Really Bad Regulators

[johm77]

I'm a new diver looking to buy some gear before I have to go to Hawaii (3 weeks) and Okinawa (3 weeks) for work.

I've been reading a lot of information from scubaboard and other resources about which regulators are good. I've read way too many recommendations to count.

Can anyone tell me of some regulators I should stay away from?
Bad Regulators?

I've used 4 different regulators on Dives. A scubapro, aqualung calypso, aqualung titan, and another scubapro. I really couldn't tell the difference between them, except that one of the scubapro's had a horrible mouthpiece that required way too much effort to keep in my mouth.

I've visited a few dive shops back in July, and a lot of them were really trying to push the Aqualung Legend. I should've just bought it when they were offering a free octo, but that deal has passed. Is a premium regulator like the Legend a bit overkill for a resort diver such as myself?

 

[alphonsis]

I believe that using a third party mouthpiece such as SeaCure would allow you to remove the mouthpiece as part of the decision making process.

As for the rest of your post, I'm in the same boat. Looking to buy a new reg setup and it's hard to find any real standouts.

 

[David P]

scubapro atomics apeks aqualung are all good oceanic o
is decent... I would stay away from Mares and Sherwood (Im sure I will get flames) it I just don't like their designs. Diverite sells nice regs pretty cheap also

 

[Capt.Rich]

I dont believe there is such a thing as a "bad" regulator. Certainly there are some that are better than others.
But, I dont believe that any manufacturer could manufacture and sell a life sustaining device that doesnt work well.

 

[Jimmer]

Oceanic and Zeagle make absolute top notch stuff. I'm personally not a fan of Genesis, my Gensis is like sucking through a straw compared to my Zeagles or Oceanics.

 

[UWDoc]

You can read reviews of (some) regulators as tested by ScubaLab published in Scuba Diving Magazine here: http://www.scubadiving.com/gear/regulators

An article from 2001 says that several IST regulators failed their tests (I haven't heard of these regulators).

Pretty much all the big names do well. I love my Poseidons, but I do cold water diving more than warm water diving.

 

[dk2943]

I have only tried 3 regulators. I learned on an old Mares which worked fine, but I bought an Atomic Z2, and what a difference! Then I got to try the Oceanic 4, top of their line, and after two dives, I wanted to go back to my Atomic. I can't imagine using anything else.

 

[RickPeck]

The Sherwood Maximus breathes fairly easily. Its a little wet when you are inverted though. The standout brands that everyone seems to agree are good are the Zeagle and Apeks. I have never used one and am a fairly new diver, but I read the board alot.

Regards,

Rick

 

[emcbride81]

scubapro atomics apeks aqualung are all good oceanic o
is decent... I would stay away from Mares and Sherwood (Im sure I will get flames) it I just don't like their designs. Diverite sells nice regs pretty cheap also

I have a Mares and it has preformed very well...and it is a lower end model, the Rebel, at 87ft and 41 degrees breathed like a charm! There...considered yourself flamed!!

 

[Thalassamania]

Just about all top of the line regulators (despite what the members of this cult or that sect claims) are pretty much the same in terms of performance and reliability. We dove MARES at great depth and they worked fine, and so did the Poseidons and so did the Oceanic and so did the ScubaPro. I'd not get wrapped up in all the hype, I'd pick a top of the line regulator at a rationale price, which generally eliminates ScubaPro, Atomic and Aqualung. I have a bias for environmentally sealed diaphragm regulators so that means I tend to use Oceanics and MARES.