Do I need to buy an expensive Regulator???
- Thread starter pablovi
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miketsp
Contributor
For recreational diving to 45m or less I don't think there are any bad regs on the market these days. Which probably explains why most users recommend the reg they know/use/own.
My wife has a very cheap non-branded reg (about 100USD) which she bought just to see if she would like diving - we intended to upgrade it quickly. She liked it so much it now has more than 4 years use, literally hundreds of dives, many in the range 30-45m.
It gets serviced yearly, the dealer is 15minutes from where I work - service is cheap, and every time I take it in he tries to convince me to upgrade it to a top of the line branded model (he knows we dive a lot). But when I press him and ask if he knows of any failures or had any complaints with this model, he admits that all the users like it and can't give me any real justification to change it.
On the few occasions that my wife dove with other regs, she didn't really feel any difference.
So, as already commented, for me it comes down to factors like Total Cost of Ownership, ie, service costs & convenience, availability of spares etc.
My wife has a very cheap non-branded reg (about 100USD) which she bought just to see if she would like diving - we intended to upgrade it quickly. She liked it so much it now has more than 4 years use, literally hundreds of dives, many in the range 30-45m.
It gets serviced yearly, the dealer is 15minutes from where I work - service is cheap, and every time I take it in he tries to convince me to upgrade it to a top of the line branded model (he knows we dive a lot). But when I press him and ask if he knows of any failures or had any complaints with this model, he admits that all the users like it and can't give me any real justification to change it.
On the few occasions that my wife dove with other regs, she didn't really feel any difference.
So, as already commented, for me it comes down to factors like Total Cost of Ownership, ie, service costs & convenience, availability of spares etc.
Thanks everyone! You've been very helpful!
I will buy a Tusa regulator package online, because I pay less for the Regulator(RS-130), Octo and 3 gauge console, than what I have to pay just for the Regulator here!
Online its 390 USd with the 3 gauge console and just the regulator in MExico cost 400 USD!
I will buy a Tusa regulator package online, because I pay less for the Regulator(RS-130), Octo and 3 gauge console, than what I have to pay just for the Regulator here!
Online its 390 USd with the 3 gauge console and just the regulator in MExico cost 400 USD!
mike_s
Contributor
pablovi:
here is a Tusa Rs-130 package for $369 US
http://www.divesports.com/mall/tusa_pkg_rs130reg_complete.asp
Bob3
Contributor
Maybe you can find someone willing to "smuggle" one down to you. 
Another thing to keep in mind is that some shops will develop a bad attitude towards you if you buy mail order and ask them to service it, so be sure there are at least 2 shops local to you selling that brand.
Another thing to keep in mind is that some shops will develop a bad attitude towards you if you buy mail order and ask them to service it, so be sure there are at least 2 shops local to you selling that brand.
Bob3:Maybe you can find someone willing to "smuggle" one down to you.
Another thing to keep in mind is that some shops will develop a bad attitude towards you if you buy mail order and ask them to service it, so be sure there are at least 2 shops local to you selling that brand.
Yeah I have to check if they will service it, but I can lawys tell them that I bought it on my last diving trip. But yeah, they may be reluctant to service it. There are about 4 shops in Mexico city that I know sell Tusa equipment.
thanks!
if you don't want to go with one of the scubapro/apeks/etc/etc/etc regs (i, myself, scubapro hawker), look at the oceanic gear. it's very nice, reasonably priced, and they come up with some pretty cool stuff that noone else has..
properly maintained, the cheapest unbalanced piston regulator is still a nice regulator for recreational use (when i say properly maintained, i mean RINSE IT WITH FRESH WATER. if you rinse it, it'll be cool. you could probably even get away with not getting it annually serviced (if you're not too rough on it) and still have it work decently (i'm not saying you should, not saying you shouldn't, but well, i've seen equipment that i wouldn't really want to use even after it was overhauled, just looking at how the person took care of it)
properly maintained, the cheapest unbalanced piston regulator is still a nice regulator for recreational use (when i say properly maintained, i mean RINSE IT WITH FRESH WATER. if you rinse it, it'll be cool. you could probably even get away with not getting it annually serviced (if you're not too rough on it) and still have it work decently (i'm not saying you should, not saying you shouldn't, but well, i've seen equipment that i wouldn't really want to use even after it was overhauled, just looking at how the person took care of it)
jimbojones
Registered
buy a used aqualung/us divers conshelf for 30 bucks and you will have a top quality reg that will last you many years or until you decide there is something specific you want to replace it with. Thats what i did then after a few years with a new reg i sold it bought another conshelf on ebay for 15 bucks and I don't plan on ever buying new regs again...as long as i can get ot serviced
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