Ready for my first regulator

[SkipperJohn]

I have the suits and a lot of the smaller toys. What remains now is a regulator, octo, BCD & console.
I'm starting some serious shopping now for the regulator. There is so much variety out there. Do you guys have an reconditions as to what features I should be looking at? Which to look for and which to avoid? For instance I noticed a few regulators have an adjustment to control the ease at which you can get air. Is this a good feature or will spending extra $ on it and setting it to one position forever be a waste? Any brands you guys favor? Any materials better than others?

 

[matnik]

Diving in colder northern waters, you will want something environmentally sealed, I would recommend something in the middle price range like Sherwood SR1 or Apex XTX 200. I bought a lower end req to start and have since trades up to the Apex, as it allows for diving year round, and is adjustable

 

[300bar]

This will get you a lot of personal opinions.

So here is mine:Oceanic EOS FDX10 it's adjustable and breaths like a charm.

 

[Brian Sharpe]

If you can, try renting a couple of different regs before putting down your hard earned $$.

I got lucky, the Oceanic Delta 4 with FDX10 first stage was on my short list and I had one for my check out dives and it made the decision to buy one very easy.(The bonus was that it was actually less expensive here in the frozen north than even LP or ST sells it for).

 

[SkipperJohn]

So adjustable is good?
By the way, I go to Aruba at least once a year and will be diving there as well.

 

[Jimmer]

So adjustable is good?
By the way, I go to Aruba at least once a year and will be diving there as well.

Yes, adjustable is good. And no worries about Aruba, anything that works in ice water will work in the tropics.

 

[JayJudge]

Get environmentally sealed, quite a few brands to choose from, watch out for obscure stuff (ProMate). I use Dive Rite, love 'em, lots of places can work on them and get parts (even if you DIY),. My buddy uses Zeagle, he seems to like them. I have heard good things about Apex. I might be wrong on this, but isn't Oceanic and Aeris the same company?
-J

 

[tomboyy]

Everybody knows that the MK25/S600 is the best

 

[claymore]

AquaLung Titan LX Supreme and the Legend LX are both good regs. The Titan only has one HP port but is a good breather is environmentaly seald for cold water use and is about as bullet proof as you can get.

 

[mheaster]

. . . . watch out for obscure stuff (ProMate). I use Dive Rite, love 'em, lots of places can work on them and get parts (even if you DIY
-J

Just for clarification and fairness can you elaborate on your ProMate statement?

Just a general remark or do you have personal less than favorable experiences with them?

Don't they (Promate) have some regulators built by same manufacturer and based on same plans of some previous DiveRite Regulators?

I have two sets of Tilos RL2000 Proteus Regulators which were very reasonably priced and I have now been diving them for a full season with no issues since I got them set up initially. (IP was set a bit high out of the box and a 2nd stage freeflowed but every reg should be set up intitially by a professional.)