Any recommendations for a lower price good beginner reg?

[Nemrod]

and each time it breathes so smoothly I don't think about it.

That is really the goal, the scuba equipment should be as transparent to our dive experience as possible and augment our exploration of the undersea world. Some of us, like I could be one of them , sometimes I think dive just so we can use our fancy equipment and the dive becomes about the equipment and not the experience or the exploration.

Occasionally something happens though and it moves us past a point where we had existed previously comfortably. And without going in to it, that happned to me. And now my number one priority in scuba equipment is reliability, simplicity, functionality and serviceability. And to be, again, as transparent to my experience as possible. If it is pretty and cool and the new hotness, all the better, well, I am a regulator geek .

 

[scrane]

That sounds very pricey. On the local used stuff sites like craiglists I see them all the time. At the time when they were new, they were super common. Usually offered for 150 - 250 Euros but they don't really sell for that price afaik. They don't really seem to be sought after here.

Well, I was wrong. My bid on a G250 + G200 + Mk10, a junk console and hoses won with a bid of $88. for a total of $104. Both regs in good shape with the G200 needing only a seat for the Duro poppet and the G250 needing a $30. s-wing poppet upgrade. It also came with a Mk10 first stage in fair condition that I'll give to anyone who wants it for shipping charges ~ $15 - $20.

 

[Angelo Farina]

It also came with a Mk10 first stage in fair condition that I'll give to anyone who wants it for shipping charges ~ $15 - $20.

???
The MK10 is one of the best 1st stages ever built!
Service kits still readily available online, and so simple that everyone can rebuild it easily. I would never give it away...
Far better than 95% of new piston regs one can buy new now. And for having something better, say a MK25, you need to spend at least 200-250 bucks.
I do not need it, so I leave it to some broken guy who really needs to get a reg at low cost, if you really want to give it away...
I would keep it and use it with your G200: using two fully independent regs on a tank with a dual valve is far more redundant and safe than using the G200 as an octopus on your primary first stage.

 

[Rob9876]

It also came with a Mk10 first stage in fair condition that I'll give to anyone who wants it for shipping charges ~ $15 - $20.

Well shoot, if the OP (@MarkPorter) doesn't want that, I'll take that deal!

 

[Cthippo]

I am going to be the controversial one here and suggest the cheapest reg on Amazon...

Palantic AS101 DIN Diving Dive Regulator and Octopus Combo, Black,Silver, 537 Grams
Buy one of those and an IP gauge for an additonal $20 and use it until it wears out. Then you can either buy something nicer, order a repair kit, or ship it to Australia for servicing. I have one of those and it just works. Never have had a problem with it. I am a big believer that the working gear you have is far superior to the gear you wait for.

 

[scrane]

Well shoot, if the OP (@MarkPorter) doesn't want that, I'll take that deal!

DM sent.

 

[scrane]

???
The MK10 is one of the best 1st stages ever built!
Service kits still readily available online, and so simple that everyone can rebuild it easily. I would never give it away...
Far better than 95% of new piston regs one can buy new now. And for having something better, say a MK25, you need to spend at least 200-250 bucks.
I do not need it, so I leave it to some broken guy who really needs to get a reg at low cost, if you really want to give it away...
I would keep it and use it with your G200: using two fully independent regs on a tank with a dual valve is far more redundant and safe than using the G200 as an octopus on your primary first stage.

I have a rebuilt Mk5 in the basement, and I really don‘t need another piston first stage. I mainly dive Conshelf first stages and most recently a Mk2. I appreciate your comments.

 

[MarkPorter]

Well, I was wrong. My bid on a G250 + G200 + Mk10, a junk console and hoses won with a bid of $88. for a total of $104. Both regs in good shape with the G200 needing only a seat for the Duro poppet and the G250 needing a $30. s-wing poppet upgrade. It also came with a Mk10 first stage in fair condition that I'll give to anyone who wants it for shipping charges ~ $15 - $20.

Wow! do you still have this available? I'd definitely take it and with luck I can outfit it with second/primary second on a long hose setup!

 

[Rob9876]

Wow! do you still have this available? I'd definitely take it and with luck I can outfit it with second/primary second on a long hose setup!

That's great, you may want to send Scrane a DM. (not sure how many posts you need to DM, but if you don't have enough you can always go to the Introductions & Greets sub-forum and welcome some new members )

 

[ams511]

Doesn't matter if the last service was 5 or 15 years ago. You buy it and get it serviced.
The OP is a kid that's trying to get into diving on a budget. Buying new over used is burning money with no upside. For the money saved on a used reg he can get more gear.

I would not recommend a newbie buying used gear unless he has an experienced mentor that knows what s/he is looking at. I have seen people on eBay and Craigslist claim their 80s vintage gear is new. The used equipment that is current in catalogs usually goes for a premium and is seldom a deal when figuring in the cost of a service. Especially when the service kits are priced like they are made out of gold. The older equipment is more reasonable but needs to be evaluated so he doesn't end up with something unserviceable or that costs more than new.

As mentioned prior, Black Friday is coming up so if he has time I would recommend he wait as usually Diver's Supply and DRIS have deals.