AquaLung Calypso for cold water

[ScubaJosh1029]

Hi everyone, new diver here with a regulator question...
So for my first regulator I ended up getting the Aqualung calypso set up and I was wondering about its potential for cold water use. After buying it my LDS owner told me that if I want to do some winter diving (seacoast NH, so pretty cold) that I would need to up grade to a better reg because the calypso isn't really good for cold water and may potentially lead to a free flow situation.. On the other hand I was browsing Aqualungs website and they claim "For those in colder climes, you’ll be glad to know that this work horse regulator is coldwater compatible having surpassed the CE norms for cold water." Now I guess my question is who is correct? What is Aqualungs definition of cold water? Is my LDS trying to sell me something I don't need? The calypso I own is almost brand new, bought like a month ago. I would love to hear your guys opinions before I go a drop $600+ bills on a better reg for next winter. Thanks for the help

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Why would you need to spend that much on a cold water reg? I paid half that for my cold water regs. The one in my avatar was used under the ice in that pic and was less than $300. Course all my regs (9 of them now) are suitable for cold water. Did the LDS owner know you were planning on doing cold water diving? If so and he sold you a reg that he does not recommend for cold water I'd ask him why he sold it to me knowing that. I'd then sell the reg for the best price I could get and never buy another thing in that shop.

Just looked at the AL site and the Calypso does not seem to be recommended for cold water. The Titan Supreme seems to be. I see it on line for 475.00. Still too much money. You can get a sealed coldwater reg set for less than that with 1st stage, 2 seconds, and hoses for less. Absolutely no need to drop $600 on a reg suitable for cold water

 

[Paladin]

My youngest son has a Calypso and has dived it in 50 degree water with no problem. Personally, that's plenty cold enough for me!

 

[AfterDark]

I've heard for decades my scubapro mk5 reg isn't for cold water diving after diving 30 New England winters and a number of ice dives I've come to doubt it.

 

[FM1520]

What is the temp range for cold water for a reg?

 

[ScubaJosh1029]

I apologize for the delay in responding, too busy racking up dives! Thanks for the response.. I'd like to get the chance to defend my LDS owner.. He did not know that I wanted to be able to do winter diving. I stopped in the very next day after he sold me the calypso to tell him how my dive went with the new gear. He asked me if I was going to do cold water diving and I said yes. He then apologized profusely telling me he didn't know and he should have asked me first. He then offered me a full refund even though I had already used the reg. I was the one who said no because at the time I couldnt afford anything more and wanted to start diving asap. I told him it was fine because sooner or later I would buy a better reg and liked the idea of having a back up or one for when my girlfriend takes her OW class. In my mind you can never have enough gear! Im a gear junky self admitted!.. Anyways. He has always taken good care and explained to me how to use certain gear, tell me where good local spots are and even rarely charges me full price for air. Hell he even let me pay for my new BC overtime and got to take it home right away.. I would never think about not shopping at his place again.
As for the price of the $600 reg in my opinion you get what you pay for. If they werent better regs they wouldnt be more money. They wouldnt sell $1000 plus dollar regs. I work hard and get paid decently for it and I don't mind shelling out the dough for the better equipment thats going to keep me alive. Some may not but I do. My other hobby is skydiving and you bet your ass I'm not buying the cheap gear. Even if the manufacturer promises that it works fine. Theres a couple that sell gear like that and I've never met another skydiver thats worth his metal that would either. I can't afford the extremely expensive regs but $400 to $700 is something I can swing. I just can't see how a reg that costs less than $300 can stack up against a $600 to $700 dollar reg. But then again I'm still a newbie and don't know anything
Again thanks for the replies

 

[FM1520]

You are an LDS's dream customer.

 

[ScubaJosh1029]

FM1520 Sorry I live in a small town where people tend to take care of one and another. I'm sorry that my LDS is owned by a local guy who has served the community for 15 years. I'm sorry that I want to support his business for being such a nice honest guy. I'm sorry that you probly buy all your gear online from some big box scuba store. Sucks to be you not having a good local shop to go to. Around here where I live alot of different sports types (surfing, scuba, biking) have there own local places to go to and get gear from someone they like.
You are a jerk

 

[Bob DBF]

I just can't see how a reg that costs less than $300 can stack up against a $600 to $700 dollar reg.

The quality of an item is not necessarily dependant upon it's cost. Scarcity, profit margin and manufacturer-retailer agreements can run up the price of an item without any increase in their quality over a competitors. Do what you will, but without researching all the regs available, there is no way of truly making an informed choice.



Bob
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I may be old, but I'm not dead yet.

 

[ScubaJosh1029]

Bob,
I agree 100% with your point of doing my research on all available regs. And I am slowly doing so. And your also right about quality not being related to its cost, but only to a point. Scarcity, profit margin, and man/retail agreements aren't going to drive the price up by two or three fold.. You can buy a $50,000 Corvette or a $250,000 Ferrari. If you honestly think the latter isn't of better quality than........ Some of this decision has to do with some of the reviews from people online and this forum. I have my eye set on the aqualung legend. It must be a decent reg because alot of people seem to have it. If alot of people are jumping off a bridge would I join them? Yes. If alot of people are doing it than it must be fun or else they wouldnt be doing it. I'm just slightly miffed about the guy wh must have been burned by a LDS because mine is a local shop that is real value in our community and I have no problem helping keep him open and put food on his table. I've crossed checked his prices against sites like scuba.com or leisure pro and his is only marked up by $20 bucks at most. I'm not a cheap skate and I support local business's. Thats real big where I'm from....
Josh