How to pick a regulator? I need your advice

[Padi Diver]

Hi All..
I need your help in picking a regulator. I am currently a Rescue Diver and I will be starting my Dive master soon, I would like to get my own regulator but I am a bit confused.

Some of my friends have the Apeks XTX200 and others have the ScubaPro MK25. I am not sure what to get and I would like to know how to pick one.

I live in the middle east, usually we dive in the summer times only and the weather is really hot in the summer (it can reach 50 degree)

My other dives will be in places like Pucket, Red Sea and other countries which I intend to go during summer time not winter.

I don’t know if such information is useful or not but anyway, I need your assistance.

Thanks a lot in advance.

 

[Tortuga68]

They're both good regs. I would suggest you base your decision on whether you can get service and parts locally

 

[herman]

Pretty much any regulator today from any of the major manufacuters is going to work fine for you. My advise would be to search around at the places you dive most and in your home area and find out what brands are the most common then pick a reg somewhere in the middle of their product line. The top end regs do not offer any more performace than the middle of the line models so there is no need to waste money to "get the best". By picking a common brand it will be easier to find parts and service as the years go by.
The one thing that may have some bearing on your brand decision is you becoming a DM. Many (most here) shops require you to dive with the brand they sell if you are a DM for them. Otherwise pick a brand based on availibility and a model based on what you like.

 

[SangP]

I'll throw in the Mk17/G250V & aqualung legend lx into the mix.

The MK17/G250V is lighter, breaths smoother/moist & is cheaper than the Mk25/S600.

The LX is a tank of a reg, easily the equal if not the better of the XTX200. Breaths great, over engineered and imo a better designed reg than the FSR.

SangP