regs and RMVs

[cmdasia]

I wonder if anyone can help - I was just reading Rodales "mother of all regs review" which I was going to use as a basis of idenitifying which new reg I should buy (coupled with the "is it black and is it sexy" criteria).

The thing is noticed was that the regs were tested on RMVs from 35 to 75. As I dive only in warm water and have an average RMV of 10, and would want a reg operating suitability in that range for 90% of my diving I wondered:

1) Is a reg test starting at RMV 35 going to suitable in saying which is the better reg operating at RMV 10-15?

2) Do I really need a 600 USd reg becuase it has a better delivery at 75 RMV (I figure I would have had a heart attack by then)

 

[neil]

I don't know about diving, but a quick search for breathing rates on the net turned up an article that says an athlete going flat out can increase his breathing rate from the normal 12 breaths per minute, to 40-60 bpm and up to 150 liters! Think of the worst case scenario of you at depth, working hard, dragging my hulking *ss off the bottom, maybe a little panicked.
Another major factor is your size. Big Neil here, at 240 lbs, wants a reg that can flow a buttload of air when needed.
Buy a reg rated as a high perfomance. You might need it. Black and sexy is good, too.
Neil