buying reg for the 1st time...need advice

[elan]

I guess Scubapro MK25/S600 can be a good option for you.

 

[firemedic8082]

If your looking to buy online give scubatoys.com a look, you can call them and tell them what you are looking for/type diving you plan to do. They have great service, very competative prices, and they will give you 10% off for being a SB member to boot.

 

[Kingscrab]

Well, I'm not too up to date on the latest and greatest, but I bought a DACOR about 15 years ago upon certification, and it's been on at least 500 dives with me. It is rugged, "all purpose" and never failed me once. Knock on wood.

I'd give it my vote. :vintagediver:

 

[halocline]

I finally have the money to buy my next piece of dive equipment...a regulator. what should i look for? what are the questions should i ask?
(I'm a recreational diver - about 40-50 dives a year.)

Practically any reg made by a reputable manufacturer will work perfectly fine. The questions you should ask are 1) how much do you want to spend and 2) where can you get it serviced?

Other than that, try out a few in the pool or rent a few for some dives, if you try something you like and there's someone who can service it locally, you're all set.

Personally I don't like spending a lot of money on something I can get for less (IOW, I'm a major cheapskate) so I only buy used regs and service them myself. Of course I've ended up spending way too much, but I have a closet full of regs just in case a truckload of my closest friends come by to do some diving and forgot theirs, enough parts to last well into retirement (well, that might be an exaggeration) and several tools that I otherwise would not have.

But, I think about these people spending almost $1,000 on a single reg and then handing it over to some flunky at a dive shop with potentially 1 day of training, paying them $150/yr to have said employee "work" on it, and it's all worthwhile.

 

[martzak]

Mattboy,

Could not agree with you more. Some people just enjoy being caught up in the regulator hype.

 

[pygmyghostpipeturtle]

With weight restrictions and the like, a light weight, warm water reg might be the best option for you. The Micron is good, and Aqualung has service centers worldwide. If money is not a serious restriction, you may want to look into a titanium regulator.
If you buy online from the grey market, you will probably not receive a warranty. Almost all manufacturers, including Aqualung only provide warranties through their authorised dealers.
Perhaps the most important thing (besides finding the reg itself) is that you can find after sales service.

I was in the South Pacific and had a Scubapro reg that failed. The person in the dive boat said "it is too bad it is not a Sherwood because they are simple and easy to clean or repair and it can be dione anywhere............but no one will be able to fix this Scubapro around here"

To avoid this from happening, my advice is to go for a dive before you go for a dive, either in a local dive site or at least in the pool. This could save a lot of hassle by letting you check your gear and giving you a chance to brush up a little before you go, so your good to go when you get to your destination.

Also, don't skint on your octopus. Remember that if and when you need to use it, it will be in an emergency and hence it needs to be a high performance regulator too. Anything can happen, and we are going into an alien environment using life support equipment after all. If there is a problem, you may find yourself deep, in a strong current with two people breathing from one 1st stage. For that reason make both the 1st stage and both 2nd stages good ones..