Recommendations for a Cold/Temperate Water Reg?

[anzac65]

I will back up the Zeagles. Ive heard nothing but good things about them and just ordered my own VI's....cant wait to get them. Ive tried out one and it breaths as smooth or better than my buddies Atomic.

Great choice Firemedic. You won't be disappointed. Enjoy your new regs and safe diving.

 

[Colliam7]

it was the environmental seal with the diaphragm and all that i've seen blow off. i've heard of this happening 4 times so far and seen one.

This would possibly reflect (suboptimal) service on the regulator first stage, specifically whether or not the first stage was pressurized (as it is supposed to be) when the seal was re-installed.

as for zeagles or scubapros nothing but problems with them. zeagles are a poorly designed reg that sometimes even blow apart in the water.

Having the environmental seal 'blow' off would certainly get the attention of any user. However, I see no basis in fact for your assertion about the design of Zeagle regs, not on the basis of your description of the problem, nor on the basis of any other assessment by knowledgeable industry sources.

 

[Jimmer]

This would possibly reflect (suboptimal) service on the regulator first stage, specifically whether or not the first stage was pressurized (as it is supposed to be) when the seal was re-installed.

That's exactly what went through my mind. Too much air trapped under it during service, then it gets blown off when pressurized. Definetly a service issue, not a design flaw.

 

[pescador775]

At a discount price of $450 the OP could purchase a Sherwood SR1. This is a very advanced regulator and should be cold water tolerant. The early production also had the problem with hermetic caps blowing off the first stage but I understand this has been fixed. Apparently, workers on the line had not installed a particular part correctly. Reviews of this regulator put it in a class with Atomic.

 

[Coelacanth]

I should had guessed a mini fight would break out eventually :cool2:

Currently I feel torn between the Sherwood SR1, Scubapro G250V, and the Oceanic Delta 4, but I'm not committed to anything. I need to see what brands my hometown and collegetown LDSs will service...

 

[leapfrog]

Couldn't resist jumping here (isn't Scubaboard fun?!)

Coelacanth, you should go with the Oceanic Delta 4. Living where you live you will get excellent service. Whenever you have "an issue" the guys at Oceanic take it very seriously. In other words customer service is outstanding.

Scubapro can be serviced about anywhere in the world. So it's a good choice for a travelling diver (outside the US as well). However as someone said, if the water is cold enough for a reg to freeflow, invariably it will be the SP first.

Sherwood, you will have less service opportunities.

Poseidon, IMHO the best cold water regs in the world. Problem, expensive to buy, expensive to maintain IFyou can find a proper maintenance store.

Just a quick note from my own personal experience. I used to dive Poseidon Xstreams. When new, excellent. Couldn't get them properly serviced and they were giving problems the whole time, which is a pity.

I asked a load of colleagues and many had gone through the same experience. I am now using Aqualungs. Why? SERVICE in my geographical area (Southern Europe). Service meaning, if I have a problem it's going to be fixed quick and service meaning that if they can't fix it quick they'll probably give a new component.

Like many people who post here, my regs are the tools of my trade. I can't afford to be messing around. If Oceanic had the same service here as they have stateside, I would have gone for the Delta 4.

 

[Coelacanth]

Yeah the Oceanic seems to be the soundest choice, I just wish it had some metal on it for durability (and snazziness) which is why I still want to open to the more metallic models.

Has anyone had experience with Hollis?

 

[porbeagle]

Sounds similar to my favourite cold water reg, the ZX series from Zeagle. Case is plastic, as is the adjustment knob on these second stages, but everything else, air barrel, heat exchanger etc. is all metal on them.

On paper the ZX-DSV or ZX-Flathead VI are very similar to a Mk17-G250V combo. I'd like to try out the Scubapro combo someday, since I keep hearing so many good things about it.

HI! Try a conshelf 14, which you can get on e-bay for about $ 60. they are all metal have the same internal parts as the titan series from aqualung,and in fact, the conshelf 14 is still in production.this reg is bulletproof, time tested, and easy breathingdown to 130 fsw (in my opinion). You might even get lucky;lj and find a con-14 supreme which is the cold water versionof the 14 series.Look into this,as it is a 1st. & 2nd. stage reg which is 2nd to none.
Hallmac on scubaboard is maybe the resident expert on us divers/ aqualung regs.He also services and rebuilds regs.In any case, he is the man on info about US Divers regs.Pull up old treads on SB and see if I'm not right about his acumen.......Luck PORBEAGLE....

 

[leapfrog]

Yeah the Oceanic seems to be the soundest choice, I just wish it had some metal on it for durability (and snazziness) which is why I still want to open to the more metallic models.

Has anyone had experience with Hollis?

Yes. Hollis is sold and marketed by the same group as Oceanic and Aeris. The products are excellent and fit your order as cold water regs. You are at a point in your diving which almost everybody has been through. You want to buy something good, reliable, durable, that you can get serviced. Maybe you want something a bit more special that stands out from the rest. I understand, that happened to me too. That's fine as long as you are prepared for higher price tags, higher cost of maintenance, less points of service and so on. It's a little bit like the "sports car" concept. All is fine until you need a service.

If you are doubting between Oceanic and Hollis, why don't you just ask them here on the Board or call them Monday morning at San Leandro and talk to someone?