Poll: What are the top tier regulator brands?

[kelemvor]

I'm surprised to see Apeks as one of the most popular. I thought it was a smaller/off brand. Guess I was wrong.

 

[kelemvor]

They aren't "top tier."

I can see making that argument for Argonaut and Deep6 as they're relatively new and small companies. I've never seen either in a dive shop. Poseidon on the other hand is one of the older brands. They tend to be very expensive, and have unique features. Also, I thought for at least one type of diving they were the only brand approved on one of the navy lists. Maybe it was ice diving or something?

I don't own a Poseidon, but I sure would like to..

 

[tbone1004]

@kelemvor IIRC Poseidon is the second oldest regulator brand still being made after Aqualung.....

Combined with Apeks they are the only regulator brand that has passed Norsok testing *REAL deep, REAL cold*, and are on the short list for just about every Navy approved regulator worldwide.

 

[BoltSnap]

I can see making that argument for Argonaut and Deep6 as they're relatively new and small companies. I've never seen either in a dive shop. Poseidon on the other hand is one of the older brands. They tend to be very expensive, and have unique features. Also, I thought for at least one type of diving they were the only brand approved on one of the navy lists. Maybe it was ice diving or something?

I don't own a Poseidon, but I sure would like to..

Here is a clarification on what I meant:

Although military and commercial diving needs are largely different from civilian recreational divers needs, I am referring to the big picture of availability of support at local and international locations and ease of adjustment and reliability of the equipment. Poseidon is no doubt a top of the line regulator but it is finicky and it will be very difficult to find a competent service technician who can do a good job in servicing their regulators.

that I can't deny, however they do offer parts kits and a service course to end users which Atomic is very much against and that is a big negative to me as a tech diver.

 

[Centrals]

I'm surprised to see Apeks as one of the most popular. I thought it was a smaller/off brand. Guess I was wrong.

One of the few who are still making their own in their own factory!
If you ever go diving in UK you will find most divers/operators are using them.

 

[Magnus Lundstedt]

@kelemvor IIRC Poseidon is the second oldest regulator brand still being made after Aqualung.....

The Poseidon Cyklon is one of the absolute first single hose regulators that hit the market (Poseidon state it is the first single hose regulator) 1958. It is still in production after 60 years. (at least the second stage)

To my knowledge it is the oldest regulator still in production.

 

[leadduck]

Consider that this regulator market is very regional and local availability of brands depends a lot on the sales channel, less on the product.
Over here in Europe, Atomics is rare, Sherwood, Diverite, Zeagle, Hog and Deep6 practically unheard of; British Apeks popular but mostly for Tec divers. More popular are Scubapro, Aqualung, Cressi, Beuchat, Mares. Even more regional: Beuchat strong in France, rare in Germany.

 

[tbone1004]

@Magnus Lundstedt it is, but Aqualung has still been around as a company longer.

@Centrals if Apeks didn't have their bullsh!t parts regulations in the US and Aqualung didn't put them at the top of the price bracket, they'd be more popular here too.
An Apeks Tek3 twinset package from Simply Scuba is L699 or $921 USD. In the US that package is $1275. It's about 10% cheaper than Poseidon and Atomic, but something like the Dive Rite XT doubles kit is $700.

 

[leadduck]

can get a new FST XTX 100 + XTX40 DS4 for 500€ ($588 USD) here, and that price includes 19% VAT already. That's $495 USD before tax.

 

[kelemvor]

An Apeks Tek3 twinset package from Simply Scuba is L699 or $921 USD. In the US that package is $1275. It's about 10% cheaper than Poseidon and Atomic, but something like the Dive Rite XT doubles kit is $700.

Price is what drove me to scubapro. I wanted Poseidon but it was just too expensive at my LDS. The same LDS also sold scubapro so I got the less expensive S600/MK25. If I remember right, the Poseidon was about $200 more.

I'm sure opinion is largely influenced by what people see on store shelves. In my town there are many shops but all of them seem to be selling Poseidon, Aqua Lung, Scubapro, or Dive-Rite. In some cases a combination of those. Now that I think about it; Tackle Shack that sells both Poseidon and Scubapro does sell some Apeks stuff. My aluminum plate is Apeks and came from that shop. They don't have any Apeks regulators in the store for whatever reason that I've ever noticed.