Please please help me choose!!

[AmysOnline]

I really need help choosing a regulator. I am a novice diver (for now) and I am buying my gear for the first time. I have read as much as I can find regarding regulators. (mostly Rodale’s) I have been to all the dive shops in my area. No offense to any shop owners out there – but their opinion vary widely! Every shop I go into – suggests only the regulators they have. They poo poo all their out of stock ones. Example – I was considering the Mares Axis – I thought was a good choice as far as reliability goes (from what I read). While one shop owner who had it in stock sang its praises, another shop owner who did not have it in stock said it was a cheap (ie: ordinary and inferior). Then I was considering the Viper TEC. One dive shop owner who had it in stock swore by it, another shop owner looked at me like I was crazy. “Tell me why you want that!" I really need someone to take me by the hand and say “Amy – this is the one for you”. So many choices – and I admit, being new to this sport, I don’t know enough about all of them to be sure of my own choice. So here’s what I know I’m looking for:

1. A reliable regulator
2. NO Freeflow occurrences
3. Easily serviceable
4. Not going to break the bank.

I don’t plan on any cold water diving. Being in New England – I’ll dive in the summer – so the coldest water I’ll have to deal with is about 65 degrees.

I will be a purely recreational diver – one or two trips to the Caribbean a year and 15 to 20 local dives a year.

I have no plans of taking a Nitrox course – so I’ll be sticking to air.

I’m not planning on doing deep dives - average around 50 to 70 feet.

Please please please - Tell me what to do! I’m completely lost and confused!

Thanks for any and all opinions!

Amy

 

[dsquid]

"I've felt your pain" with regards to dive shop shopping. It's tough to get the straight scoop if you're new to the game. But, like shopping for a new car, it gets easier after you've bought one or two.

There are literally hundreds of regs that would be satisfactory for the types of diving you want to do.

Find a shop that you like, and make sure that it can service what it sells. Make a list of their offerings
and research them on the web. See if they'll let you
test them before buying (many smaller shops will not, unfortunately.)

Note, if you want to fight free-flows, a reg with user adjustable "Inhalation effort" can help. (Like the Oceanic Delta 3, Scubapro MK20, and various Apeks regs.)

Good luck and happy hunting...

 

[donooo]

Know what you mean, just went thru it, just picked up my new reg. Payed for it a month ago, found this forum and have been dealing with buyers remorse ever since.Did I buy a bad regulator? NO way. Could I have bought a better reg? Maybe, unfortunatly maybe two or 3 better regs. Picking just one is very tought.

The difference in price almost doesn't matter once you get above cheap. I think you need to buy one that gives you a "warm" feeling. You need to feel good about it. I wanted Poseidon, I got Poseidon. This forum, loves Apeks a lot and Scubapro somemore.

Read thru all of the regulator threads, make notes of the one or two or three that continualy come out "best". Then Check out the prices on the web to find out how "little " they might cost.

Then go down to your LDS and look at them, touch them, feel them. You've already picked out good performing models, now find one that makes you "feel" good. Talk to the shop about service and price.
I can't help you pick your reg. I can't even pick my own.
I've got a great new reg, just wish I felt better about it.

good luck donooo

PS I might buy my wife a Genisis 2000

 

[large_diver]

Hi Amy,

Yes -- dive shops can be helpful, but they have inventory to sell and sell it they will.....to the first person who wants that product...or who leaves themselves at their mercy with a "what should I buy" question....not here to say dive shops are malicious about selling people bad products....they just want to sell you what they have in inventory.

I'm not familiar with either the Mares or Viper models you're talking about.

You've no doubt seen the Apeks recommendations that have been provided here -- lots of Apeks users on this board (me included) and you can't go wrong with them -- very reliable, will take a ton of abuse and keep on ticking. For the diving you ae doing, you could consider the the TX-40, which will keep the price down.

Sea-quest products (they distribute Apeks in the US) are carried by many dealers in New England. You're probably going to get the best service and price from a dealer who already stocks them, however -- "special order" is basically local dive shop code for "big mark up"....

Your best bet is to try and talk to other divers in your area and see what they bought and why.

If you are living in the Boston area, e-mail me -- I can give you my take on the local shops, what they carry and who is likely to give you the best deal.

Good luck!

