Ok I did it

[Zznola]

After much lurking and major confusion I have decided on the aqualung Titan regulator. I am a new diver with 20 dives so far and I was bouncing around among the choices. I decided on the Titan mostly based on stellar reviews but also feeling that it's all the reg I need at this time. The place I just rented from used a $200 mares rover as the rental reg. I figured that if that was good for the week I spent with it, and I really don't know enough to know the finer features, then that's a good enough level and I don't need a $500 reg right off the bat. or at least until my diving gets more advanced and I know the difference. I related it to buying a car and the fact that cars at all levels are basically safe and can get you from point to point. I know the Titan is at least balanced in the first stage and has a cool mouth grip so those are at least two upgrades from the rentals. The others that I was considering, were the aeris ion which had the free octo included for $450 and the ist 860 for $325 which my dive instructor recommended. Anyway, all this is costing enough money without getting into the mindset that I have to spend a ton to get decent equipment and I feel like I made the right choice. Only time will tell,but I'm pretty confident and can't wait till it arrives! Now to pick a bcd!. Woo hoo!


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[KD8NPB]

Titans are fantastic, although the base model is simply a downstream demand lever 2nd stage. On the plus side, it makes parts very cheap, easy to come by, and you can service a 2nd stage in a matter of minutes.

The QC ones have some problems with freezing in colder water though.

 

[scuberd]

We use titans in our rental fleet and they are a great first reg. Not the sexiest or flashest (read expensive) but they are durable and last you years if you take care of it. Aqualung is also a larger company and finding parts and service techs is fairly easy. Good choice on the Titans, now stop talking about it and go dive it! :-D

 

[TSandM]

Good choice. We bought Titans as our first regs, and they are still going strong, although they are not our daily use regulators any more. It was not for any real fault of the regs; it was because we switched to a brand I can service, and wanted DIN regulators.

 

[Zznola]

Ok, so do the balanced second stages really make breathing easier then the down stream demand lever . Of course according to the ads, they almost breath for you. but do you think the outcome would be less/ slower air consumption? Or is it more consumption since it's less resistance? What about the probability of free flow. Any difference there? Just want to clarify.


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---------- Post added March 19th, 2014 at 04:24 PM ----------

Did a bit more research and a scuba diving magazine reg tests article pointed out that a reg that has a balanced first stage even with a downstream demand valve second stage will be a good compromise giving me an easy breather and a good price! Discussion closed, thank you for your input!


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[Mike126]

I have the Titan LX and dove several Titans just prior to buying the LX. The regular Titans breath slightly harder than the LX but I think you can tune them to breath a little easier. They are solid regs and can get them serviced pretty much everywhere. It's a great first set.


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[KD8NPB]

It IS possible to make a downstream demand lever type second stage breathe insanely easy, but it tends to compromise the stability... A highly tuned Conshelf or Titan breathes nice, but freeflows very easily.

I usually shoot for 1.2" H2O for a primary downstream demand lever second stage. Octos get dialed at about 1.8" H2O.

If you're diving at recreational depths, I do not think most people would notice. I dove a Conshelf XIV recreationally for a very long time.

 

[Nemrod]

The Titan LX is the same second stage as the (previous generation) Legend. The Titan is not. N

 

[Bob DBF]

If you're diving at recreational depths, I do not think most people would notice. I dove a Conshelf XIV recreationally for a very long time.

That was the quote of the day.

All the charts, graphs, and sales hype about how much better X reg breathes, at recreational depths it makes more difference how well your reg is tuned than who is the manufacturer and which model. Now if you are at 400' you may need that performance and it would be worth the price, but...

I still occasionally use my old Sherwood reg sets from the '70's and when others try them they are amazed that they just breathe like any other reg, sometimes better. I still use the old seconds for my alternate seconds on all my newer reg sets because they breathe as well, as far as I can tell, as my primary. Of course I haven't been down to 200' in decades.


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

 

[Just_Me]

There is nothing wrong with your choice. You have also received good advice and input here already.

My only point is that I see many people making the statement, "this will be a good first..."

---------- Post added March 20th, 2014 at 12:02 AM ----------

That got cut off.

So my follow up to that statement is to consider your second one first. Buying equipment that isn't the "rolls Royce" per se, but quality, functional, super capable parts always works out cheaper in the long run than starting with less expensive parts that need to be replaced to reach the next plateau.