Your recommendations

[Doug Smith]

I am new to diving and live in Michigan. I would like to get the manufacturers recommendation on what reg with octo would fit my needs and one I could grow into. I plan on getting into Great Lakes wreck diving to recreational limits, I also plan on getting into Nitrox in a few years and would be my limits. I was thinking the Legend Supreme or Legend LX supreme. Also could the Apeks free flow preventer (valve) be installed in either one of these set ups? Also an octo recommendation please.
Could you also make a Apeks recommendation. I don't mind buying quality but don't want to over purchase just the last cold water reg. I'll need. Thanks

 

[skankpile]

I plan on getting into Great Lakes wreck diving to recreational limits, I also plan on getting into Nitrox in a few years and would be my limits.

Makes no sense...

Sounds like Trimix and overhad + wreck diving to me. If that is your goal get a reg you don't mind buying 3more of so you can stick them on slings and bailouts.

I love the zeagles, parts are cheap and I can flood water through them and they still preform great (conical seat) with rock solid IP (interstage pressure). I also like Apeks, but I own a few zeagles FH7 and I'll be buying more as I need them as the zeagle 1st's are small, route great with singles, doubles, sidemount, and sling bottles on my rebreather...they are small and light.

As for freeflowing.. tune them properly and you'll have no worries. Just get an IP gauge and an inline tool and you can mix match, make them as sensitive, or restrictive (for cold) as you want.

 

[scubameg]

Hey Doug,

As you have noticed, I have moved your question out of the Manufacturer's forum. And instead of sending you a PM, I thought I would share with everyone as to why I did which might help others.

You are certainly on the right track by researching your purchase before you buy, and I have had nothing but good experience with Aqua Lung & Apeks products. However, posting a general question about product recommendation in the manufacturer forum is probably not the best idea. One reason, is that someone could recommend a different manufacturer product...such as this case.

There is nothing wrong with people sharing their recommendations and that is the beauty of ScubaBoard, but the manufacturer forums have special rules. Their forum is there for them to answer questions about their product and not to give you a sales pitch or argue why you should buy their product over another.

So, to make a long post longer... If you have a question about a specific question on a product then the Manufacturer's Q&A forum is the place to post it. If you are just looking for recommendations on products then I would suggest you post it in one of the general product forums...after all, you wouldn't want to sell yourself short. Someone might have a production recommendation that you had never thought of before.

So with that said...anyone have any more recommendations for Doug?

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Oh yeah. I have been diving this area since 2004. Local lakes and quarries as well as Lake Erie. Any plans to do the lakes to even recreational depths means a sealed coldwater rated reg is a must. Water temps in the lakes below say 50-60 feet are in the high 40's down to 36-38 degrees in the area of 80 feet and below. In addition to a sealed reg I would recommend a balanced first stage as well. And I agree that at some point you might as well figure on buying two since wrecks in the lakes, the good ones anyway, are going to require doubles or a high capacity main tank and a slung pony or stage bottle since they are deeper. Say 75 - 130 feet for recreational divers.

As for the second stage you will want two right off the bat of the same quality and performance. Getting a low performace octo is going to cost you in the long run and it may be you breathing off of it depending on your configuration. So low perfromance is is bad mmm' kay. I also recommend that the seconds be adjustable so that you can use the adjustment to deliver more air when you need it and to minimize the chance of free flows when you don't. A venturi is also nice for this since may times you'll be jumping off boats and having the reg freeflow on entry is not a fun thing to deal with. And it wastes gas that you may very well need.

I started out with a set of Oceanics for my doubles. CDX 5 first stage with Delta 3 on the primary and GT3 on the back up around my neck. These performed well for as long as I used them. The problem was after I left the shop I was with it became a pain to get kits to service them and the hose routing, while good, was not optimal for me. I switched to HOG D-1's in 2008 and have never looked back. The price on them at the time due to a sale was less than what I paid for just the CDX5 and the Delta second. Even now a complete set for singles can be had for less than many other mid range regs and a few so-called high end ones. And a doubles set for less than more than few so-called high end ones. And the differences in performance are nil as far as I am concerned.

All of my regs will soon be HOG's or Edge cause they work. Even if I didn't sell them I'd still be switching. There are any number of great regs and good regs that will work for you. Just how much do you want to pay?

 

[elan]

Doug,

There is no such thing as a free flow preventer. Some regs freeflow easier in cold water but the preventer is the diver not a device

As for the regs get a diaphragm regulator witha balanced second stage. The more metal the second stage has the better for the cold water. There are a bunch of good regs out there includin Aqualung Apeks Scubapro Zeagle etc. Just make sure you can easily have it services and fixed locally.

 

[keyshunter]

Doug,

There is no such thing as a free flow preventer. Some regs freeflow easier in cold water but the preventer is the diver not a device

Actually Apeks does sell a free flow "preventer". It is an inline switch that shuts off gas flow to one second stage. I believe that the idea is that if you freeze one second stage into freeflowing, you can shut off the gas to that second while you breath off the other. IMO it is a useless gimmick.

 

[elan]

IMO it is a useless gimmick.

My point exactly...
The reality is that you cannot figure out whether its the first stage or the second stage leaking unless you have an IP gauge connected at all times rendering this thing kind of useless.