Noob buying first reg/octo...opinions Please

[TSandM]

POS96GT, you might consider PMing DA Aquamaster about the difference between the ScubaPro regulators. I believe he is a ScubaPro tech, but at any rate, he is extremely knowledgeable about their line of regs.

Personally, I would look at what you can get serviced locally, and what you can get serviced or repaired where you are likely to dive. Up here in the PNW, Sherwood regs are rare and ScubaPro is common, but that may not be as true where you are. Sending regs away to get them serviced is a PITA, as is having to drive long distances to shops that will work on them.

 

[Mavirick1985]

Hi there Pos96GT

My personal advice to you will be fork out the extra $$$ and get a decent reg like the Abyss 22 or at least that class of reg, Ive had mine for the past year or so logges around 300+ dives on it and all that was needed was a service. just remember buying cheap might be buying expensive
Like my old man used to say go big or go home

well hope you get the advice you need

Ciao

 

[halocline]

Mostly just recreational diving....100 ft. or less probably. Warm water.

Am i really gonna gain that much buying the Scuba Pro S555 over the Scuba Pro R935 if I stay with the MK11 first stage???

Thank you for all the previous posts

The S555 is substantially better than the R395. It's a balanced barrel poppet design reg, one benefit of which is there is less stress on the seat while the reg is not in use. This is important because that's when 90% of your second stage seat wear will occur. You can store the R395 with the purge slightly depressed and achieve something similar; in fact the R190 (older version of the same reg) has a purge button with a little twist-and-catch feature that makes this easy. The newer R395, I don't know about.

You'll also find it smoother breathing; it's not that the unbalanced downstream SPs (like the R395) breathe badly, but the barrel poppet regs are smoother, and IME are also more stable over the long run between servicing.

Although, if you're picking a 2nd stage to go with the MK11, the best choice IMO would be the G250V. If it's not much more expensive (say $50 or so) it's well worth it. The G250 is one of the most proven and imitated 2nd stage designs in history.

The MK11 is an under-rated reg IMO. It's functionally the same as the highly touted MK17, except without the environmentally sealed chamber. Since you're not diving in 45F or colder water, the sealed chamber won't matter.

 

[ams511]

As other posters pointed out the Scuba Pro combo is better performing than the Sherwood. However, I do own Sherwood equipment and it is by no means cheap or poor performing. I still have a mid 80's Magnum that works like new. One thing I don't recommend is mixing and matching different brands of first and seconds on a rig. It makes servicing a pain if the shop does not support the different brands. I own Apeks, Beuchat (rebranded Apeks), Scuba Pro, and Sherwood. At shallow depths you won't feel much of a difference between them.

 

[drrich2]

Hi:

I don't know your local market, and I suppose from your post it's easy to infer that whatever you buy will be from your local dive shop(s), so this is probably not even relevant, but it's something I've run into so just in case you're considering something online that your local dive shop doesn't sell...

Regulators have a recommended servicing schedule. Even if you don't take it in every time, sooner or later you're apt to get nervous that it's been neglected awhile, and want it serviced. I found out after-the-fact that not every dive shop services every brand of regulator.

I don't care whether you buy online or local, but be sure what you buy can be serviced locally when the time comes. I'm talking preventive maintenance, more so than fixing a problem after the fact.

Richard.

P.S.: Oops. didn't notice page 2 of the thread; some of these points were already made.

 

[POS96GT]

Thanks for all the replies.....I went with the Scuba Pro R395/MK11 Reg and the Scuba Pro R295 Octo. The price difference with the Scuba Pro S555 Reg was more than I was wanting to spend now. And was told that I wouldn't really notice a difference breathing wise without upgrading the 1st stage.

Also went with the Suunto Gekko computer. And got a Sherwood Avid 2010 ordered.