Any recommendations for a lower price good beginner reg?

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

I believe the OP is in Indiana and the seller of that listing may not ship to Indiana.... with that being said, that does look like a great deal as it costs about $700 here in the US.
Yes, "officially" they cannot ship to US. But if you contact these sellers, possibly you find the way...
It must be understood that US customs do not apply any charge for sport equipment, so there is actually no crime or law infringement in these "gray market" imports.
Only the seller can have problems, as Scubapro could find this infringing their commercial agreement with the reseller.
 
The Zeagle onyx ii or the envoy ii are best value regulators with excellent performance and reliability from a top brand that meet your budget with change to spare. I'd go for the ONYX II myself.


 
I did a good bit of research before I bought scuba gear for my son and I, and we ended up ordering this package a few years ago: Buy Scuba Gear Value System Package at Low Price | Divers Supply - this is a great economical option that is cheaper than many used sets (especially when you add $$ to have used gear serviced/inspected by a dive shop). Sea Elite is just Divers Supply's store brand on Edge/HOG gear, which is good gear. So, any Edge/HOG dealer can service them, though Divers Supply makes it easy and quick to send in for service (they'll send you a UPS lable), and for Sea Elite gear Divers Supply will provide any parts necessary during maintenance for free.

Check out the other reviews on there also. We did 2 upgrades from their options: (1) we upgraded the Regulator to the Covert regulator - which is balanced, so can breathe a bit easier at depth (deepest I've had it so far is 122 feet); (2) we went with the 3 gauge SPG - which adds a compass to your gauge console, so you always have one with you.

We also separately bought the Mares Puck Pro+ computer that they offer as an option on this package -- a basic one-button computer that performs all basic functions that a recreational diver might need (works fine with Nitrox also). One button can be annoying at times, but overall a nice simple computer that works fine.

Extra tip: If you create a Divers Supply account and then put the package in your shopping cart, and then leave without buying it -- they will usually send a 10% off coupon to you in a day or so, which is a nice chunk of change off.
This is the same route I went, although I ended up with a slightly different package - I got all HOG gear. But the packages from Diver's Supply - if you're judicious about picking the right one that doesn't have a lot of stuff you don't need - can be a very good deal. And (unless they've changed) I found that if you put stuff in your cart and leave it for a few days, you get emails with 10% off discount codes. That saved me around $85 on the regulator & BP/W package I got.
 
I'll reiterate the importance of bearing in mind regulator serviceability, which can be expensive and logistically painful.

One of the reasons I chose DGX D6 was the ready availability of service kits, manuals, and schematics, so I can DIY independent of the whims of a local shop.

Also do some research on backplate/wing vs. vest. I chose to go with the former and very glad I did, as it is customizable to grow with my evolving diving skills. You can also get set up for relatively little money, esp if you buy used, and in the unlikely event that something breaks or you just don't like it, it's highly modular, so you can just swap out the broken/disliked part.
 
Look at the Zeagle F8 and bypass the “beginner” phase.
 
This is tough to beat and it's not a beginner reg. Since it comes with an SPG all you need to add is a wrist computer (and compass when required).

If you want something for a similar price that has a large dealer network.


I bought this regset for my son. It works great.
 
Pretty much the title. I'm new to diving and want to get some of my own gear but it's all very expensive, especially for a new diver who is also a teenager on minimum wage.
Just noticed the "teenager on minimum wage." You could put up a wanted classified here. There are a quite a few folks who could put together a decent used regset for a lot less than $400.
 
s-l1600 (3).jpg


 

Back
Top Bottom