need advice on regulator for beginner, Monterey, CA area

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tooez

Registered
Messages
32
Reaction score
1
Location
Bay Area, CA
# of dives
25 - 49
Hi,

I just did my first pool session yesterday. Now, I'm thinking of investing a regulator. I don't know about other people.. I don't think I'm comfortable using rental regulator especially because of the mouthpiece. lol maybe it's just me.

I'm reading a lot on this forum and online that I should be getting a regulator that my LSD can do service. My LSD service brands are Atomic Aquatics, Aeris, Apeks, Aqualung/USDivers, SCUBAPRO and Zeagle. So, I don't think I want to get into other than those brands.

I know it's too early for me to buy one but I don't think it's nothing wrong with start looking around. I'm planning to go on cruise Eastern Caribbean with Royal Caribbean in next 2-3 months.

My price range is 400-500? maybe go higher if the quality and feature is good paying for..
A regulator with Din fitting and buy an adapter to fit in any tank I get from the rental? a lot of people are suggesting that
Do I need to get Octopuse and Computer, if i'm planning to rent BCD from the shop?

I'll be really appreciated if any of you guys can give me some advice. Thanks...

-EZ
 
You can get Apeks 2013 models as a set with first stage and two second stages from €349 upwards. If you decide cold water diving is for you then you might get a DS4 as second first stage for redundancy. Make sure you get a pressure gauge (with hose) as well.
DIN is the way to go eycept if you intend to dive the Carrribean exclusively as yoke valves are predominant there. A DIN to yoke adapter is cheap.
Some divers prefer a watch and depth gauge to a divecomputer, but I think a nitrox capable entry level DC is the better choice (- if you really want to you can run practically all of them in gauge mode)
 
For recreational diving get a yoke regulator as most rental tanks are set up for yoke.

Ive been diving Zeagle regs for over 4 years and really love the way they breath. They have been my primary regs on my recreational gear and my technical doubles for over 4 years.

Even at 160ft they still breath supper easy. Zeagle always has some of the best performance numbers in the industry. They haven't gotten the press they deserve because they where a family owned business in central FL. Now they are part of the Huish outdoors brand of gear.

T"


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
On the regulator you kind of have to decide which style you want, a piston vs diaphragm.
The Atomic and Scubapro are known for piston regs and the Apex and Aqualung are known for their diaphragm regs.
Some will say that in the cold waters of northern California a diaphragm reg is the way to go while many others are using piston regs no problem.
I personally dove pistons for years but now am liking diaphragms because of the inherent sealed design and being better for cold water.
Pistons are known for providing more airflow but with the modern diaphragm designs they will provide way more flow than will ever be needed even with two divers sucking on it like hoovers (think of an OOA situation at depth).
Diaphragms can tend to go longer between services if they are kept clean inside unlike pistons that have to at least be serviced every few years to keep them lubed up, they can dry out.

I would pick Atomic over Scubapro for piston,
and I would pick either Aqualung or Apeks equally for a diaphragm (they are the same company now).
I have no idea about the other brands.
 
Try to avoid the process of buying for now and upgrading later. It gets expensive. For a reg get the one you are going to live with for years. I use Scubapro mk25's, i got them because they breathed the best at deep depths (200 ft). There are those that start breathing hard at 100 even when they are new. (I am quoting the reviews i read at the time.) Atomic is also a good reg. they recmmend servicing every 2 years as opposed to 1 yr like other manufactures. I am sure there are many other fine regs out there. Those were just my choices. Local servicing is a major plus, however good between dive care can extend servicing intervals a long time. Salt water is the biggest enemy for regs. So the reg just doesnt quit when the 365th day comes around. Talk to your lds and see which reg supports the hose routing/port location you need. Try to achieve a look that from the back you see a tank and primary reg but no hoses to speek of bvecause they are laying on your neck and not flapping in the waves. This is where the port locations come in to play. If you know any DIR divers they can help you as far as regs go. You can go to say scubatoys and get a pair of regs set up for doubles for like 500 or so. that would be hog or something like them. Hopefully someone can assist on the operational differences in regs. Personally you can never get too much reg but you can pay too much for it. Also remember the reg you buy has to service 2 divers at max depth. There are also differences in piston vs diaphram regs to buy. In those regard i am ignorant about them so once again someone else will have to chime in hon those aspects.
 
My LSD service brands are Atomic Aquatics, Aeris, Apeks, Aqualung/USDivers, SCUBAPRO and Zeagle.

... Do I need to get Octopuse and Computer, if i'm planning to rent BCD from the shop?

LSD is for going on trips '60s style. An LDS is a local dive shop. :D

I think that getting your own computer is more important than getting your own regs.
 
wow... a lot of info to process. Thanks guys.


Ricky: You know what I meant. lol. What kind of computer do you recommend? I'm also thinking about getting a regulator, computer and octo. I'll be traveling a lot and I don't think I want to carry BCD.
 
If I had to choose, I would use the tables rather than having to use and rely on rental regs. A computer would be one of the last pieces of gear I would buy, IMO.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
 
Yea, I think so too. That's why I want to get a regulator first. Mainly because I don't like the idea of sharing the mouthpiece.

If I had to choose, I would use the tables rather than having to use and rely on rental regs. A computer would be one of the last pieces of gear I would buy, IMO.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
 
Mainly because I don't like the idea of sharing the mouthpiece.

You can clean the mouthpiece using alcohol prep pads or use the stuff they sterilize band instrument mouthpieces.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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