Balanced Diaphragm or Piston ?

[eelnoraa]

...while Atomics CAN be expensive, they don't have to be expensive...take a look at the 'Z' series ones. I'm diving both 'piston' regs (Atomic M1 + T2) as well as diaphragm ones (Apex XTX 200 (2) ....Aqualung Titan LX (1).....plus half a dozen Poseidon Jetstreams....and several Mares regs) ......and honestly, they all work just fine. I really woundn't spend too much time worring about piston versus diaphragm...other than to say, if you dive in a cold/silty environment...AND choose a piston reg, make sure to get the environmental sealed 1st-stage kit installed.....sometimes that 'kit' already comes as 'standard' on a piston reg anyway. Also, Atomics use Christolube-filled 1st-stages when they are environmentally sealed, which is cleaned out/replaced when serviced....which may add an extra $ 30 - $ 40 to the service cost.

No, Atomic are expansive compare to other brand, even with its Z series. Think about the whole working system. The cheapest Atomic regulator: Z2 1st+2nd & Z2 octo, it will cost almost $700. You can get a reasonable high end reg set from Oceanic for $450.

Now Atomic users may argue you get what you pay for, which I do NOT doubt. But in terms of whether Atomics are more expansive, that cannot be disputed either.

 

[scubafanatic]

No, Atomic are expansive compare to other brand, even with its Z series. Think about the whole working system. The cheapest Atomic regulator: Z2 1st+2nd & Z2 octo, it will cost almost $700. You can get a reasonable high end reg set from Oceanic for $450.

Now Atomic users may argue you get what you pay for, which I do NOT doubt. But in terms of whether Atomics are more expansive, that cannot be disputed either.

...I think you are missing the main point here....Atomics aren't as expensive as some people may think...their low-end models are pretty affordable with a price range that overlaps with lots of other brands 'affordable' regs. Also, you can save $ by adding a cheaper octo to the main Atomic reg set.....for example, I'm using Apex Egress octos on my Atomics......which are cheaper than the Atomic octos.....plus I prefer their small, flat hocky-puck shape/design over the bigger, conventional octos.

 

[Splitlip]

These may help...

First is a diaphragm. Second is a piston. Third is Jackie Bisset. Fourth is a Goliath Grouper.

 

[Scott L]

These may help...

First is a diaphragm. Second is a piston. Third is Jackie Bisset. Fourth is a Goliath Grouper.

Tim,
I could not enlarge Jackie's thumbnail picture to get a closer look to her ahh mask, that's it!

 

[Splitlip]

Sorry Scott. I don't know how I screwed it up.

 

[scubafanatic]

These may help...

First is a diaphragm. Second is a piston. Third is Jackie Bisset. Fourth is a Goliath Grouper.

...Jackie's thumbnail is the only one that doesn't 'expand' to a nicely visible size...what's up with that ??? ...some kinda of parental control setting that's the mod's have set up ???

 

[Scott L]

...Jackie's thumbnail is the only one that doesn't 'expand' to a nicely visible size...what's up with that ??? ...some kinda of parental control setting that's the mod's have set up ???

Oh well. Hat's off to Tim to think of putting the shot just after a regulator 1st stage diagram. That's creative...

 

[holeup]

Yup. that pretty much sums it up right there. If your diving for recreation and not trying to raise the stuff burried UNDER the Titanic. You can follow most salesmens in store advice and get a safe regulator. But as the poster "gerbs" has clearly pointed out here, it really depens on who you are, where your diving, what conditions are or will be like and above all what feels right to you.
Your scuba gear, is a "Life Support System" in an alien environment. Make a choice based on the climate of the area (s) you will be surrounded in. Piston or diaprhragm, environmentally sealed or open. One thing I always do when buying a regulator ( BTW and just FYI i use a custom scubapro rig on some dives and another rig on wreck dives). Make comparison based on the manufaturers own specs. They have websites that you can view to compare heir regs for use tropical, cold and even hostile envronments. The absolute best thing to thi when you are making a decision is like I stated before, this is a crucial part of your life supportsystem

 

[Belce]

The Mk25 scubapro 1st stage is both US Navy approved for cold water 38 F and 190 feet down good and CE 250 certified to boot.

There is a vast left wing conspiracy against the Mk25 first stage for cold water use that seems to run rampant contary to the experience of those that use it and those in our Navy that certify it for cold water.

 

[holeup]

And ill second the motion Sr. the custom SP rig i mentioned is infact:
a mk25/gx250 rig and Ive used it below 200ft in temps that would not be experienced by most recreational divers. I am re customizing the rig to be a MK25/A700

Not that I am saying this is what you should buy, but I am giving you a real world sample of what you can assemble for yourself if you do the homework and check them out