Oceanic or Aqualung????

[Shelly&Greg]

We are getting ready to buy our first regulators and need some help. We can't decide between the Oceanic Delta 3 DX4 and the Aqualung Cousteau Micra Adj. Our diving will primarily be warm water (Mexico, Florida, Caribbean). Any help would be appreciated? Thanks

 

[Tm530]

I've been diving a Micra SEA2 (same as the Cousteau Micra, but no adjustment) since 1993. That first stage is a breeze to work on and performs flawlessly. I find the Micra breathes great and is very light on the jaw. Aqualung has been around forever and will stand behind the product. You can't go wrong.
Tom

 

[Scuba446]

I can't add anyhting about Oceanic regs but I can about my AL Titan XLC and Titan LX Supreme. I like them, alot, and have been very happy with them - so far. I was so happy with the Titan XLC that I sold my Mares Axis and 'standardized' all my regs to AL. The new Legend and Titan LX's are sweet.

AquaLung has a nice new 2002 catalog you can download from their web site in Adobe PDF format. E-mail me if you'd like a copy of it. On like pg 3 it speaks of how AquaLung may have improved their materials in their regs in 30 years, but yet, one only needs to stock a couple differant diaphrams to repair their 2nd stages, vs other manufacturers who have MANY models. In 30 yrs, they may have improved seat materials, but the design has remained the same, so one can still keep and rebuild a reg 30 yrs old.

This is great, especially if someone is traveling and needs a repair FAST, and from a firm with PARTS IN STOCK! A US Divers/AquaLung dealer can service their regs from the past 20 yrs with just a small inventory of parts on hand.


I think I'd select regs in this order, actually.

1. Apeks
2. Scubapro or Aqua Lung


PS My AquaLung breathes even nicer than a friends $350 Beauchat reg - and mine cost me $209!

 

[art.chick]

My first & fave reg was an older US Divers (Aqualung). When I had to reaplace it, I got a new AL Titan (a little lower end than I would have liked) and it is not exactly what I want, but then it is not meant to be as good as the Micra, which everyone who I know likes.

I'll ditto what was said about AL being easy to find service for; that was the main reason I got it even though it is not my fave model. I may keep it as my Octo when I upgrade.

 

[Curly]

This is what I've been diving this year, and I have been very happy. It breathes very well, and the compact second stage is easy on the jaw. The bubble interference is not much worse than anything else I've used.

 

[raviepoo]

I've never tried the oceaninc but I've been diving a cousteau micr adj for the last year. It's great! I can make a tank of gas last as long as anyone on the boat. Since I started using the Aqualung mouthpiece I have had to replace my mouthpeice less often. My jaw is much more relaxed and I don't bite through the silicone like I used to.