Help me pick out my 1st reg setup

[Bound]

My wife is currently getting certified and brought home a sheet with “student pricing” and it could choke a horse. I can feel your pain.

 

[shoturtle]

My wife is currently getting certified and brought home a sheet with “student pricing” and it could choke a horse. I can feel your pain.

That seems to be the big scam. My wife and I buy our gear at LP. We do not feel like we got bent over with vasiline after a purchase.

 

[vicdiver656]

I have about $500 to spend on a reg setup. I primarily will be diving cold water (great lakes) with one or two trips a year to warm water. I definitely want to do an octo instead of the air2, and I like the idea of the 7' hose on my primary 2nd stage. I could also see myself getting into tech diving in the next couple years. What do you recommend? So far I've read good things about the aqualung titan LX, would this be suitable?

How about a Scubapro MK 17 as a first stage, with 2 Scubapro G250Vs as second stages. It'll cost you a little more than $500, but it's well worth the money. Those regs should last you in any type of cold water, possibly including the arctic!

 

[greenmoray]

I'm glad that you've found a new honorable LDS to deal with in purchasing your first important scuba gear. Good luck and have fun with the new toy!!

 

[PatrickDives]

I am in the same boat; looking for my first reg, trying to decide which is best, and leary about the local shops. One had their anual fair about 2 weeks ago and the other one will have theirs in 2 weeks.

The first shop didn't really have all that great of "deals", but I know the second shop will. The first shop seemed to mark prices up, then put them on sale.

Anyway, regs I am considering:
Zeagle Flathead
Atomic T2
Scubapro MK 17 or 25.

I am not sure, but I think I want balanced diaphragm. From what I have read that is better than piston, if for no other reason than for protection against freezing in cold water.

That being said, I don't ever anticipate diving in such extreme conditions. But, if a diaphragm is better and only a little bit more $$, shouldn't I get it? Afterall, I keep telling myself that this is my life at stake here.

Or is this too much to worry about? Are all things really more or less equal at this point in time with the technology and quality available?

Thanks.

Patrick.

 

[StreetDoctor]

I am in the same boat; looking for my first reg, trying to decide which is best, and leary about the local shops. One had their anual fair about 2 weeks ago and the other one will have theirs in 2 weeks.

The first shop didn't really have all that great of "deals", but I know the second shop will. The first shop seemed to mark prices up, then put them on sale.

Anyway, regs I am considering:
Zeagle Flathead
Atomic T2
Scubapro MK 17 or 25.

I am not sure, but I think I want balanced diaphragm. From what I have read that is better than piston, if for no other reason than for protection against freezing in cold water.

That being said, I don't ever anticipate diving in such extreme conditions. But, if a diaphragm is better and only a little bit more $$, shouldn't I get it? Afterall, I keep telling myself that this is my life at stake here.

Or is this too much to worry about? Are all things really more or less equal at this point in time with the technology and quality available?

Thanks.

Patrick.

Talk to local divers and shop employees, see what they use and service and make your decision accordingly. From the information I've gathered most of the DM's and tech divers around here use Apeks, so that is most likely what I'll be using

 

[SpartanDiver]

Street et al,

I was recently in the same situation; newly certified and looking for a set of SOLID cold water regs. I started a thread in this section and received three pages of excellent info. You might want to look it up and scroll through the posts just to add to what has been said here.

I ended up deciding on an Apeks XTX200 as my primary and an XTX50 as my octo. DIR setup with 7' primary hose and necklaced octo. Recently did a week's worth of cold water diving in Connecticut (40 degrees) and the Apeks breathed flawlessly and effortlessly, especially in the cold at depth.

I looked around online and in the classifieds section on this site and found BOTH regs and all stages for well within your stated price range. Took them to a LDS to have them serviced and they are as good as new. So, here is another vote for Apeks regulators (not that others aren't good regs as well), and a heads-up that you can find what you are looking for without paying marked-up prices at a shop.

Just my .02

 

[StreetDoctor]

Alright, I just got back from the "good" dive shop. They sell everything for 10% under MSRP. I ended up spending a little more than I wanted to but I got the XTX100, XTX50 octo, and a gekko computer. They were out of stock on the reg so it's being shipped to me. Much better price than the "other" shop.

 

[squidster]

I have about $500 to spend on a reg setup. I primarily will be diving cold water (great lakes) with one or two trips a year to warm water. I definitely want to do an octo instead of the air2, and I like the idea of the 7' hose on my primary 2nd stage. I could also see myself getting into tech diving in the next couple years. What do you recommend? So far I've read good things about the aqualung titan LX, would this be suitable?

titan LX would be great for the kind of diving you are going to do,top knotch reg.
you could also go with a ScubaPro Mk17/s555,good cold water reg.

 

[shoturtle]

I am in the same boat; looking for my first reg, trying to decide which is best, and leary about the local shops. One had their anual fair about 2 weeks ago and the other one will have theirs in 2 weeks.

The first shop didn't really have all that great of "deals", but I know the second shop will. The first shop seemed to mark prices up, then put them on sale.

Anyway, regs I am considering:
Zeagle Flathead
Atomic T2
Scubapro MK 17 or 25.

I am not sure, but I think I want balanced diaphragm. From what I have read that is better than piston, if for no other reason than for protection against freezing in cold water.

That being said, I don't ever anticipate diving in such extreme conditions. But, if a diaphragm is better and only a little bit more $$, shouldn't I get it? Afterall, I keep telling myself that this is my life at stake here.

Or is this too much to worry about? Are all things really more or less equal at this point in time with the technology and quality available?

Thanks.

Patrick.

The big thing to really look for in a cold water reg is not a diaphragm, but if it is environmentally seal. The diaphragm is nice but not as important as the seal to protect against freeze up.