Poll: What are the top tier regulator brands?

[Magnus Lundstedt]

@Magnus Lundstedt it is, but Aqualung has still been around as a company longer.

Yes, my comment was only about the Cyklon (2nd stage) probably being the oldest reg still in production.

 

[Doctor Rig]

“Top Tier” Poll Summary to Date:

To date, this poll and thread has 2675 views and 60 posts. ApproximAtely 105 people have cast votes (314 total votes) for the “three top tier brand’s with regulators less than $600”. Four (4) brands received the majority of the available voting.

90% voted for Scubapro
73% voted for Apeks
69% voted for Atomic
25% voted for Aqualung

There is one brand, Deep 6, that was unintentionally omitted from the poll, which had a number of supportive comments. If included in the poll, I do wonder how the voting for Deep 6 might have gone.

Since this poll was to be based on brands with regulators less than $600, I thought the brand’s number of regulators, less than $600, would be of interest within this summary.

5 of 11 (45%) for Scubapro
6 of 10 (60%) for Apeks
2 of 10 (20%) for Atomic
5 of 14 (36%) for Aqualung
1 of 1 (100%) for Deep 6

Reader comments have been very informative, which leads me to believe the poll results apply primarily to the North American market, as prices, service and availability are different overseas.

The poll voting started on September 5 and will end on November 4. We’re about halfway through the available voting period. I hope to see more voting and contributions to this thread. A final revised/corrected summary will be posted, if warranted.

Thanks for everyone’s participation and contributions.

 

[shurite7]

It's funny, right. I see regs like Hollis get dogged on here, but they beat out a majority of regs in the market in breathing test machines. Parts can be had at DGX and I paid $150 each for a first and second... I bought 4 of them. In other words, I got 4 reg sets for the cost of 1 of the shiny ones and mine probably breath better.

From first hand experience and observation I would never recommend Hollis. None of them held up well in the cold mountain lakes up here. They may be fine for warm tropical water, but not cold fresh water.

 

[Diving Dubai]

@Magnus Lundstedt it is, but Aqualung has still been around as a company longer.

@Centrals if Apeks didn't have their bullsh!t parts regulations in the US and Aqualung didn't put them at the top of the price bracket, they'd be more popular here too.
An Apeks Tek3 twinset package from Simply Scuba is L699 or $921 USD. In the US that package is $1275. It's about 10% cheaper than Poseidon and Atomic, but something like the Dive Rite XT doubles kit is $700.

OUCH!

I can't comment on parts availability because I send mine away for service - even if I could get the parts I couldn't be bothered.

As for your pricing though. My Apex SM reg kit was $725 new Inc 5% VAT (sales tax). That was here in Dubai. What's that 50% cheaper?

I'm sure there's a logic there somewhere - it's beyond me though, obviously they have sales in the US other wise their price point wouldn't be so high. They can't' even blame it on the currency exchange

 

[CuzzA]

From first hand experience and observation I would never recommend Hollis. None of them held up well in the cold mountain lakes up here. They may be fine for warm tropical water, but not cold fresh water.

Yeah, I wouldn't buy any plastic reg for the great white north... for the other most populated half of the planet, they are fine inexpensive regs and parts are readily available.

 

[tbone1004]

@CuzzA the only three regulators approved for Norsok are plastic body... The Cyklon has not passed the test.

@Diving Dubai I think it's a marketing decision more than anything, but potentially import duties. Unsure, but it's quite annoying with the global sidemounters largely preferring the Apeks sidemount set but I don't think I've seen anyone who lives in the US actually use them. I've only seen them in cave country with divers from abroad who don't have quite as easy access to regs like Deep6/Dive Rite/HOG, etc that are functionally identical or even better but significantly cheaper

 

[Photo Girl]

Out of that list I have used Scubapro, Mares, Aqualung, and Sherwood (as rentals and loaners). None of them breathe as easy as my Poseidon. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

 

[JackD342]

I am surprised you said that.

I have been using Poseidon Cyclons since the early 90's [1]. Despite some awful abuse, they have been excellent. I had one season where if they weren't in the water diving, they where in the back of the car, making it very ripe. I don't think anything was washed or rinsed until the October, other than the odd freshwater dive. (Not to be recommended).

The only issues I have ever really had is one particular first stage that has had issues with the diaphragm after servicing. The two shops that have serviced it acknowledge that it is assembly issue. Once assembled, and tested, it operates flawlessly for years.
The only other issue is if you fail to rinse the second stages, they can get a little temperamental. These days I find it quicker just to strip them down every 12months, clean them and reassemble them, they are so simple that it's a 5 minute job.

I put all 6 of my cylons in for service in January for the first time in 5 years. The main reason, I only generally use two for bailout cylinders for the CCR, and one of those is seldom used. The rest had been sat in the garage un used for a few years since the last time I did any twinset diving. My express instruction was, if any are damaged, or not in a good state, write them off and strip usable spares out of them for the rest. All 6 came back, with a glowing report. The downside, I had to pay for six services and six service packs, when I only expected a bill for 4.

I have to say, I also have some Apex reg's, one the single cylinder rig for teaching, the other three where my late partners, two for the twinset, one for the single cylinder. These also have been trouble free, but not subject to the same level of abuse as the cyclons.

I've never liked the Jetstream, to savage a delivery of gas for my liking. I have also seen a lot of users struggle when clearing them, I think the internal volume is a problem with the savage gas delivery. It appears to force water into the back of the throat during purging.
The newer Extreme I have never used, so can't really judge.

To be honest. its a shame no one else does an ambidextrous regulator these days. Oceanic used to do a nice one, but its long since been discontinued.

Gareth

[1] Note I dive CCR almost exclusively these days, so in recent years they have only ever been used as bailout regulators.

What do you mean by ambidextrous? I can think of three different styles you might be referring to.
1. Available either as left hand or right hand. Most Apeks and some Aqualung can be converted, probably other brands as well.
2. Hose connection on bottom of 2nd stage for under arm routing, either side. Mares makes one, maybe others as well.
3. Side exhaust, no defined top/bottom of 2nd stage. Isn't that everything Poseidon makes? Hollis makes one too. Just search for "side exhaust" and I'm sure you'll find others.

 

[Edward3c]

To many are made in the same factory, but fitted with a different badge. With Aqualung owning Apexs, as an example, there isn’t as much competition as portrayed.

 

[W W Meixner]

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS ''TOP TIER''
There is environmentally sealed...as opposed to open spring chamber...there are regulators which are manufactured to ''tolerate'' cold water conditions...there is all kinds of ''eye candy'' cosmetic differences and colors to suit every taste...there is differences in flow characteristics...upstream/downstream/pilot valve...etc...there is diaphragm as opposed to piston...
There are reg sets designed and advertised to be ''entry level'' and there are reg sets designed and advertised to be ''expedition grade''
''Some'' less expensive brands will out-perform their ''ultra'' expensive competition...
Over the years I've dove them all...they all have their ''intended'' purpose...
No different than a Ferrari fulfilling its intended purpose or a ''pick your favorite brand''pickup truck fulfilling its intended purpose...
I think your getting ''TOP TIER'' confused with ''MOST EXPENSIVE''...
Who ever said ''most expensive'' was the best...
An inexpensive open spring chamber piston first stage designed to accommodate an entry level diver or used to perform deco stops at 60 ft or less...may be ''TOP TIER'' for its intended purpose...regardless of its initial cost...
The care you take with what you have...is far more important than your initial cash outlay...
Dive Safe...Warren