First regulator - leaning towards Scubapro or Atomic

[eelnoraa]

I have both and they are both good. I would go with whatever is easiest to service.

+1

For self service route, keep in mind, if you dive a lot, and with multiple set of regulators, doing DIY makes a lot of sense, from financial aspect, and the ability to get familiar with serving regulator. But if you are doing a few dives a year on vacation, doing it DIY really doesn't make logical sense unless you just like DIY. Reason being 1) you will have initial investment on tools, and probably some class, however little you can get away with, it is some money. It will take you a few services to recover the initial cost. 2) servicing 1 set of reg every 2 year, you will not get enough experience to be good at it.

I still think, based on your description for your intention, get one that you can get easy service. You can still do DIY for AA and SP if you want to. I have been doing it for a long time. But I can just as easy take them to a shop if I need to

 

[eelnoraa]

... My favorite thing about the D3 first stage is that it's a swivel turret so you can turn your head without hoses getting pulled away from you. ...

I actually don't think 1st stage swivel turrect does anything at all for single tank. The turret position is more or less fixed by the LPI hose. It can't really rotate much. It is also not unique to D3. Too many 1st stages have it, Apek DST, SP mk25, most atomic ... very common feature.

 

[Addicted2H2O]

I actually don't think 1st stage swivel turrect does anything at all for single tank. The turret position is more or less fixed by the LPI hose. It can't really rotate much. It is also not unique to D3. Too many 1st stages have it, Apek DST, SP mk25, most atomic ... very common feature.

Oh agreed or sure. The D3 definitely isn't the only 1st stage out there and it's certainly not new tech. But I can with 100% certainty that the Atomic Z2 the OP s considering does not have that feature.

 

[saxman242]

Oh agreed or sure. The D3 definitely isn't the only 1st stage out there and it's certainly not new tech. But I can with 100% certainty that the Atomic Z2 the OP s considering does not have that feature.

1st stage swivel is an optional extra on the z2, but is available.

 

[purbeast]

So with cleaning off the Atomic ones, is it okay to just hose them off like in the shower and get them all wet together? Is it just soaking them in water for extended periods of time that you need to worry about water going back up into the first stage?

I'm just trying to figure out logistically what the process would be like if I was on vacation and after a day of diving, how it would work. Like could I just go back to my room and put them in the shower to rinse them off? Or just back at the dock with the fresh water hose?

And then when I get home, I can do an extended soaking of them in a tub, where I just drape the hose over something so that both the first and second stages are in the water, but the hose is up hanging them so water can't get between them?

Or is soaking them something you need to do immediately?

 

[Scuba Lawyer]

So with cleaning off the Atomic ones, is it okay to just hose them off like in the shower and get them all wet together? Is it just soaking them in water for extended periods of time that you need to worry about water going back up into the first stage?

I'm just trying to figure out logistically what the process would be like if I was on vacation and after a day of diving, how it would work. Like could I just go back to my room and put them in the shower to rinse them off? Or just back at the dock with the fresh water hose?

And then when I get home, I can do an extended soaking of them in a tub, where I just drape the hose over something so that both the first and second stages are in the water, but the hose is up hanging them so water can't get between them?

Or is soaking them something you need to do immediately?

I'll probably regret this as I'm sure there will be "alternative viewpoints," but when I go on a liveaboard for a week or ten days, or to a resort for the same period, and I'm diving all day, every day, my regs get washed in fresh water a grand total of once at the end of the trip. Either at the boat/resort or at home I hook the reg up to a tank, pressurize it, and soak the first and second stages in fresh water, pushing the purge valve a few times and twisting any venturi adjustment knob a few times. Been doing it that way since the mid-1970's and my regs are just fine. YMMV.

 

[saxman242]

I usually dunk in fresh water at the end of a day, then soak in water when I get home. Same as I do with my non atomic reg.

 

[purbeast]

So just dunking the Atomic's in water you don't have to worry about any issues? Like you could just grab the middle of the hose so that the first and second stages are hanging, dunk it in the water, and there is nothing to worry about?

 

[saxman242]

So just dunking the Atomic's in water you don't have to worry about any issues? Like you could just grab the middle of the hose so that the first and second stages are hanging, dunk it in the water, and there is nothing to worry about?

I usually dunk the first stage and then the seconds, but yes, you should be fine doing that as long as you don't then hang them up with the 2nd stage above the first

 

[Scuba Lawyer]

So just dunking the Atomic's in water you don't have to worry about any issues? Like you could just grab the middle of the hose so that the first and second stages are hanging, dunk it in the water, and there is nothing to worry about?

I know folks that put the dust cap in place on the 1st stage and gently place the whole reg in a bucket of water. It works fine but I'm not a big fan of that because, (1) I'm a big believer that dust caps are for dust, not necessarily keeping out water (although the o-ring in the cap should seal OK if the yoke screw is tight enough); and (2), If the purge button gets depressed even a tiny bit you risk getting water in the hose which will eventually work its wetness back into your first stage regardless of how you are holding the hose at the time. That is why I always rinse my regs pressurized. I do know folks that will just unscrew the 2nd stage off the hose and soak it all by itself, making sure it is good and dry before reattaching, but that seems a tad extreme. Everyone has their own way of doing things. Pressurizing my reg is my way. Good luck. M