Best Reg for the Money?

[Locus]

I'm looking into purchasing my own regulators and the variety of those available (and the necessity of cutting through marketing language to determine real value) is making it a difficult choice.

What would you recommend as the best bang-for-buck reg for cold water diving? From what I've read so far, I'm thinking something midrange, with a balanced first stage and an unbalanced diaphragm second stage.

I think my LDS's tend to sell Apeks, Atomics, Mares, Aqualung and Scubapro.

How much of a plus is AL's parts-for-life guarantee? What would be the drawbacks to that?

 

[chrpai]

Where do you live?

 

[Superlyte27]

Well, this is my opinion, so take it for what it's worth. But I can literally have any regulator on the planet. I'm a dealer for many product lines, and have friends who are dealers for every product line, so I really have my pick of the litter and here's my 2 cents.

The new Dive Rite reg is the best bang for the buck. It's under $500 bucks. It has a real lifetime parts guarantee that is quite simply unmatched anywhere. It breathes like a dream. Dive Rite has excellent customer support. Oh, and as an added bonus, that new reg can be used as a left or a right reg, simply by switching where the hose goes into the 2nd stage body. Now that's friggin awesome. If I remember correctly, the new XT reg has the lowest cracking pressure to breathe of any regulator ever.

Here's how the parts guarantee was explained to me by the manager of Dive Rite...
A Dive Rite facility sends him the old parts out of the regulator, Dive Rite sends him the new parts out of regulator. No questions asked. No plus/minus one month bs. No first owner, 2nd owner, used, rental, blah blah blah. Retailer sends Dive Rite old parts kit, Dive Rite sends retailer new parts kit. That's it. That's as good as it gets.

 

[bbarnett51]

Right here. Edge also offers another without a balanced second. I own Epic and HOG D2s. Both are top notch

 

[redacted]

Sounds good but are you sure the customer has to wait for old parts to be sent in before new parts are provided?

 

[Superlyte27]

Awap;

The retailer should have new parts in stock. So he just puts the new parts in the customer's reg, then sends in the old parts to replace what he gave away. That's how we do it anyway.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Why go mid range when you can get a complete reg set with coldwater 1st stage, indentical balanced adjustable seconds, and hoses for under 450 bucks. Add an SPG and hose for around another hundred. It's my best selling reg. Welcome to UDM Aquatic Services

Don't get me wrong. The Epic is a great reg as well. I dive one occaisonally and my GF dives the EXP. Welcome to UDM Aquatic Services
which for the money is a phenomenal reg and also comes in a sealed version.

But I seem to think that you are looking at a BPW as well? If you're going to go the Hogarthian route why not go all the way?

 

[Superlyte27]

Because HOG sucks.

 

[Malpaso]

Rather than depend on the personal preferences of others, why not try the ones your LDS has (I'm guessing they rent what they stock)? You may get a great deal and find you don't like it. Then what? Sell it for a loss? There goes your bang for the buck. A reg is far more personal than a BC or a computer. Would you buy a wet suit without trying it, or at least trying it on? I probably tried a half dozen regs before finally buying one, and it was the first piece of dive gear I bought. Some didn't fit right, some didn't breathe right, some just didn't feel right. I finally decided on the Titan LX Supreme. That's why I don't buy personal gear on the internet.

 

[Fishpie]

I really don't see much difference between HOG and Dive Rite now that DR have got rid of the horrible crispy soft purge cover.
They're both based on the same original and made in the same place.
I've bought HOGs based on great support here on Scubaboard and with their online dealers. I've no reason to think DR doesn't also have great customer relations.

Personally for really really cold water I'd go with an enviro sealed diaphragm 1st stage and an unbalanced all metal 2nd stage like a Scubapro 109, Mares MR11/111 or US Divers Arctic / AquaLung Glacia, these last two have two heat sinks in the reg and can also have a third additional sink in the middle of the hose.