Best types of Regulators to buy?

[drmobil2002]

I am in the market to buy a new regulator and I wanted to know if any one out there with the knowledge can recommend something. Price is not an object when it comes to my breathing source. I do a lot of fresh water dives an several saltwater dives a year. I dive up to 130' in warm water only, do not have the urge to go dry suit diving in very cold water. The coldest dive I had was 52 deg/F.

I would like the option of Nitrox compatible, and I would like to know the advantages and disadvantages of an adjustable 2ndstage and Diaphgram or Piston.

I have been looking at the following:

Scuba Pro MK25/s600
Tusa Platina Plus (RS-240) No Nitrox
Atomic Z1
Oceanic Delta 3 PX2
Oceanic Zeta CDX5

Any Recomendations?

 

[yknot]

Hard to be objective with this question, kind of like asking what someones favorite car or food is. In general, for the type of diving you describe, any you suggest will do. I've never tried anything from a major brand that was junk. You may want to consider ease of service. In my area, Tusa and Atomic are not well supported, for example. As far as Nitrox, I'm not aware of a reg that isn't rated to 40% right out of the box. Do a search on piston-vs diaphragm for a more detailed analysis of that aspect. Good luck!

 

[Tekdiver10]

Although I service Scubapro and Apeks I would have to recommend the Scubapro line for warm water diving. The Mk25 is a balanced-piston 1st stage, it delivers massive amounts of air at any depth (recreational depths,) its nitrox certified up to 40% and depending on which 2nd stage you pair it with it will last 20 years+. The new recomendation with the Scubapro's in my area is to go with either the X650 or the S600. The S600 has been around for a coupple of years now and its a nice reg, if you want to go deep I would say get the X650, it delivers more air at greater depths.

 

[ShakaZulu]

Although I service Scubapro and Apeks I would have to recommend the Scubapro line for warm water diving. The Mk25 is a balanced-piston 1st stage, it delivers massive amounts of air at any depth (recreational depths,) its nitrox certified up to 40% and depending on which 2nd stage you pair it with it will last 20 years+. The new recomendation with the Scubapro's in my area is to go with either the X650 or the S600. The S600 has been around for a coupple of years now and its a nice reg, if you want to go deep I would say get the X650, it delivers more air at greater depths.

I thought they recalled the X650. And then you have all the freeflow issues with Scubapro.......hmmm

I'd suggest the APEKS series (ATX50 and upwards).

 

[rescuediver009]

I thought they recalled the X650. And then you have all the freeflow issues with Scubapro.......hmmm

I'd suggest the APEKS series (ATX50 and upwards).

If you are diving in warmer water as you have mentioned, I wouldn't worry about coldawater freeflows of a Scubapro. For you I would also recommend the Scubapro for your climate and type of diving. This reg will not be outgrown and it breathes very well.
Diving Apeks myself, I am not going to say that they are bad, but for your location I think that you would be happy with either, and the Apeks was not mentioned on your list.
I agree, do a search on balanced or unblanced. There is a thread in right now on a similar what reg to buy, and there is a link in it that explains the balanced vs. unbalanced pretty well.

 

[Don Burke]

I am in the market to buy a new regulator and I wanted to know if any one out there with the knowledge can recommend something. Price is not an object when it comes to my breathing source. I do a lot of fresh water dives an several saltwater dives a year. I dive up to 130' in warm water only, do not have the urge to go dry suit diving in very cold water. The coldest dive I had was 52 deg/F.

I would like the option of Nitrox compatible, and I would like to know the advantages and disadvantages of an adjustable 2ndstage and Diaphgram or Piston.

I have been looking at the following:

Scuba Pro MK25/s600
Tusa Platina Plus (RS-240) No Nitrox
Atomic Z1
Oceanic Delta 3 PX2
Oceanic Zeta CDX5

Any Recomendations?

The ScubaPro will serve you well. I use Apeks and it was a close call between that and SP.

You might want to rethink the position on cold water regulators. Sealed regulators are cleaner operating and are easier to sell if you change your mind about all of this. You also might change your mind about the cold.

I would not even think of getting a regulator that was not good to EAN40 right out of the box as most are. I prefer to have regs capable of being cleaned and lubed to go to 100% if the mood strikes me.

 

[Tekdiver10]

They did in the begining, but the problems are all fixed. And the free flow comes from having the adjustment knob set on dive unstead of pre-dive. If you try purging the regulator while in dive mode, yes it will free flow, but not once your underwater. Most high preformance regulators with pre-dive features will free flow when you have them in the wrong setting and you purg the reg.

 

[rescuediver009]

The ScubaPro will serve you well. I use Apeks and it was a close call between that and SP.

You might want to rethink the position on cold water regulators. Sealed regulators are cleaner operating and are easier to sell if you change your mind about all of this. You also might change your mind about the cold.

That is a good point if you are somewhere that is not always going to be warm. Another thing not mentioned about the Apeks is that it is dry sealed, and that makes them excellent as far as keeping out the salt and keeping them clean along with not freeflowing. The Scubapro with its open port design, will require a little bit more thorough rinsing and ensuring that it is clean and dry before storage.

I prefer to have regs capable of being cleaned and lubed to go to 100% if the mood strikes me.

Every reg has this capability.

 

[rescuediver009]

They did in the begining, but the problems are all fixed. And the free flow comes from having the adjustment knob set on dive unstead of pre-dive. If you try purging the regulator while in dive mode, yes it will free flow, but not once your underwater. Most high preformance regulators with pre-dive features will free flow when you have them in the wrong setting and you purg the reg.

It is definetely a good thing if you open the venturi/viva and adjustment knobs and hit the purge and get a freeflow. It is a characteristic of every high performance reg. You can also use it to see if yours is tuned properly.

 

[scubatoys]

Scuba Pro MK25/s600
Tusa Platina Plus (RS-240) No Nitrox
Atomic Z1
Oceanic Delta 3 PX2
Oceanic Zeta CDX5

Kind of interesting as you are looking at top of the line scubapro - but bottom of the line atomic... not that the z1 is a slouch... but the Atomic B2 would be a strong candidate in my book. The second stage swivel is very nice.