Purchasing NEW regulator in a couple weeks for MAUI

[DivingNewbie]

All,
I just got my PADI cert and am going to be purchasing a new regulator for a diving trip I have to Maui at the end of the month. I have read some of the postings and was looking for any advice (brand (Aqualung, Zeagle, Oceanic, Atomic....so many to choose from), characteristics, cold water vs. warm water, sealed vs. non-sealed, etc.). I know that the bottom line criteria is that it breathes well and breathes comfortably. I also understand that I will be inundated with advice and that is fine. As an FYI, I'd like to find a price-point right in the middle (not looking to break the bank, but I don't want anything too cheap either) and I am looking for something that can grow WITH me as I advance. Thanks.

 

[OldNSalty]

What kind of diving do you see yourself doing and when you talk about mid-range what is that in $. Is this the only piece of equipment you will be buying right now?

A few notes-I don't think there is any 'bad' equipment out there. I think the difference in breathing between a lot of models is minor and in some cases, so minor that it is not noticeable unless you are a machine designed to measure these things. If you have a few good LDS, try out different brands in the wet; things like comfort are subjective.

As for specifics, I like AL but it isn't any better or worse then anything else out there

 

[DivingNewbie]

Not sure of the type of diving I see myself doing at this very moment, since I just got certified. Just a little recreational diving on vacations. I certainly plan on getting my AOW. I don't see myself doing technical diving anytime soon. In so far as price, (and you can all correct me if I am wrong), but I was thinking in the neighborhood of $500-$700; Maybe that is considered cheap, I don't know. This along with a dive gauge and octo will probably be the only pieces of equipment right now.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

For the price range you are looking at ($500 - $700) there are LOTS of great choices, and depending on if you buy from your LDS or online, you'll be getting mid-to-high end in most manufacturer's product lines (from an LDS: mid-range; Online: higher-end). The advice OldNSalty is right on the money: Buy the one YOU like most in that price range, but consider carefully where you will get it serviced. There is a lot of debate about buying online versus from your LDS, and I wont go there. If you are happy with your LDS, use them. If not, consider an online purchase... either way, have fun!

FYI: I purchased 5 regulator sets online to outfit my family (2 Mares MR-22 Abyss, 3 Mares MR-12 Proton). I was really pleased with the experience (and price savings), and I was comfortable buying regs online because it was not the 1st time I had purchased scuba equipment and I knew pretty much what I wanted.

 

[OldNSalty]

Well DivingNewbie, your profile gives no clue as to where you live. If it is somewhere cold then I would buy a reg that would allow me to dive in those conditions should I elect to (it would still work fine in the warm tropics). If you don't live somewhere cold then you probably aren't going to be tempted to go diving in those conditions so that might narrow things down a little.

What brands do the local shops have or would you be OK buying online? The good news, like LeadTurn_SD points our, $500-$700 will buy a good setup. You'll be happy with one in that price range I would think.

 

[halocline]

It's not hard to find a decent reg set, that's first stage, two seconds, and gauges for $500-700. If you plan to dive with a computer, you can buy just a plain SPG instead of a console. Keep in mind that any reg from any reputable manufacturer will work very well for recreational diving. A few decades ago divers were going to the andrea doria with regs that most gear-geeks wouldn't use in a pool today. (Although some old regs outperform anything on the market today, but that's a different thread) So it's unlikely you'll get stuck with anything that won't do the job.

First you might find a store near where you live and get some idea of who services the regs and what brands they sell. You'll probably get a decent idea about the tech guy. The most important thing in regulators over the long haul is getting them serviced WELL, and unfortunately there is no actual standard for the people that work on them.

The worst is to spend a fortune on a high end reg with all kinds of unnecessary features and then have it worked on by a bad tech.

Some popular good values in regs are, in alphabetical order, aqualung titan, scubapro MK2, MK11 (or MK16 if you can find one) zeagle envoy.

 

[beanojones]

FYI: I purchased 5 regulator sets online to outfit my family (2 Mares MR-22 Abyss, 3 Mares MR-12 Proton). I was really pleased with the experience (and price savings), and I was comfortable buying regs online because it was not the 1st time I had purchased scuba equipment and I knew pretty much what I wanted.

You were able to save money buying online? I guess prices are higher on the Big Island (probably on all the Neighbor Islands, if the 7-11 ads are any indication).