 

[Grendel]

Amy,
I was in your shoes only a few months ago and here are my words of wisdom:
1. Virtually any name brand regulator will fit the bill for the type of diving that you describe. All major brands of scuba equipment are built to high standards (for liability reasons if nothing else). While performance can vary, the majority serve well in the conditions you describe. It is in the "extreme" conditions where exceptional equipment stands out; deep, cold, etc.
2. In my opinion (and I am still new) I have adopted the view that my gear is LIFE SUPPORT EQUIPMENT and as such, I will purchase the best that I can afford. It may seem like overkill, but I never want to find myself in the deep blue with no air wishing that I had spent the extra $100.
3. The brands that seem to have the most followers (as I researched this subject on the web. NOTE- I have little or no first hand experience with most of this equipment! This is merely recounting and summarizing what I have seen!) are Apeks, Scubapro, and Atomic.
I bought the Scubapro MK20/S600. Why? Several reasons. My local shop services them without a problem. I know that I can get it services virtually anywhere I might travel. I have never read ANYTHING negative about a Scubapro regulator (except that they are somewhat expensive- refer to earlier part about $100.......)but for that matter I've never heard anything negative about the others either.
If the situation had been different, I might have bought Apeks based on good price and excellent reviews, but no one in my area sells or services them so it was not an option. Atomic was a possibility but the prices were as high as Scubapro (if not higher for Titanium and so forth - which I don't think you should waste money on by the way -just wash your damn reg!) and I was not as confident about widespread service availability.

Anyhoooo..... Thats my opinion. See what's available in your area, what you are willing to spend, how much performance you think you need and then make a decision. More than likely you'll be satisfied with whatever you choose.

Good luck,
Grendel

 

[buff]

You have a GREAT regulator-how can you have "buyer's remorse"?? Stand tall and proud, son!!!!!(but don't tilt your head to the right..you'll get a rush of water into your regulator!!!HAHAHAH).
Your Poseidon will last you a lifetime. Don't be swayed by all those fancy knobs, swivels and colors....black and silver are where it's at...just sit back and breathe in that 1800L/min of pure regulator power!!!!!!!!!

 

[buff]

The usual question for your type of diving(general warm water recreational) is not "which" regulator buy "how much" is it going to cost. There are so many regulators that can fit the bill of what you want. Even the low end of the regulator price spectrum has some excellent regulators. But if you are looking for a great regulator at a great price an Apeks TX50 or TX40 from Diveinn.com or SimplyScuba.com can't be beat-Apeks from these dive shops are your best value in regulators. They are mail order and some people have a problem with that. Other people are concerned that you won't get a warranty, or that you'll have to send it back to Europe to get it serviced. For the money you'll save buying a regulator from these places you could send it around the world 10 times!!!!!! And remember who developed the demand valve regulator......that guy from France(not an American) who talked real funny...what was his name...Jack???? My point is that these shops do service on this equipment-they do dive in Europe too.
Scubapro and Oceanic make nice regulators but for the dollar the Apeks is the best.

 

[joewr]

Amy,

There is probably not simple answer to your question. The Apex models lots of folks use her is like a Mercedes: it is sturdy, beatiful, lasts forever, and always a good buy. There are other brands that are also good buys and some that are good=byes!

A few years ago I got a Sherwood Oasis because I experienced dry mouth and I liked the side vents. I still like my Sherwood and think that they make good regs. But not all of them have the "heft" of an Apex and therefore might not stand up to abuse.

What I do with any equipment is try it. See how it fits. See how it works in the test pool. And I go to two dive shops to buy most of my stuff (they carry different lines) and listen to the guys I have some faith in at those shops. But they are salesmen and so I take some of what they say with a grain or tablespoon of salt. Most places will give you brochures and you can make notes on the pages. That sometimes helps. I find most magazines unhelpful except that they do tell you what is new. They really should dismantle equipment, rate the materials and construction, compare to other models, do extensive dive tests, etc. But they would probably lose advertising if they did! So we are stuck with the old Caveat Emptor (let the buyer beware) method of purchasing...

I usually look at buying scuba gear as an adventure and try to enjoy the "chase". It takes some of the frustration out of the task. Note that from time to time you will find folks here who disagree about a piece of equipment...one item I can remember is the Cobra: some swear by it some swear at it. So, there is probably not one right answer.

Good luck--but with some diligence, you probably do not need it!

Joewr

 

[Fishkiller]

Hi Amy

I'm one of the few MARES divers.

I use the V16 Epos and a ScubaPro LP Octo I plan on diving lots and lots and lots but nothing extreme. like Grendel wrote I think that the Regulator is part of the Life support system so I spent more than wanted but am very satisfied with what I have.
After going to the different shops you've found that they carry different brands and make a living at it (kinda) what I have found is read around look around and decide what You want then go to a shop that sells or will order what you want.
Of course there is another option considering the amount of diving you will do? How about renting most of your equipment when you dive. less luggage the equiptmetn will be adiquate for the area you dive in( Highly recomend owning a decent wetsuit besides the basics( Mask, snorkle, boots, and fins))
Then when you find that you really want to dive lots and lots and lots buy it

robbing the piggy bank

 

[Mverick]

TX100 top of the line.
TX50 mid line reg but still top of the line.
TX40 lower price but still top of the line.
TX100 is there best, adjustable second stage.
TX 50 basicly is the same in performance, adjustable second stage. Just looks different and about $60 cheaper.
TX 40 is a little lower performance but nothing you'd notice. Doesn't have any external adjustments and about $120 cheaper than the TX100.