Hello,
I request advice for something solid but entry-level in cost.
I am a Great Lakes diver who is getting back into diving after taking my OW course years ago and not doing any diving since until this year. I loathed jacket BCD's so my first acquisition was getting a BP/W from Tobin. Very happy with it. However, rental regs fit on a BP/W about as well as tractor tires fit on a Prius. These things are simply not made for each other. My intention was to rent regs and save my limited diving dollars for classes and diving, but uncomfortable with your equipment is uncomfortable with your equipment. So what to do...
I have done research and read A LOT of forum posts in the last couple weeks. It seems that I would be best served - for cold fresh water diving - with a sealed first stage, which is best done with a diaphragm type, a balanced second stage primary (diaphragms appear to have fewer problems with this as well), and either an unbalanced Octo or an identical second stage if the price is comparable. The SPG should be a simple brass unit. Finally, the hoses should (by preference) be the braided nylon flex type (not rubber) for both durability and packing convenience, and of the correct length for a DIR BP/W setup. My expectations for performance are limited to not being worse than rental regs. (The last one I used wheezed like a badly tuned reed until I carefully slowed my breathing, how wonderful...) I am more interested in reliability.
I would appreciate advice on if my above conclusions are accurate, and also the best value reg set or individual parts for the money still meeting my needs that you are aware of. The Deep6 DGX is my front runner at $400 for everything. I would gladly spend less if I could and still get something I would feel confident in, and I could see spending more if there was a strong reason to do so. My LDS is an Aqualung dealer, and I very much doubt I could afford their prices for something comparable to the Deep6 DGX package, though I will ask.
@joe10540 posted in a thread regarding regs under $1k about Synchro regs that are selling for around $100, and I am very curious about those as well. They seem to review well, but I have no other knowledge of the company.
Also, does anyone know what the servicing process is on the Deep6 DGX models? DIY is fine with me, but I would prefer not to have it be the only option.
My apologies for asking so many questions. In fairness though, I only ask because there are so many people on here who respond with posts worth reading.
Thank you.
I request advice for something solid but entry-level in cost.
I am a Great Lakes diver who is getting back into diving after taking my OW course years ago and not doing any diving since until this year. I loathed jacket BCD's so my first acquisition was getting a BP/W from Tobin. Very happy with it. However, rental regs fit on a BP/W about as well as tractor tires fit on a Prius. These things are simply not made for each other. My intention was to rent regs and save my limited diving dollars for classes and diving, but uncomfortable with your equipment is uncomfortable with your equipment. So what to do...
I have done research and read A LOT of forum posts in the last couple weeks. It seems that I would be best served - for cold fresh water diving - with a sealed first stage, which is best done with a diaphragm type, a balanced second stage primary (diaphragms appear to have fewer problems with this as well), and either an unbalanced Octo or an identical second stage if the price is comparable. The SPG should be a simple brass unit. Finally, the hoses should (by preference) be the braided nylon flex type (not rubber) for both durability and packing convenience, and of the correct length for a DIR BP/W setup. My expectations for performance are limited to not being worse than rental regs. (The last one I used wheezed like a badly tuned reed until I carefully slowed my breathing, how wonderful...) I am more interested in reliability.
I would appreciate advice on if my above conclusions are accurate, and also the best value reg set or individual parts for the money still meeting my needs that you are aware of. The Deep6 DGX is my front runner at $400 for everything. I would gladly spend less if I could and still get something I would feel confident in, and I could see spending more if there was a strong reason to do so. My LDS is an Aqualung dealer, and I very much doubt I could afford their prices for something comparable to the Deep6 DGX package, though I will ask.
@joe10540 posted in a thread regarding regs under $1k about Synchro regs that are selling for around $100, and I am very curious about those as well. They seem to review well, but I have no other knowledge of the company.
Also, does anyone know what the servicing process is on the Deep6 DGX models? DIY is fine with me, but I would prefer not to have it be the only option.
My apologies for asking so many questions. In fairness though, I only ask because there are so many people on here who respond with posts worth reading.
Thank you.