi assist is nice, but not a must have and you are starting to get into simple budget issues. Fortunately, life support functions don't vary significantly from one end of the price spectrum to the other and I think you can find a good reg that does all you need for a reasonable price. Good luck.

Find a LDS that you trust with their experience and professionalism. That is who will be working on your stuff. Then go with a brand they can and will service. Besides that, +1 on Rivers suggestions. I dive oceanic CDX5/GT3/alpha 8 and my trusty 30yo Scuba Pro MK5/109/108.