DIR- GUE Halcyon H-75P vs. Atomic M1

[Bald Wookie]

If I am to get stranded in a country with no service centers, I am as a matte of fact in Libya now, I'd rather have the most reliable and best performing regulator in the world, my Atomic regulators.

Almost the exact opposite to me. Sure, most reliable is great, until it breaks. Now you're in Libya, with no functioning reg(s) because I doubt you brought a tube of christolube with you and are willing to pack it.
I'd rather take something like an Apeks/Aqualung/SP diaphram 1st stage and a kit. A few allen keys, a wrench, and a pick (should be in your kit anyways) and you rebuild it in an evening.

Additionally I know more than one dive shop that refuses to service Atomic simply because they don't want to have tubes of christolube sitting there waiting for someone to come in and get their regs serviced.

I'd also like to mention that Atomic is simply not as recognized worldwide. Which means you're either out of luck, or shipping it to the other side of the country for a service. Meanwhile a more common reg can be done in the shop down the road (READ: AL, Apeks, SP).

Your choice.

 

[BoltSnap]

Almost the exact opposite to me. Sure, most reliable is great, until it breaks. Now you're in Libya, with no functioning reg(s) because I doubt you brought a tube of christolube with you and are willing to pack it.
I'd rather take something like an Apeks/Aqualung/SP diaphram 1st stage and a kit. A few allen keys, a wrench, and a pick (should be in your kit anyways) and you rebuild it in an evening.

You mean that I'll have the AP/AL/SP kits on me but not the Atomic?

To make it simpler for you, if I can have a service kit for one brand of regulators, I can certainly have it for Atomic no problem. HOWEVER, I own SEVERAL Atomic regulators for my own use and for the school's use and NEVER had any issue with ANY of them at all for YEARS!! My ST1 was serviced recently almost 10 years after I bought it and I serviced it because I was in a place with a dealer next door. It was performing like new when I had it serviced. The last time the B2 was serviced was circa 2012. Both are used heavily. The other Atomics I have have been around for 5 or so years and haven't been serviced yet. If I were stranded on an Island, or Libya, nothing in my experience amongst current models of regulators of all brands will last this long or be this reliable.

Additionally I know more than one dive shop that refuses to service Atomic simply because they don't want to have tubes of christolube sitting there waiting for someone to come in and get their regs serviced.

They can't afford to stock a couple of lube tubes they can buy at wholesale prices and they are legitimate Atomic dealers? They probably don't do much business with Atomic and probably don't stock anything. There are plenty of Atomic dealers not too far (or not further than dealers of other brands) anyways.

I'd also like to mention that Atomic is simply not as recognized worldwide. Which means you're either out of luck, or shipping it to the other side of the country for a service. Meanwhile a more common reg can be done in the shop down the road (READ: AL, Apeks, SP).

If you are in North America, Europe, Middle East, you should have no issue getting Atomic regulators serviced. You will have issues with Apeks. True, SP and AL have a wider dealer network around the world. I don't know about further east, Asia Pacific. BUT, as pointed out above, Atomic go on and on and on for years and years without needing service in contrast to all other big name brands.

 

[BoltSnap]

Irritating for techs isn’t really high up on my consideration list.

Hahahaha. The ONLY irritating regulators amongst most service techs. were the Poseidon regulators especially the Odin second stage. There are less qualified techs in the US and the whole world that can service Poseidon regulators than there are Atomic techs.

 

[Bald Wookie]

You mean that I'll have the AP/AL/SP kits on me but not the Atomic?
To make it simpler for you, if I can have a service kit for one brand of regulators, I can certainly have it for Atomic no problem. HOWEVER, I own SEVERAL Atomic regulators for my own use and for the school's use and NEVER had any issue with ANY of them at all for YEARS!! My ST1 was serviced recently almost 10 years after I bought it and I serviced it because I was in a place with a dealer next door. It was performing like new when I had it serviced. The last time the B2 was serviced was circa 2012. Both are used heavily. The other Atomics I have have been around for 5 or so years and haven't been serviced yet. If I were stranded on an Island, or Libya, nothing in my experience amongst current models of regulators of all brands will last this long or be this reliable.

I see you chose to ignore the christolube part.

I too have used several brands of regs extensively, and I personally prefer either Apeks or SP. Atomic (various models) never did well in cold water (I'm talking close to or below zero) in my experience, whereas the apeks was great in all conditions.

They can't afford to stock a couple of lube tubes they can buy at wholesale prices and they are legitimate Atomic dealers? They probably don't do much business with Atomic and probably don't stock anything. There are plenty of Atomic dealers not too far (or not further than dealers of other brands) anyways.

In my experience typically places that refuse to service an item aren't dealers.
The main reason was why charge extra for servicing a reg (cost of Christolube, etc) that was generally as reliable and worked equally as well for the regular customer as something that was more cost efficient to purchase and regularly service. And again, these are generally easier to service worldwide due to brand availability. Being from small town NZ, and travelling a lot, I can tell you there is one place in NZ to get Atomics serviced. Here in BC now, much more common.

Again, your choice.

 

[BoltSnap]

I see you chose to ignore the christolube part.

I too have used several brands of regs extensively, and I personally prefer either Apeks or SP. Atomic (various models) never did well in cold water (I'm talking close to or below zero) in my experience, whereas the apeks was great in all conditions.



In my experience typically places that refuse to service an item aren't dealers.
The main reason was why charge extra for servicing a reg (cost of Christolube, etc) that was generally as reliable and worked equally as well for the regular customer as something that was more cost efficient to purchase and regularly service. And again, these are generally easier to service worldwide due to brand availability. Being from small town NZ, and travelling a lot, I can tell you there is one place in NZ to get Atomics serviced. Here in BC now, much more common.

Again, your choice.

I posted good replies to you but they are lost now because of SB crashing (for the thousandth time this week). I am not going to try to remember what I said earlier.

 

[kensuf]

H75P without a doubt. It's the same reg as a ScubaPro MK25/G260 combo, just rebranded with the blue H. Ugly? Yes. Bulletproof? Yes.

 

[elan]

Would not Atomics seat saver feature be a problem here ? Every time the second stage loses pressure (valve drills, stage reg bumped) would not that let the water leak in the LP hose ?

 

[Hartattack]

H75P without a doubt. It's the same reg as a ScubaPro MK25/G260 combo, just rebranded with the blue H. Ugly? Yes. Bulletproof? Yes.

"Ugly" !!?? They are beautiful Ken, you take that back, sir.

 

[PfcAJ]

Would not Atomics seat saver feature be a problem here ? Every time the second stage loses pressure (valve drills, stage reg bumped) would not that let the water leak in the LP hose ?

Id argue that this feature makes atomics less desirable as a stage/deco reg