How to determine what regs to buy?

[offroadr1]

almost sounds like you are trying to fix something that isnt broken just because someone else mentioned something negative about it. newer doesnt always mean better.

 

[OldNSalty]

Maybe your LDS has something in the rental fleet. Some shops only stock bottom of the line stuff for rental classes but others actually have some decent things and it needs to be rotated out. As long as it is serviced it should be fine.

 

[beaverdivers]

In your price range, the gear would come w/ a current service.

What I suggest is rent the new used gear.
See if it is worth the money.

We rent used gear, half of the rental applies towards used or all of the rental applies towards new.

 

[chrpai]

I asked an LDS for a quote on a complete used reg set last year. They came back with a price of $400 for an MK25/S555 and when I asked what octo that was they were like "oh our regs are with our BCD's ... that's not included (even though I specified it in my request ).

I asked if they would service it before selling and they come back and say no. Treat me like I'm stupid with the "you should always get used gear serviced". I just though "um, you are a ScubaPro dealer... I'm expecting you to do this".

So long story short... reg, octo and service (they were going to charge for the parts since I wasn't original owner) and add in tax and I was looking at almost $700 for a used reg.

My Hog D1 was a lot cheaper...

 

[OldNSalty]

Wow, that is kinda crappy Chrpai, just last week my LDS had a Mark25 with a 600 first, octo and I think gauges for about $450ish and it was serviced (they service all used gear before setting it out to be sold). I have no need for another reg but it was hard to put down.

 

[chrpai]

Wow, that is kinda crappy Chrpai, just last week my LDS had a Mark25 with a 600 first, octo and I think gauges for about $450ish and it was serviced (they service all used gear before setting it out to be sold). I have no need for another reg but it was hard to put down.

Ya, and it took a few days of emails to get to that point. If it had been $400 for a full reg, serviced + tax say $450 out the door... I'd be diving a used Scubapro reg right now. Ohwell, the Hog D1 was brand new, only needs service every 2 years and came with a 2" brass and glass SPG and `proper` hose lengths. I'm happy now.

Course if this same dive shop had also had a Zeagle ET in stock I would have bought that from them also. And Jet fins... well, you get the point.

 

[Paladin]

To the OP: show us some pics of your setup and we can tell you what you've got. I love the older USD/Aqua-Lung regulators and its all I dive. My son has an Edge Epic from HOG and he loves it but my old USD regs still work like new and as well as anything on the market today, maybe even better than most.

 

[Nemrod]

Some of us might be interested in the "87 Buick" set of USD/AL regulators.

Your LDS is possibly quite full of crap.

I do not own an LDS, I have no idea why people constantly refer to the local retail dive store as "my LDS" unless nearly everybody on scubaboard owns/works at a retail dive store. However, the fellow who owns and runs the retail dive store where I currently live may give a chuckle now and then but he knows better than to try and sell me a plastic regulator under the false premiss that it is better than ___________, because it most likely is not.

A retail dive store is not a club house, it is a money making concern. There is nothing wrong with that of course, it is called capitalism but it is incumbent on you, the consumer to educate yourself rather than swallowing hook line an sinker silly statements without having asked him why "he would not dive them" as you said.

N

 

[beendiving]

I've looked through some other threads but still have a few questions. I've got a set of old US Divers regs (dont' know model #s) that someone gave me about 3 years ago that I have been using with no issues. I had them serviced and all the hoses replaced by my LDS when purchased and again they seem to work fine with about 50 dives in the last 3 years.

From time to time I've had people joke about how old they are and even though he says they are safe my LDS owner said he wouldn't dive with them. I'm sure some may argue that I do or don't need to replace them but that really isn't the question. Assuming I do how do I go about determining what I want in a new set of regs? I don't plan to dive cold weather and would prefer to purchase used if possible to save on funds. Call me frugal but I would rather spend money on dive trips than equipment. Ideally I would like to stay under $300 for 1st, 2nd, and alternate or maybe $500 with gauges.

Casey from Beaverdivers usually has some gently used regulators you
should consider giving him a call.

 

[diversteve]

You have gauges with your current set right? so re-use them. Take one of the 2nd's off your current set and buy a $12 yellow hose wrap and it becomes your octo. My buddy did that for years with a 1984 era 2nd. Sell your remaining 1st/2nd to someone in this thread that's interested. I spent 5mins. on the Scubatoys website finding options:

Buy a new 1st/2nd stage for under $300. Like any of these - surely your LDS is a dealer for one of them - ask them if they'll match the price also.
Everything Scubatoys sells has a mfr's warranty that your LDS will honor also most likely.

Oceanic Alpha 8 Sport DVT discounts on sale Oceanic - on sale for $210.
Oceanic Alpha 9 Regulator discounts on sale Oceanic - $269
Genesis GS2000 Regulator discounts on sale Genesis - $250
Cressi Sub Black MC5 Regulator discounts on sale Cressi Sub - $279
Scubapro MK2 Plus R295 Regulator discounts on sale ScubaPro - $299
or if you have a Hog/Edge dealer nearby: Edge Epic Regulator discounts on sale EDGE - $299
Or an Atomic Aquatics Z2 for $400. Breathes the same as the $1600 T2 - just uses more conventional materials. 2 yr. service standard interval.
Atomic Z2 Regulator discounts on sale Atomic IF your LDS sells Atomic, they should be able to match this price also - it's not discounted.

They also sell 5 octos in the $80-100 range if you want to upgrade that. Scuba Octopus, Dive Octopus, Octo's,

Even add a gauqe combo to get the whole package for under $500:
http://www.scubatoys.com/store/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=MaresMission2 - $149
http://www.scubatoys.com/store/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=TusaSCA230T $159

I don't feel bad about giving my LDS service business for gear I've purchased elsewhere. Neither of mine cared about me when both closed their doors after selling me thousands of $$ of gear previously. Both have gone out of business in the past year so I went to a new shop I'd never even been to previously. They didn't make any comment about servicing my gear except to check if I still qualified for free parts from the mfr. What if someone moved to your area? - I'm sure your LDS would be glad for the business - and opportunity to sell them upgrades later.