Another "buying my first regulator" thread

[Ironborn]

I have been shopping around for my first regulator. My lead candidate at this point is the Aqualung Mikron, as it is balanced for easier breathing at greater depth and easier for travel to the Caribbean destinations that will probably constitute the bulk of my diving for the foreseeable future.

The ease of breathing is a key consideration for me, as the greater effort of breathing that I felt with rental regulators on deeper dives has sometimes discouraged me from diving at deeper sites and destinations. Would you agree that the Mikron breathes easier at greater depth? Is there another regulator that you felt breathes even easier at greater depth?

The only negative feedback that I found was that some users experienced bubble interference from the exhaust on such a small second-stage, although only a minority of them reported it, and many of those that did report it soon adjusted to it. For those of you that have experienced this bubble interference, how substantial was it? Did it significantly impair your view on a regular basis, or did just a few bubbles float up in front of your eyes for a split second every now and then?

 

[Marie13]

I very briefly had a Micron for my first reg set. The bubbles right in my eyes really annoyed me.

 

[scubadada]

I would imagine, subjectively, it is no easier breathing than any other reasonable quality regulator. For what it is worth, it is a little less than 4 oz lighter than a Scubapro MK25/S600. Buy what you want.

 

[Couv]

My lead candidate at this point is the Aqualung Mikron, as it is balanced for easier breathing at greater depth

Hi Ironborn,

To my knowledge, Aqualung no longer makes non-balanced first stages, so my following comments are about second stages.

I'm not familiar with the Micron so I cannot speak to how well it's built, how it performs, how light it is or any of your other very legitimate concerns. However, there are pros and cons when considering balanced vs. unbalanced second stages. Air delivery at depth does not fit into the equation.

Couv

 

[northernone]

The exhaust filling my view with bubbles was annoying when I tried it.

Perceived easy of breathing is a very subjective and often a matter of personal preference and bias.

The Mikron I borrowed for a dive breathes similarity to a handful of regs and worse (to me) then some others. Within recreational depths the differences are quite small between two regs tuned to your preferences.

Regarding the 4oz weight savings, I've never traveled in a way that my reg size was a factor in choosing a regulator... this includes on foot through the jungle and also several hours hiking across tundra. Durability, air delivery and comfort win out for me. We all buy gear for different reasons. I do dive minimalist sidemount so all my equipment fits in carry on.(minus tanks and weights)

A side note about diving at depth: Breathing techniques and cardiovascular fitness do much for comfort breathing through a reg.

Cheers,
Cameron

 

[tridacna]

I had a Mikron and did not like the bubble stream so close to my mask. 20 or so dives and it was on Fleabay.

 

[Ironborn]

I very briefly had a Micron for my first reg set. The bubbles right in my eyes really annoyed me.

Were the bubbles so annoying that you switched to something else? If so, what did you get instead?

 

[Ironborn]

I would imagine, subjectively, it is no easier breathing than any other reasonable quality regulator. For what it is worth, it is a little less than 4 oz lighter than a Scubapro MK25/S600. Buy what you want.

What I want is easier breathing at greater depth, regardless of the manufacturer and model (if those matter at all). I read that the Mikron supposedly provides this. If not, I would be interested in other suggestions, if anyone can recommend a reg that they personally found to provide easier breathing at greater depth than others (if there is such a thing).

 

[Ironborn]

Hi Ironborn,

To my knowledge, Aqualung no longer makes non-balanced first stages, so my following comments are about second stages.

I'm not familiar with the Micron so I cannot speak to how well it's built, how it performs, how light it is or any of your other very legitimate concerns. However, there are pros and cons when considering balanced vs. unbalanced second stages. Air delivery at depth does not fit into the equation.

Couv

Thank you for the feedback. What are the pros and cons of balanced vs. unbalanced second stages, if ease of breathing at greater depth is not one of them?

Are you (or is anyone else) familiar with the Aqualung Titan? That was my second choice.

 

[Ironborn]

The exhaust filling my view with bubbles was annoying when I tried it.

Perceived easy of breathing is a very subjective and often a matter of personal preference and bias.

The Mikron I borrowed for a dive breathes similarity to a handful of regs and worse (to me) then some others. Within recreational depths the differences are quite small between two regs tuned to your preferences.

Regarding the 4oz weight savings, I've never traveled in a way that my reg size was a factor in choosing a regulator... this includes on foot through the jungle and also several hours hiking across tundra. Durability, air delivery and comfort win out for me. We all buy gear for different reasons. I do dive minimalist sidemount so all my equipment fits in carry on.(minus tanks and weights)

A side note about diving at depth: Breathing techniques and cardiovascular fitness do much for comfort breathing through a reg.

Cheers,
Cameron

Thank you for the feedback. Have you tried the Aqualung Titan as well? Did that produce annoying bubbles too? Did you find the breathing at depth to be just as easy as it was with the Mikron, or even easier?

Is there any reg that stands out to you, in your personal opinion, as providing easier breathing at depth?