How long will my first reg last?

[Thanshin]

With some pieces of equipment I always buy thinking that I don't have the experience to choose a good one. So, I buy average from an established brand and I plan to use that for a couple hundred dives before actually knowing what I want.

However, with regs I'm not sure that's the best option. Even the cheaper ones are quite expensive and look quite durable. I suppose there is just no true low-quality regs.

Should I buy a reg with the same reasoning I use for fins, BC, etc? Or I should buy my first reg to last me ages.

 

[miketsp]

For most recreational divers, just about any brand available on the market will offer an adequate performance and a long life.
What it really comes down to is availability of parts and (trained) service.
Once those disappear then you get yourself an expensive paperweight.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

Purchasing a middle-of-the-line reg from a well-known manufacturer is a good way to get value, i.e., very good breathing performance at an affordable price.
Often times, spending more money on high-end regs simply isn't worth it.

If you take care of it properly and have it serviced periodically by a reliable reg tech, a well-built reg setup will probably last several decades.
Fresh overhauls (consisting of replacement of pressure seats and o-rings in addition to the cleaning of all parts), when performed correctly, should restore breathing performance of the reg to "good-as-new" status.

 

[herman]

I agree with all of the above. Buy a new or used middle of the range reg from any of the major brands and it will last you your entire diving life as long as you take reasonable care of it and they continue to make service parts. There are many many Scubapro and Aqualung regs that were made 30, 40 and even 50 years ago that are still in service today....I just spent the week diving with several members of this board diving 40+ yo regs in Cozumel.

 

[Thanshin]

Thanks for the replies. I now just have to discover what's "middle of the range" in regs, but that should be easy.

As with all expensive things, googling "how to choose a reg" seems to give all the details.

 

[faster7581]

i usually use the same mentality with purchases. i pretty happy with my SP MK11/C300 set up, breathes easy, and my mouth doesnt dry up..

 

[knowone]

Received a really nice Oceanic Zeta a couple of days ago
that had been providing the owner with almost 10 years
trouble free service until the fiddling bug began gnawing
his brain and he installed the valve diaphragm backwards

 

[Bratface]

Good advice here. My friend owns a dive shop and services gear. He has rebuilt many old Mares, Scubapros and other reliable regulators. He had a 25 year old Mares on the bench that he was working on. It looked almost new when he was done. He says the most important thing is to take care of your gear. Thorough rinsing after your dives, not dragging it through the sand, and regular servicing should help you keep your gear for decades.

 

[ams511]

No offense but I think your reasoning is off. Dive gear (except for wetsuits) last a really long time. If you make good choices (check the boards and ask questions) you may never have to replace your gear. Dive inn (Scubastore.com) has a very nice ATX40/DS4 combo that you will never outgrow.

 

[Bob DBF]

I still dive the Nemrod Double Hose I Learned to dive SCUBA on in 1963. It actually saw little use in the interum but...

I have been diving Sherwood regs and have them from the '70s, 80's and 200something. They may not be "the best" but they have served me well with minimal service. I service them myself now because I'm tired of hearing what old junk they are and how I should get better. It hurts their feelings.


Bob
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I may be old, but I’m not dead yet.