OK, I know there are a load of threads for picking a new regulator but what about for tropical diving? I've been diving off an old Scubapro reg for years (it was second hand about 13 years ago!). My wife recently started diving and we got her an aqualung titan LX. After trying a couple of breaths from it I now realise that regulators have improved so I'm thinking about buying a replacement. Probably old loyalty but leaning towards Scubapro, although no strong feelings. There is a lot of information about which reg is best for cold water diving etc but after years of cold water diving and that I've now moved to the tropics, cold water diving is less tempting. We dive fairly frequently and there isn't much in the way of service options so would prefer something that is solid or easy to service. What are some good warm water regs?
Warm water reg
- Thread starter daptonema
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There is no such thing as a warm water regulator. There are regulators that are less than optimal for use in cold water, but any good regulator will be good for warm water.
If service options are an issue, stick with Scubapro or Aqualung. I hear they are ubiquitous and it will be easiest to get serviced.
If service options are an issue, stick with Scubapro or Aqualung. I hear they are ubiquitous and it will be easiest to get serviced.
I know there are no "warm water" regs but what I was after was a good regulator with some of the features found on the more expensive ones without necessarily paying for cold water suitability. I am also about to move down the Nitrox route but as Nitrox isn't available on the island where I live (as far as I can tell) I would need a reg that I can switch between air when I'm diving here and nitrox when on dive trips and I recently read some reports that this is only possible with some regs. Any suggestions?
I also forgot to add that I use a suunto D9 and noticed that in a couple of reviews there were problems connecting the transmitter to the first stage without blocking other ports (I still keep the analogue gauges attached as a backup). Has anyone got any experience with scubapro or aqualung first stages that do or do not have this problem?
I see what you mean. But the distinction in price point is not really about being suitable for cold waters and not, it's mostly about the features and the performance. (other than those regulators with features for going under ice, etc. with those fancy heat exchange fins all over the place, etc.)
Your use of the HP transmitter along with an SPG limits your choice to models that have 2 HP ports, so if you go the Aqualung route I think you need to go with the Legend series, and the lowest cost model seems to be the Legend (ACD).
For Scubapro, I know that the MK25 (piston first stage) will work fine, not sure about the MK17/MK11 (diaphragm first stage), looks like the transmitter might possibly interfere with an LP port or two. Any of the second stages offered with these should be great, except for the R295 that seems to come with the Mk11.
The only thing is that all of these models are not cheap.
If you want to find something more affordable, you might take a look at Oceanic and see what they have, although I'm not sure how widespread they are in terms of service availability.
As for Nitrox, as long as you are talking about <40% Nitrox, there are no special considerations, anything will work. There is some question about regulators with Titanium first stages, but those are very expensive (>$1000), so this won't be relevant to your choice.
Other manufacturers that people like include Apeks and Atomic, but I'm not sure if they will be available where you are going. Atomics and Apeks aren't cheap either though. (For Apeks there are more affordable choices, but not if you need two HP ports.)
Your use of the HP transmitter along with an SPG limits your choice to models that have 2 HP ports, so if you go the Aqualung route I think you need to go with the Legend series, and the lowest cost model seems to be the Legend (ACD).
For Scubapro, I know that the MK25 (piston first stage) will work fine, not sure about the MK17/MK11 (diaphragm first stage), looks like the transmitter might possibly interfere with an LP port or two. Any of the second stages offered with these should be great, except for the R295 that seems to come with the Mk11.
The only thing is that all of these models are not cheap.
If you want to find something more affordable, you might take a look at Oceanic and see what they have, although I'm not sure how widespread they are in terms of service availability.
As for Nitrox, as long as you are talking about <40% Nitrox, there are no special considerations, anything will work. There is some question about regulators with Titanium first stages, but those are very expensive (>$1000), so this won't be relevant to your choice.
Other manufacturers that people like include Apeks and Atomic, but I'm not sure if they will be available where you are going. Atomics and Apeks aren't cheap either though. (For Apeks there are more affordable choices, but not if you need two HP ports.)
Hoosier
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I agree with Pualwlee...
In addition, for a single rig., the hose routing is fine with any SP 1st stages (two HP ports) except MK2+ (one HP port). The blocking matter mostly occurs on the double, not a single rig..
SP lately introduced MK11 as a warm water reg after taking out an "Anti-Freeze Protection" and "Dry chabmer" feature from MK17.
In addition, for a single rig., the hose routing is fine with any SP 1st stages (two HP ports) except MK2+ (one HP port). The blocking matter mostly occurs on the double, not a single rig..
SP lately introduced MK11 as a warm water reg after taking out an "Anti-Freeze Protection" and "Dry chabmer" feature from MK17.
daptonema:
All you need is a reg with a first stage with two High Pressure ports, one for the D9 transmitter and the other for your analog gauges...some very basic entry level regs may have just one.
Cheers.
-J.-
halocline
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What old SP reg do you have? They really have not improved much in terms of performance; if for example your reg is a MK10/G250 you're not going to get anything much better no matter what you spend, so you might consider getting your reg serviced (and possibly updated, for example if it's an old metal 2nd stage) by somene who really knows the regs.
I agree, reg performance plateaued about 25 years ago, and in some respects has badly regressed, (for example: plastic second stages and air barrels and the horrible dry mouth and reduced cold water reliability they cause).
The perfromance of top of the line regulators is pretty much the same so I suspect if you are comparing an old SP reg to a new reg and finding it lacking it is either a lower performing model or it is not properly tuned.
The Mk 17 has two ports, one on each side and the HP port is angled about 20 degrees away form the LP ports so there should not be a problem with a transmitter interfering with the use of the LP ports.
I am not sure on the retail price difference between the Mk 17 and Mk 11, but when introduced the dealer cost on the Mk 11 was only $20 less than the Mk 17, so I suspect the price difference, with a given second stage will only be about $40. For $40, I'd get the Mk 17 for the lower maintainence/rinsing requirements, the cold water performance if global warming launches another ice age and the larger potetnial market if you decide to sell it later.
The perfromance of top of the line regulators is pretty much the same so I suspect if you are comparing an old SP reg to a new reg and finding it lacking it is either a lower performing model or it is not properly tuned.
The Mk 17 has two ports, one on each side and the HP port is angled about 20 degrees away form the LP ports so there should not be a problem with a transmitter interfering with the use of the LP ports.
I am not sure on the retail price difference between the Mk 17 and Mk 11, but when introduced the dealer cost on the Mk 11 was only $20 less than the Mk 17, so I suspect the price difference, with a given second stage will only be about $40. For $40, I'd get the Mk 17 for the lower maintainence/rinsing requirements, the cold water performance if global warming launches another ice age and the larger potetnial market if you decide to sell it later.
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