On Oahu, you can kill the online prices at a couple of places. And the places that have higher prices will gladly match online pricing as long as the online retailer is not grey-market. YMMV.

Of course, the warehouses (ScubaPro, Oceanic, Mares, Atomic, etc.) are all right on island so the prices should be cheaper than anywhere else.

Of course used gear is much cheaper on the mainland, because of shipping costs.

 

[Couv]

Hello DivingNewbie,

Congratulations on your certification and welcome to SB.

Here is my usual cut and paste advice.

One thing to keep in mind about regulators is that most are great at what they do. So how do you separate the wheat from the chaff? That won't be easy, but it will be fun and entertaining. Soon you will find out there are quite a few gurus on this board in each section. It's helpful to pick out a few of them and read lots of their post and you will be off to a very good start. In the regulator section I can highly recommend the post of (in no particular order) Awap, DA Aquamaster, Captain, Pescador775 and Luis H ©Õhere are lots of others but that will keep you busy for a while.

At any rate, you want a regulator brand that has a good track record for keeping parts available for each model. Of course unless you intend to DIY, you also want a regulator that can be serviced by your local dive shop and lots of locations in the world. The two best companies in both regards are Aqualung and Scubapro.
My recommendation for the average recreational diver, i.e. not freezing water, 150 feet or less, is a simple non balanced piston 1st stage such as the Scuba Pro MK 2 (or Aqualung Calypso, Mares R2, Sherwood Brut and a few others.) This simple design is usually inexpensive, nearly bullet proof, easy to get parts for and easy and inexpensive to service. It is also easy to DIY because it requires only a few o-rings and a seat. Yes, the unbalanced design will increase the breathing effort at low tank pressure, but I view this as a good thing especially for new or inexperienced divers. See this thread: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/regulators/87374-scuba-pro-r190-2.html
Additionally, if/when one wants to start more advanced diving where high concentrations of oxygen will be used this type regulator can be moved to that application.

For a second stage I like an adjustable and balanced unit. This provides the ability to have the regulator tuned to minimum inhalation resistance with the option of the diver increasing the resistance it if he/she finds the need to. Having said that, a straight forward classic downstream design with a simple to replace set of o-rings and button soft seat can be highly recommended as it is a tried and true design, parts are usually available and almost anyone can service them.

It is a good idea to have the same manufactures 1st and 2nd stage to make getting service less complicated.

For more demanding diving and high end/higher performance (higher price) regulators see the following link for DA's excellent advice.
<http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/regulators/181745-advice-regulators.html>

couv

 

[OldNSalty]

For the OP, scuba pro has been around a long time and have a good rep. No problems if you go that way. I like AL and would probably buy the legend if I was buying a new one right now. My initial purchase of AL was based on 2 simple reasons. 1-started by Cousteau (figured he might know a few things about the topic). 2 - approved by the US military. Being in the Army I know that most of our stuff was built to last and my buds who had been through the dive course suggested US Divers/AL because of its reliability.

I also like what I read concerning the Atomic brands and if I had the cash I could be tempted into getting something from their line. With that being said, I don't think you would need to buy their top of the line as I have heard (and someone in the know can correct/verify this) that it is basically the same design with very minor difference (materials, etc) from the bottom to the top.

Hope some of this helps and let us know what you pick. We all like new shinny scuba stuff even if it isn't 'our brand'

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

You were able to save money buying online? I guess prices are higher on the Big Island (probably on all the Neighbor Islands, if the 7-11 ads are any indication).

On Oahu, you can kill the online prices at a couple of places. And the places that have higher prices will gladly match online pricing as long as the online retailer is not grey-market. YMMV.

Of course, the warehouses (ScubaPro, Oceanic, Mares, Atomic, etc.) are all right on island so the prices should be cheaper than anywhere else.

Of course used gear is much cheaper on the mainland, because of shipping costs.

Yes, I bought online in 2007. Savings were about 40-50% compared to what I could find locally. I do try to buy gear from my LDS, and have spent a lot there, but I could buy higher quality NEW equipment for the about the same price he was willing to sell used rental gear. It was a tough decision for me because I have a good relationship with him and I wanted to support his shop, but it meant being able to afford to buy gear, so I looked online.