best reg for me /cold irish water/air/nitrox

[buleetu]

hi all

just wondering if anyone if people can give me ideas on what names to start looking at for a regulator

i will be diving in irish sea waters and its cold and theres also some quarrys that a local club dives in and i beleive fresh water freezes up regs too so thats a consideration

what do u guys use?? also maybe i will use nitrox later on so i need a regulator that is possible to use nitrox,,but do i need 2 for this ??

thanks everyone

 

[jar546]

You are already near where they make them so I will say Apeks XTX200 which I have used in water as cold as 34F (1.1C) without any problem.

 

[a22shady]

I like the Scubapro MK17/G250V or the Atomic M1's. Both are excellent regs and are highly reliable.

 

[dbulmer]

I use APEKS XTX 50 and like them - the MK17 g250s are nice too actually they are nicer but APEKS are generally easier to get serviced.

 

[SeaCobra]

The Apeks, Scubapro and Atomics are all excellent regs. What regs are near to you? Which can be serviced locally? In your geography I would think the Apeks would be the best place to start. A diaphragm design reg may be best for you cold water environment, if you are looking at piston design be sure that it is environmentally sealed. I have been diving sealed Atomics off of New Jersey, USA for years and really like them.

Do you belong to a scuba club in your area that may be able to help? Lastly, if you are diving recreational nitrox you will only need one reg, no need for a dedicated reg just for nitrox. Unless there is some local regulation that I am unaware of.

 

[herman]

For the most part, any of the major brands are good. Having reliable service and technical help is more important than brand name. Check the local shops and see what is see what brand is common in your area and which shops have the best service department. For colder water, you will want either a diaphragm reg or an environmentally sealed piston reg. Both have their advantages but my personal preference are diaphragm regs. If you travel widely, then I would limit my choices to Apex, Aqualung and Scubapro, not because they are any better but rather due to their larger world wide presence so if you have problems while traveling, the odds of you finding a service center are better. When choosing a reg, regardless of brand or type, look at the middle of the cost range. These regs have the same performance as the top end models but cost a good bit less. Most the extra cost on the top end models is for useless bling and/or "features" of questionable value, the important internal design is the same.

 

[RICHinNC]

I have driven around almost the entire Ireland coast line three times and have never seen one dive shop. Just curious....how are they marked?

 

[ajduplessis]

Mk17/a700

 

[buleetu]

I have driven around almost the entire Ireland coast line three times and have never seen one dive shop. Just curious....how are they marked?

there are 2 shops i know of in dublin city,,one called flag ship and its in east wall,,near where u2s studio used to be,,ask anyone in dublin and they will direct u there,,and the other is called the great out doors its off grafton street near stephens green

thanks to everyone for the tips,,,i have some reading to do

 

[a22shady]

Also keep in mind if your looking to be price oriented give the HOG line of regs a look. They are about 1/2 the price of the big names and have the performace and ability as as the above mentioned. They have diaphram grea cold water regs. I have not used them yet but know people that have dove them and said they are every bit as good if not better. Parts can be ordered and if you take a class that HOG dealers offer you can service them yourself. If you search the boards you should find plenty of info on these regs

Here are some shops I found online:

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