New Regulator Purchase...Help!!
- Thread starter std63
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Iguana Don
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Scott,
Why have you narrowed your choice down to these 2 particular regs. Is this what your LDS sells? We need to know this before we can go any further.
ID
Why have you narrowed your choice down to these 2 particular regs. Is this what your LDS sells? We need to know this before we can go any further.
ID
Scubaroo
Contributor
Hi std63,
What type of diving are you doing? eg warm or cold water? Different regulators have different applications - for example I dive with an Apeks TX50, as it has cold water features designed to prevent it from freezing up, as I dive in cold water (this isn't the only cold water regulator available). If you are doing warm water diving, you may want a more streamlined regulator, etc. This should be a consideration in making a purchase.
I see that you are also looking at BCs at the moment. You might want to consider an integrated octopus/power inflator on your BC, as opposed to a separate second stage for your octopus. It would certainly help streamline your dive gear, however may not be suited to some diving applications, and your style of diving - you would be required to remove your second stage from your mouth and pass to your buddy if they were in an out-of-air situation, and use the integrated octopus yourself. You would have to be confident in momentarily giving up your own air supply to help your buddy out.
You will also have to consider a DIN versus a yoke first stage regulator. Many dive shops and resorts use yoke valves, however in some applications DIN is more prevalent (I've no experience on this issue, it's just another consideration).
Ben
What type of diving are you doing? eg warm or cold water? Different regulators have different applications - for example I dive with an Apeks TX50, as it has cold water features designed to prevent it from freezing up, as I dive in cold water (this isn't the only cold water regulator available). If you are doing warm water diving, you may want a more streamlined regulator, etc. This should be a consideration in making a purchase.
I see that you are also looking at BCs at the moment. You might want to consider an integrated octopus/power inflator on your BC, as opposed to a separate second stage for your octopus. It would certainly help streamline your dive gear, however may not be suited to some diving applications, and your style of diving - you would be required to remove your second stage from your mouth and pass to your buddy if they were in an out-of-air situation, and use the integrated octopus yourself. You would have to be confident in momentarily giving up your own air supply to help your buddy out.
You will also have to consider a DIN versus a yoke first stage regulator. Many dive shops and resorts use yoke valves, however in some applications DIN is more prevalent (I've no experience on this issue, it's just another consideration).
Ben
Iguana Don
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Is that the Titanium one? If so and you intend on doing Nitrox, Titanium and Nitrox don't mix.
Not familiar with the Oceanic, but the Mares is a good reg although a bit pricey, the MR12 breathes just as good and at a lower price, just not a pretty.
ID
Not familiar with the Oceanic, but the Mares is a good reg although a bit pricey, the MR12 breathes just as good and at a lower price, just not a pretty.
ID
Kane(adian)
Contributor
ID, I believe there is a titanium model available, but I don't think that they are all titanium.
neilstewart
Contributor
I believe that Mares titanium reg is called the Ti Planet or Ruby titanium and not the Abyss. Even though I don't think the Abyss is titanium I am sure you will want to dive Nitrox at some point.
You also need to consider weight both for travel allowances and 2nd stage comfort. All my diving so far has been on vaccation in warm water. I use an MR12/Axis - it breathes as well, weighs a lot less and costs 1/3rd the price. It does not have a cold water feature but I did read a 12 reg test using the cheaper end regs at 50m in UK waters and this reg performed well. I am told most divers travel kit is different to home use when conditions differ greatly. When I take the UK plunge I may purchase a cold water reg but for mow the Axis is just the job.
At the end of the day it doesn't matter how the equipment looks it 's Comfort, performance and cost.
For a huge list of diver magazine tests see
www.divernet.co.uk/gear/testindex.htm
Neil
You also need to consider weight both for travel allowances and 2nd stage comfort. All my diving so far has been on vaccation in warm water. I use an MR12/Axis - it breathes as well, weighs a lot less and costs 1/3rd the price. It does not have a cold water feature but I did read a 12 reg test using the cheaper end regs at 50m in UK waters and this reg performed well. I am told most divers travel kit is different to home use when conditions differ greatly. When I take the UK plunge I may purchase a cold water reg but for mow the Axis is just the job.
At the end of the day it doesn't matter how the equipment looks it 's Comfort, performance and cost.
For a huge list of diver magazine tests see
www.divernet.co.uk/gear/testindex.htm
Neil
I was looking at the Mares Abyss last week when I went shopping for new gear. The Abyss is rated for coldwater use and seemed well built. The second stage is all metal but still compact and pretty light for being made of metal. I had to decide between the Abyss and Apeks TX50 and it was a toss up but I went with the Apeks because of it's great reputation and the fact that it has adjustments and the Abyss does not. Also I am not sure if the Abyss is environmentally dry sealed or not which the Apeks is.
large_diver
Contributor
Scott,
Those are both well-regarded regs -- you won't go wrong with either for colder water diving. Another good coldwater reg you should consider is the Apeks line (TX-50 or TX-100). Well made and distributed in the US by Sea-quest...they are also well-regarded by tech divers. Apeks has also come out with a new line of regs (ATX series) -- these are new this summer and I haven't seen much in the way of feedback on them yet.
If you haven't seen this yet, may want to try this section of scubadiving.com for testing results on these regs. While RSD is not the most objective source in the world (it seems that they "recommend" 90% of the regs they review), it still provides useful data on breathing ease and "watch-outs" for each model.
http://www.scubadiving.com/gear/regulators.shtml
Hope this helps.
LD
Those are both well-regarded regs -- you won't go wrong with either for colder water diving. Another good coldwater reg you should consider is the Apeks line (TX-50 or TX-100). Well made and distributed in the US by Sea-quest...they are also well-regarded by tech divers. Apeks has also come out with a new line of regs (ATX series) -- these are new this summer and I haven't seen much in the way of feedback on them yet.
If you haven't seen this yet, may want to try this section of scubadiving.com for testing results on these regs. While RSD is not the most objective source in the world (it seems that they "recommend" 90% of the regs they review), it still provides useful data on breathing ease and "watch-outs" for each model.
http://www.scubadiving.com/gear/regulators.shtml
Hope this helps.
LD
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