Help! In the market for my first regulator!

[carehughes]

Hey Divers!
So I'm in the market for my first regulator. I'm starting my Instructor course in January and I am slowly gathering up my equipment and now is the time for my reg.

SO, there are so many to choose from and I need some guidance. There have been 2 regs that were recommended to me from my dive shop.

First: The ScubaPro MK2/R190, recommended for its unbalanced first stage and being a good 'workhorse' for instructors. I have used this reg numerous times as rental equipment but I find it bulky and uncomfortable, so I feel reluctant to buy this particular model for these reasons

Second: the Sherwood Brut, recommended for the same reasons as the MK2, however I have never used a Sherwood reg before.

I feel lost at the moment, as there are so many models, so many brands, and so many price points. I have been to a few dive shops, but of course they only recommend the brands they carry and most only sell 2-4 brands and all have great qualities that differ slightly.
Also, does price necessarily imply quality and durability??

Some guidance would be great! Thanks!

 

[300bar]

What can you get serviced localy.
You can buy any reg. online but can you get service on it.
Take a good look at what you can get local,then choose from those.
just my 0.02cts

 

[Slonda828]

I hate to sound condescending, but if you are taking your instructor's course, then you should be knowledgeable enough to make your own choice instead of asking a bunch of randoms on the internet. I'm just saying.

 

[ShakaZulu]

I hate to sound condescending, but if you are taking your instructor's course, then you should be knowledgeable enough to make your own choice instead of asking a bunch of randoms on the internet. I'm just saying.

You tell him!

PS. APEKS

 

[NorthWoodsDiver]

Hey Divers!
So I'm in the market for my first regulator. I'm starting my Instructor course in January and I am slowly gathering up my equipment and now is the time for my reg.

SO, there are so many to choose from and I need some guidance. There have been 2 regs that were recommended to me from my dive shop.

First: The ScubaPro MK2/R190, recommended for its unbalanced first stage and being a good 'workhorse' for instructors. I have used this reg numerous times as rental equipment but I find it bulky and uncomfortable, so I feel reluctant to buy this particular model for these reasons

Second: the Sherwood Brut, recommended for the same reasons as the MK2, however I have never used a Sherwood reg before.

I feel lost at the moment, as there are so many models, so many brands, and so many price points. I have been to a few dive shops, but of course they only recommend the brands they carry and most only sell 2-4 brands and all have great qualities that differ slightly.
Also, does price necessarily imply quality and durability??

Some guidance would be great! Thanks!

This should largely depend on the water conditions you dive in. Some regs are not great for use in cold water or dirty water while others are overkill expensive for shallow diving or...

But I own about a dozen mk17/S600 regs from scubapro all in DIN and a couple MK2/S600's (DIN also) for deco regs and I've nothing but praise for mine. I dive in water temps around 36-41 degrees (F) year round and usually in poor visibilty or silty conditions. Never had an issue in several hundred dives.

I had mk25's with S600's but they don't handle the cold as well.

 

[Fishpie]

If you will be spending allot of time in the pool assisting classes I'd recommend you use a sealed piston (Sherwood) or a diaphragm 1st stage. You also want a reg that is bullet proof and stays in tune without frequent tweaks. High performance would be nice too????
Here's 3 low cost regs that meet the above criteria and have the advantage of being as reliable as they come.
Apeks XTX20
Zeagle Envoy
AquaLung Titan LX

 

[carehughes]

I hate to sound condescending, but if you are taking your instructor's course, then you should be knowledgeable enough to make your own choice instead of asking a bunch of randoms on the internet. I'm just saying.

Thank you for your advice. I am not working on the Instructor course YET, I am currently trying to gather information that will help me make an informed decision from people in the dive community who have more expertise in equipment than I do. I am a student. Students ask questions to collect information in order to further their knowledge in certain subjects, mine being regulators. Thanks though.

 

[Puffer Fish]

Thank you for your advice. I am not working on the Instructor course YET, I am currently trying to gather information that will help me make an informed decision from people in the dive community who have more expertise in equipment than I do. I am a student. Students ask questions to collect information in order to further their knowledge in certain subjects, mine being regulators. Thanks though.

You are doing just fine, by the way.

A couple of comments... an R190 is not the best breathing reg, by the way.

You already have some good suggestions, Consider a diaphram first stage (takes both cold water and is sealed better against sand and dirt)..with scubapro that would be the MK17...look for a good second stage (remember, you will be breathing thru it a lot)...the 555 or 600 (same design, the 555 does not have that extra knob)...

I happen to have both scubapro and apex regulators (ok, and Zeagle and Aqualung).. and happen to like the big clunky 250V second stage, as it is a tank..and the tx200, as it is excellent breathing..

You need to find someplace to try out different regs... and pick the one you like.

But is see a lot of instructors using Mares(with the metal second stage).. Atomic... several other brands..

 

[Diehl]

SHERWOOD OASIS! But find out what you can get serviced locally!

 

[Couv]

If you find that MK2 a bit too bulky, I have a MK7 you will really like.

Just kidding......

However, speaking as a former instructor who had his own equipment before I got a job at a dive shop. Then I was told I could not use the gear I had because the shop did not sell the brand of equipment I owned. I was duly informed I needed to either buy the same equipment they had or use the rental stuff for teaching. This happed twice, fortunately, I used the rental equipment until I was well settled in the with the second shop. If you already have arrangements to work at a shop, and you really need to have equipment before the course, get what your shop sells. If you do not have employment with a shop sorted out, buy the cheapest setup you can for now or consider something used.

Good luck,

Couv