Are Atomic regs really that much better ?

[divad]

Why would Atomic sabotage them? They are both owned by the same company.

Vanity.

 

[BoltSnap]

I dive (and service) both Aqualung and Atomic, and @JohnnyC has it right. It's all about tuning. You can make ANY major manufacturers modern reg breathe as well as another if the cracking effort is set the same. Yes there are differences, but you can make most any good second "sip" air, especially if you set cracking effort slightly below specification.

Is it worth the premium? Well, first of all, the Z-series Atomic is comparable to Aqualung and Scubapro in price. If you're talking titanium bodies, that's another thing. But you don't need titanium to have your equipment last thirty years. I'm still diving my brass and chrome 1986 Mk 10/G250.

More important, there are features that Atomic carries that make them stand out.
To me, having a sealable piston, even in warm water, makes maintenance worries drop by an order of magnitude. Second, the seat saver feature on the second stage extends time between service intervals on that reg too.
Third, quality of manufacture is truly unsurpassed. Other mfrs might match them, but not exceed them, IMHO.
Finally, they're a very responsive company, unlike others we know.

Is it worth the premium to me? Absolutely!

But...they're a piston-only company. If you prefer diaphragms, Aqualung (or Poseidon) are great choices.

What he said ^

I have been using Atomic regulators since late 90's (in addition to Scubapro) for my own diving and loved them because of their incredible performance especially as you go deeper and/or in high stress diving condition and their reliability even when I go years between service. By their unique design, they are designed to be reliable and very high performance.

I tried and used many other brands, Atomic regulators are number one for me with Scubapro coming close second. Z2 is a very good value without the rotating turret however. If the price difference isn't a major obstacle for you, I'd get the M1. If you are getting the Z2, I'd get a sealed first stage for more added reliability.

 

[mi000ke]

I have the Z2 reg set and it breaths great. The only issue I have with Atomic is that the regs are supposed to be rinsed under pressure (due to the seat saver setup), and that is a minor PITA. I hook mine to a pony and soak it in the bathtub after each dive. Even doing that it had some pretty bad creep after one year and less than 100 dives, and needed service.

 

[lexvil]

I have the Z2 reg set and it breaths great. The only issue I have with Atomic is that the regs are supposed to be rinsed under pressure (due to the seat saver setup), and that is a minor PITA. I hook mine to a pony and soak it in the bathtub after each dive. Even doing that it had some pretty bad creep after one year and less than 100 dives, and needed service.

The only, minor concern is with the second stage and soaking, I seal my first stages so a quick rinse is all I bother with most of the time, the second stage I will usually do under pressure by hooking up to my shop tank and just soaking the second in a bucket, afterward I purge it a few times and hang it to dry.

 

[rsingler]

For those of you who don't own a tank, if your first stage is sealed, all it needs is a quick outside rinse. If not sealed, a squirt bottle to thoroughly flush the ambient chamber holes is a good idea. Then, with the air intake filter thoroughly sealed off, you can just leave the first stage in the sink for a couple of hours. I use lab flask stoppers tightly screwed down against the intake by the tank screw, though the Atomic protective cover is probably good enough.

But with the seat saver 2nd, the valve is open when not pressurized. So, without a tank, I think you need to rinse the 1st and 2nd separately, to minimize the risk of water going from the open 2nd stage valve up the LP hose and into the 1st. After soaking the first stage, just put it up on the sink counter and drop the second stage into the sink. Running water in every hole to move the sand out, then just let it sit overnight to dissolve salt by diffusion. Hang it from the towel rack with the second stage down, and any water in the LP hose will drain out. You're all set.

 

[Nick Steele]

For now I rent tanks and I rinse the Regs while attached and pressurized at my beach dive sites in the showers. I have never soaked my Regs no need to. But at home I will lightly wipe them down making sure all the salt is off of them. Regs aren’t due for service for 18 months but I will be switching them from yoke to din so I will see how my cleaning works in a few months.

 

[rsingler]

I have never soaked my Regs no need to.

I might politely disagree. When you take them in for service, ask your LDS to open up the second stage while you're there. A soak might turn out to be something you'd consider. A sealed first needs nothing but a rinse. But I think you'll be surprised about the little stuff that gets stuck in a second stage without a thorough flushing. And the minor coating of salt that you wipe off the exterior just layers up on the inside.
Atomic is pretty bulletproof, so you may be just fine. That zirconium coating is pretty slick. But my 2 cents.
Safe diving!

 

[Nick Steele]

@rsingler

Good point these are my first Regs and I believe I have done pretty good. Also I have run freshwater through the 2nds but not every time (shame on me). I’m sure I will have more to learn but have been told by my LDS soaking isn’t needed so we shall see.

 

[Wookie]

I might politely disagree. When you take them in for service, ask your LDS to open up the second stage while you're there. A soak might turn out to be something you'd consider. A sealed first needs nothing but a rinse. But I think you'll be surprised about the little stuff that gets stuck in a second stage without a thorough flushing. And the minor coating of salt that you wipe off the exterior just layers up on the inside.
Atomic is pretty bulletproof, so you may be just fine. That zirconium coating is pretty slick. But my 2 cents.
Safe diving!

+1^^^. I was in the first Atomic repair class Dean taught, back before there were numbers, if you will. I've been servicing Atomic regs a long time. I have seen a number of failures, including catastrophic failures of atomic regulators due to failure to soak the regulator, and to failure to do it carefully. For instance, I've seen 2 failed main springs due to corrosion from water getting into the first stage through the second stage and the seat saver. Now, I detest the seat saver because 90% of folks diving atomic regulators don't understand it, including me the first 12 or so years I owned them. But they do make the ongoing adjustments easier by eliminating them. So there's that, but you definitely need to soak the regulators first and second stages. Just do it at different times. Not both at the same time.

 

[Nick Steele]

Is there a certain way to go about soaking them? 1st stage first then 2nd and octo?

I haven’t used my Regs in two weeks cause of a nasty cut would there be any benefit to soaking them now? Or just wait till next dive later this week?