Atomic Z1 vs ScubaPro MK25/S600 or G250

[bleon]

My husband and I are fairly new to diving (@25 dives). We've decided to purchase regs and are trying to decide between the Atomic Z1 and the ScubaPro MK25/S600 or G250. I haven't seen a lot of information on the Z1, but of course seen plenty on the SP. I wanted to get any opinions on the Z1 itself and compared to the SP. The B2 is just too expensive for us since we're buying 2 of everything. By the way, we've narrowed it down to these based on LDS in our area.

We'll be doing mostly warm water recreational diving but would like to keep our options open for the future.

Thanks for any help. I've really found this board to be full of great information.

 

[triton94949]

ScubaPro is the Rolls Royce of regulators. Unfortunately they cost about the same as a RR as well. However when you factor in the free parts for life to the original owner, the price is not as bad as it seems.

There are a handfull of really good regs that you can call the best:

ScubaPro
Poseidon
Zeagle
Atomic

You cannot go wrong with any one of them. Name recognition is the main thing that ScubaPro has over the others. They are all quite good, all among the best of the best.

 

[5615mike]

You can certainly add Aqulung to that list as well

 

[ScottCocoaBeach]

Personally, based on the hundreds of messages I have read in this forum I would choose the following:

Great performing reg:

1st choice
Atomic

2nd choice the Scuba Pro if getting them serviced out of the US is an issue or outside an area where service is readily available.

I think you are getting a top quality reg with the Atomic Z1 (I just ordered one myself).

You may need to make other condirations if you are cold water divers as I believe these are both piston designs, in which case I would look at Apeks, Zeagle or something else simliar with a sealed diaphram design.

 

[bleon]

Thanks everyone for comments so far. We primarily travel outside the US to Dive (so far Carribean, Australia, Fiji next). But up til now we have rented gear so haven't really thought about getting our gear service. Being newbies, we are unsure as to how important it will be to have regs that can be serviced outside the US. We're actually buying the equipment because we will be going on our first week long liveaboard in Fiji and didn't want to depend on rental gear for that many dives. So if getting it serviced outside the US is a real issue then I guess the ScubaPro might be the best option. Still unsure.
Thanks.

 

[aquaoren]

Thanks everyone for comments so far. We primarily travel outside the US to Dive (so far Carribean, Australia, Fiji next). But up til now we have rented gear so haven't really thought about getting our gear service. Being newbies, we are unsure as to how important it will be to have regs that can be serviced outside the US. We're actually buying the equipment because we will be going on our first week long liveaboard in Fiji and didn't want to depend on rental gear for that many dives. So if getting it serviced outside the US is a real issue then I guess the ScubaPro might be the best option. Still unsure.
Thanks.

Scubapro, Aqualung and Mares would be the regs you could service pretty much all over the world. I'd stay away from everything else if you're intending to travel with them.

 

[wmspdi]

I dive an Atomic M1, and I carry a back-up M1 regulator kit which I also use for my pony tank. If my main reg was to break on vacation (it hasn't happend yet) I would go to the back-up gear, and get it fixed when I get home. I don't let anyone but my LDS service my gear. Besides, if your reg breaks on the boat, you'll miss that day's diving until you get back on shore and to a dive shop.

 

[halocline]

In terms of on-site service and reliability, you probably would never do better than the scubapro MK2/R190. The first stage has only 1 moving part, and failures are almost unheard of. It's also the most common regulator is many parts of the world, and the design has barely changed throughout the years. Most salesmen will steer you away from that because it's not as high performance a reg as the ones you mentioned. However, as new divers in warm water at recreational depths, it's doubtful that you would be able to tell a difference between the MK2 and the MK25, or at least, it's very doubtful that you'd ever feel any difficulty breathing from the reg. And 2 of them would cost less than a single atomic or MK25 S600. I realize this reg was not on your list, but it seems to fit your needs perfectly, and I have definitely experienced the LDS routine of selling the high end stuff; I was even told it was "dangerous" to use an unbalanced reg, which is complete B.S. If anything, the subtle increase in resistance at 300PSI is a good reminder that it's time to head for the boat, mate. (Seriously, as a recreational diver, if you're at any depth with 300psi, something's not right, like your SPG isn't working or you forgot to look...)

 

[Lead_carrier]

I have definitely experienced the LDS routine of selling the high end stuff; I was even told it was "dangerous" to use an :monkeydan is complete B.S. If anything, the subtle increase in resistance at 300PSI is a good reminder that it's time to head for the boat, mate. (Seriously, as a recreational diver, if you're at any depth with 300psi, something's not right, like your SPG isn't working or you forgot to look...)

Just the fact that you use breathing resistance at 300 psi as a reminder to start surfacing just proves what the dive shop said.. It is dangerous. It better start breathing harder long before that or you'll likely find out what REAL breathing resistance is. :icon10:

Seriously.. The MK2-190 combo is a very good workhorse, but if you think you'd like to go past warm water recreational diver, go ahead and get a top quality reg. Personally I like the Apeks line or the Scubapro MK25.

 

[halocline]

Just the fact that you use breathing resistance at 300 psi as a reminder to start surfacing just proves what the dive shop said.. It is dangerous. It better start breathing harder long before that or you'll likely find out what REAL breathing resistance is. :icon10:

This is a good example of what I'm talking about; first, I do not use the increase in breathing resistance as a reminder, and never stated that I did. Second, what's more dangerous for a new diver not paying attention to his/her spg, getting a "reminder" from the reg at 300psi, or cluelessly breathing right down to the last couple of breaths, then realizing he/she is OUT of air, not LOW on air?

Come, on, the argument that unbalanced regs are dangerous because they begin to breath with more resistance at low tank pressure is absurd.