Cold/warm water reg

[Shoreliner11]

I am looking to buy a new regulator and I would like to stay around $300. I hear great things about the zeagle envoy deluxe and some others but I'm trying to find a reg. that will do well in mid 40 degee as well as warm water. Most environmentally sealed 1st/2nd stage combos seem to be a bit out of my price range. I looked at the mares proton ice but I haven't read the best reviews on it. I would love to hear your recommendations. Thanks.
Aaron

 

[Fouremco]

I have a related question that I was going to post, but will include it in this thread: when considering cold / warm water regs, approximately what temperature is considered to be the dividing line? :ice:

 

[Shoreliner11]

I was also told that if used right many 1st stages can be used with no freeze ups. Is an environmentally sealed first stage a must in water that gets down to around mid-high 40's? Thanks
Aaron

 

[aquaoren]

No, it's not a must.
Poseidon, which has an excellent cold water reputation, don't have sealed first stages.
The Mares Abyss, another excellent cold water reg, isn't sealed either.
There will be more other cold water regs that aren't sealed.
For both the Poseidon and Mares you can buy an environmental kit and seal them later.

 

[DiverBuoy]

I know Zeagle and other scuba metaphoric explicatives. You can use it in a sentence like when your thumb gets crushed by a steel 130cu on a scuba boat you can say "Oh zeagle, that hurt". Or "Oops, I just did a zeagle in my wetsuit."

I'm kidding, I believe Apeks sells their good regulators under the Zeagle name, their medium to high end regs are decent.

 

[Web Monkey]

That depends on how deep you're going to be and how many people will be sucking air from your first stage, and what the total air consumption is.

First stage cooling is determined by the pressure drop across the first stage and the volume of air passing through it.

One person breathing lightly at 40' on a non-sealed reg might get by nicely in 40 degree water, however if you decide to go down to 100 feet, or your buddy has an OOA and takes one of your regs, you have a much greater chance of having a freeflow due to the increased first stage cooling from the increased air volume..

The "environmentally sealed" regs typically pack the first stage in grease to keep water away from the moving parts. No water = no ice = no freeflow.

Terry

I have a related question that I was going to post, but will include it in this thread: when considering cold / warm water regs, approximately what temperature is considered to be the dividing line? :ice:

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I think the retail price on a Mk 2 R390 or R295 is around $250 and the Mk 2 does extremely well in cold water even though it is not a sealed first stage. Several divers I know use them in extremely cold water including ice diving.

You could also have a Scubapro dealer special order you a Mk 17 first stage with an R190 or R295 second stage for around $315-$320. The Mk 17 is fully sealed and is an excellent first stage. It is also as bullet proof as you can get in extremely cold water, surving high flow rate for 200 minutes in 165 ft of 33 degree water with no freeze ups.

Later, if you want to upgrade the second stage, you could pick up a G250HP second stage for another $300 and use the original first stage as an octo.

Generally speaking "cold" water starts some where between 45 and 50 degrees F. Below that temp, some regulators begin to have problems with "freeze" flows.

 

[DiverBuoy]

... I believe Apeks sells their good regulators under the Zeagle name, their medium to high end regs are decent.

Well I asked a Zeagle dealer he said this is no longer the case. Zeagle makes all their own regs now. Sorry but that seems to be why I've heard a few negative stories in the last couple of years. Likely their high ends are better, as I hear less "bad press" about these.

 

[riguerin]

I know Zeagle and other scuba metaphoric explicatives. You can use it in a sentence like when your thumb gets crushed by a steel 130cu on a scuba boat you can say "Oh zeagle, that hurt". Or "Oops, I just did a zeagle in my wetsuit."

I'm kidding, I believe Apeks sells their good regulators under the Zeagle name, their medium to high end regs are decent.

Apeks and Zeagle parted ways years ago. Apeks continues to make their renowned line of cold water regs under the current ownership of Aqualung. While Zeagle now designs and manufactures their own line of regs ... in some areas, improving upon the baseline Apeks design.

 

[ProfessorAronnax]

I am looking to buy a new regulator and I would like to stay around $300. I hear great things about the zeagle envoy deluxe and some others but I'm trying to find a reg. that will do well in mid 40 degee as well as warm water. Most environmentally sealed 1st/2nd stage combos seem to be a bit out of my price range. I looked at the mares proton ice but I haven't read the best reviews on it. I would love to hear your recommendations. Thanks.
Aaron

Here's some info regarding cold water regs:

http://www.zeagle.com/index.php?submenu=Regulators&src=gendocs&link=EnvironmentalSealing

This is what I would recommend:

http://www.scubadiving.com/gear/regulators/16_best_new_regulators_over_%24400/9/


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