Cheizz
Contributor
Aqualung Legend
Scobapro MK 17
Scobapro MK 17
Diaphragm 1st stage regs you like
- Thread starter bradlw
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+1 for D6 signatures
If they weren't around probably Dive Rite, then maybe Apeks... whatever I can find used or on sale I guess.
If you really want the least expensive contact Randy @ Piranha Dive Manf. Ask him what his no name brand of reg is that comes from the same warehouse as all the rest of them.
Balance Diaphragm Yoke First Stage
$94 is going to be hard to beat. At some point I'll give one a shot just to see.
If they weren't around probably Dive Rite, then maybe Apeks... whatever I can find used or on sale I guess.
If you really want the least expensive contact Randy @ Piranha Dive Manf. Ask him what his no name brand of reg is that comes from the same warehouse as all the rest of them.
Balance Diaphragm Yoke First Stage
$94 is going to be hard to beat. At some point I'll give one a shot just to see.
I
As a brand and from someone who has used them commercially for decades, they're bulletproof; and I know of no one who has been disappointed by an MK3 first stage. One of mine is now twenty years old, still with the original diaphragm (which is seldom replaced).
scubaboard.com
All Poseidon service kits can now be purchased, over the counter, and free of any dealers-only ScubaPro-stye "embargo."
I just rebuilt two Cyklon 300s for a friend, who swears by them for ponies (as do I) from fresh service kits, for a model that had been discontinued thirty years ago . . .
If continued parts availability is a primary issue, +1 for Poseidon, whose list prices are now rather high in the US; but can often be had for far less overseas. A friend recently bought their full face mask and an Xstream MK3 first stage, from a German dealer, for about a third of its current US list price.Not exactly what the OP specified, but I would look around for a good second hand Poseidon XStream MK3 and get it serviced... would still come in close to some of the other new options listed. Look for one with the integrated OPV, which gives you more freedom with adding a range of second stages incl Poseidon later.
They are an extremely high performance, very rugged and reliable first stage regulator (rated to 200m Norsok U-101) and under ice without the need for environmental sealing, very straightforward to service and parts are readily available.
Maybe I'm biased, owning two sets
As a brand and from someone who has used them commercially for decades, they're bulletproof; and I know of no one who has been disappointed by an MK3 first stage. One of mine is now twenty years old, still with the original diaphragm (which is seldom replaced).
US Dollar and Buying from Overseas Suppliers
If you're in the US sometimes you find a piece of gear significantly lower priced from an overseas dive shop but often times the shipping kills the deal. The dollar has been on a steady uptrend lately which has made things in little more interesting. Couple that with the fact that some overseas...
All Poseidon service kits can now be purchased, over the counter, and free of any dealers-only ScubaPro-stye "embargo."
I just rebuilt two Cyklon 300s for a friend, who swears by them for ponies (as do I) from fresh service kits, for a model that had been discontinued thirty years ago . . .
The irony here is that the regs that were consistently screwed up by service techs were my ScubaPro regs. Now that isn't ScubaPro's fault, but if servicing my own regs requires me to have some backchannel connection to get parts, that is a non-starter for me. I get ScubaPro tries to have tight relationships with shops, but there are other options that don't have this hindrance.
Interesting input so far...thanks...I'll have to compile a shopping list for sure!
I feel like this is a big change since I was last an active diver. I learned how to service regulators when going through my tec and blending training, but even back then parts were pretty much only available back channel. No recreational divers that I knew about even attempted it!
so I guess that's a side question. Which makers are up front and open about parts available retail?
another side question.... the "no-name" regulators...and brands such as Dive rite, Zeagle, etc... who makes those? Back when I was a Zeagle customer anyway, it was just a small independent BC maker. They certainly did not have machine shop ability to make regulators...although they did have the private label regulators as I recall back then.... I figured they were sourcing from one of the big companies and private labeling....
I feel like this is a big change since I was last an active diver. I learned how to service regulators when going through my tec and blending training, but even back then parts were pretty much only available back channel. No recreational divers that I knew about even attempted it!
so I guess that's a side question. Which makers are up front and open about parts available retail?
another side question.... the "no-name" regulators...and brands such as Dive rite, Zeagle, etc... who makes those? Back when I was a Zeagle customer anyway, it was just a small independent BC maker. They certainly did not have machine shop ability to make regulators...although they did have the private label regulators as I recall back then.... I figured they were sourcing from one of the big companies and private labeling....
Dive Rite XT1
Belzelbub
Contributor
Can't answer on Dive Rite.
Your experience with Zeagle sounds like it may have been a long time ago.
Originally, Zeagle entered the dive industry with their BC offerings. They also were the US distributor for Apeks, and had re-branded Apeks regulators as the first Zeagle regulators. That was pre-2000 or early 2000s. They stopped being the distributor for Apeks and began making their own regulators. This introduced a problem. Since they were no longer associated with Apeks, they couldn't get service kits for them. IIRC, they offered a buyback for all of the Apeks clones for a time period. Since then, it's been the same Zeagle kit for all models.
Zeagle is now part of Huish, and the regulators are currently assembled in Costa Mesa, CA at the Atomic facility. Atomic is also a Huish brand. Machining of parts is likely outsourced, and I'm not sure with who. But this is really no different from larger brands like ScubaPro, for example, who uses Tabata for a lot (all?{ of their manufacturing.
Finding the super secret matching shop of any maker is tough, in the U.S. Atomic and maybe Zeagle were made here,now days both are owned by Huish who has a habit of just ending products and walking away from existing exclusive deals with the actual producers, like Hollis F1 (bat) fins, now you can buy “tribe” fins which are the same but available in a wide verity of colors. The Zeagle F7 and F8 use the same service kit as the old DS IV, the F8 second takes the same service kit as the old ZX seconds. Service kits are still readily available but you never know when let alone if that will change. Even the brands that don’t have the restrictions on supplies may want you to take a course from them to get access, at least that is a step in the right direction, I also use Sherwood SR first stages, they have a part policy that makes SP seem sloppy and free. The bigger the operation the looser the control.
I was told recently by a person who is an "in" person with Huish that the metal parts are all made in-house.
yeah, a long time ago for sure....I bought a Zeagle BC back in the '94-'95 timeframe (it wasn't a Ranger but some very similar thing...maybe a slightly larger lift, I don't recall what's different about it) and then worked with them to buy a custom double bladder wing for use with doubles and a standard back plate (prob Dive Rite), that was around early 2000. They did not offer anything like that but I called them and they put one together based on my 'specs'
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