Best reg for a newbie on a tight budget

[Jimmer]

Another excellent option for the money is the Oceanic GT3/CDX5, especially if you forsee cold water use. It's available from scubatoys as well. I own 2 of them and I'm quite pleased with their performance.

 

[NorthWoodsDiver]

If I was in your spot it would be a mk2+ and R190 second stage (no octo, I hate those things but if you must have one just get another R190), the next step up for me would be the Dive Rite RG3000, If I could get anything than it would be a scubapro mk17/S600 combo. all those should come in under $400 but that only covers 1st and 2nd stage components. if you need a computer pick up a wrist model (Nitek DUO or Suunto Vytek are my favs) and a plain old pressure gauge (I like the dive rite 1.5 " ones).

I dont like having an alternate second stage on the same first stage so I say get a pony with a completely redundant regulator. really a person could get 2 mk2+/R190 combos and a 19cuft pony bottle for $500 and then throw in a button gauge for the pony and a pressure gauge for primary tank for another $125 and your set.

 

[NorthWoodsDiver]

Of course I guess your never really set when it comes to dive gear, if you run out of stuff to buy then you have far far to much money but thats a whole other subject.

 

[shoturtle]

You can get a genesis gs2000 for about 250, it is made by oceanic, who makes regs for genesis's parent company sherwood also. On the gs2000 you can adjust the the second stage like the oceanic regs. It's a pretty good reg that my wife uses. It a nice reg, at a good price. I use an cressi ellipse titanium, it a pretty good reg around 250 bucks also.

If you are looking at a package deal, you can call up LeisurePro, they can package the equipment you want and save you some money. Just look through their website, and request a package price with the items you want, or just call them with the items. Unlike what allot of other posters will say, they are not just a gray market dealer, but they are also an authorize seller of oceanic, aeris, cressi, and couple of others brands. So if you are interested in one of the brands they are a authorize dealer off, you have no worries about the warranty issue. Like the other online sites, they will price match also.

 

[squidster]

Anyone have any opinions on the best regulators for a new diver who doesn't wanna spend much money? My girlfriend is finishing up her certification on thursday and though I might suprise her with some of her own gear so we can dive more often together. I own a MARES MR42T and absolutely love it , but dont wanna spend anywere near the 500-600 dollar range to get her anything like that. What about a package deal from scuba toys? where is the most bang for your buck on something like this.

I purchased a Oceanic GT3/CDX5 from scubatoys For 299.00.
This reg is a really good breather.
It is also enviromentaly sealed , makes a good cold water reg as well as warm water reg.
The regular price of this reg is 430.00 ,so 299.00 is a real bargain

 

[squidster]

Another excellent option for the money is the Oceanic GT3/CDX5, especially if you forsee cold water use. It's available from scubatoys as well. I own 2 of them and I'm quite pleased with their performance.

Really good Reg for The Money,I think they droped the price a liitle because they are wanting to push the new EOS reg

 

[shoturtle]

Really good Reg for The Money,I think they droped the price a liitle because they are wanting to push the new EOS reg

That is the new oceanic advertise price on the gt3 cdx5, they came out with its' replacement the new gt3 cdx5 dvt.

 

[halocline]

Keep in mind that the reg is a very important part of your life support system. You don't want to skimp here and incur potential safety problems.

The problem with this comment is that it implies that spending more on a reg equals safer diving, and that is simply not true. First, it's important to remember that reg failure in OW rec diving should NOT be a life threatening situation, in fact a big part of OW training is dealing with potential reg failure. That's why we use the buddy system and practice air sharing. If reg failure in OW diving puts your life in jeopardy, you have alot to learn about basic diving skills. Second (as you mentioned in the other part of your post) sometimes the least expensive regs are in fact the most reliable, like with the MK2. Catastrophic failure with this reg is virtually unheard of; someone on this board recently did an experiment diving with a MK2 with no mainspring and it still delivered air. There's no turret to fail (turret failures are very rare regardless) and due to the design there are no dynamic o-rings subject to supply pressure. If I had to choose a reg for solo diving at recreational depth with no redundant air supply, which granted is a bad idea to begin with, I would be tempted to use my MK2 despite the other higher performing ( and higher priced) regs I own.

 

[shoturtle]

The problem with this comment is that it implies that spending more on a reg equals safer diving, and that is simply not true. First, it's important to remember that reg failure in OW rec diving should NOT be a life threatening situation, in fact a big part of OW training is dealing with potential reg failure. That's why we use the buddy system and practice air sharing. If reg failure in OW diving puts your life in jeopardy, you have alot to learn about basic diving skills. Second (as you mentioned in the other part of your post) sometimes the least expensive regs are in fact the most reliable, like with the MK2. Catastrophic failure with this reg is virtually unheard of; someone on this board recently did an experiment diving with a MK2 with no mainspring and it still delivered air. There's no turret to fail (turret failures are very rare regardless) and due to the design there are no dynamic o-rings subject to supply pressure. If I had to choose a reg for solo diving at recreational depth with no redundant air supply, which granted is a bad idea to begin with, I would be tempted to use my MK2 despite the other higher performing ( and higher priced) regs I own.

Very well put mattboy.

Not everyone needs a mk25t/s600t or and atomic aquatic t2, which are some of the pricer regs on the market at over 1000 bucks. With the earlier statement, one would think anything less would be a bad choice. You can get a good balance reg form a brand name manufacture in the 200-250 dollar range, that would be just find for rec diving, with a choice of piston or diaphragm.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Anyone have any opinions on the best regulators for a new diver who doesn't wanna spend much money? My girlfriend is finishing up her certification on thursday and though I might suprise her with some of her own gear so we can dive more often together. I own a MARES MR42T and absolutely love it , but dont wanna spend anywere near the 500-600 dollar range to get her anything like that. What about a package deal from scuba toys? where is the most bang for your buck on something like this.

Instead of buying her the regulator you could always go with a gift certificate or one of those VISA gift cards for the amount you're willing to contribute then she could add some cash to the pot and get the reg SHE wants.

Get a cold water reg it doesn't have to be the most expensive one on the market, it can even be used. I purchased my first reg out of a rental fleet, a MK10 and I think both second stages are 250's. I'd be willing to sell it but it needs to be serviced and might need a new pressure gauge, I replaced it a couple years ago with a matched set of Dive Rite G2500ICE's because I got a great deal on them.

The problem with this comment is that it implies that spending more on a reg equals safer diving, and that is simply not true.

This is true to an extent and depends on where you buy your reg. The shops around here generally sell the warm water regs for less than the cold water ones.

First, it's important to remember that reg failure in OW rec diving should NOT be a life threatening situation, in fact a big part of OW training is dealing with potential reg failure. That's why we use the buddy system and practice air sharing. If reg failure in OW diving puts your life in jeopardy, you have alot to learn about basic diving skills

Let me tell you a little story my LDS owner told me. Someone comes in to buy a regulator, wants the cheapest one they can get. LDS owner asks where they will be diving and the answer is locally. Tells customer the "cheapest" reg isn't suitable for all of the local diving because it's a warm water reg and recommends a more expensive but still "cheap" cold water reg. Customer says he can't afford it and insists on the warm water reg. LDS owner tells him NOT to take it deeper than 60 feet at the local sites because it WILL free flow in those temperatures. Customer promises he doesn't intend to dive deeper than 60 feet around here. Later date customer makes 100 foot dive with regulator, free flows, fails to deal with it correctly and dies, one of his two buddies on that dive dies trying to help him.

Purchasing the wrong regulator for the local environment was the first step in that accident scenario. Dive accidents are a series of mistakes, not single event catastrophies.
Ber :lilbunny: