regulator opinions

[wsugoalie]

Okay, I know there have been hundreds (if not more) of postings regarding regulators and opinions about them. I just recently became open water certified and my fiance and I are looking to buy the gear. In class, I used a Dacor Eagle regulator which was sort of heavy. My fiance used a Sherwood Brut (which he liked, but I didn't).

Anyways, we have some choices of regs included in some "student packages" being offered by the dive store. We want the regs to be suitable for cold water conditions since we live in Michigan; however, we will also be doing warm water diving. I'm looking for a reg with good breathability, lightweight, and suitable for cold waters. I'm not sure if an environmentally sealed 1st stage is necessary or not.

Here is the list the LDS gave us in the student packages. Any opinions on these particular regs would be of great help!

Thanks in advance!! :dazzler1:

1) Poseidon Odin Regulator
2) Mares Proton Ice
3) Dacor Eagle Pro DPD Regulator
4) Sherwood Blizzard
5) Mares MR12 Proton

 

[ShakaZulu]

Please close this thread after this post............Save yourself the pain and get the APEKS ATX50. Enjoy the diving.

 

[jbichsel]

Close it after THIS post.......Buy the last reg you'll ever need. Aqualung Legend LX or Legend Supreme for ice diving.

 

[Lemonade]

Please close this thread after this post............Save yourself the pain and get the APEKS ATX50. Enjoy the diving.

Some things money cannot buy. One of those things is promotion for Apeks regs as good as this board. Probably none of their paid ad campaigns had nearly as much effect as this board does.

P.S. Not to slam Apeks or proud owners of their regs. Just a little tease.

 

[ShakaZulu]

Some things money cannot buy. One of those things is promotion for Apeks regs as good as this board. Probably none of their paid ad campaigns had nearly as much effect as this board does.

P.S. Not to slam Apeks or proud owners of their regs. Just a little tease.

True, if it wasn't for this board, I would probably be diving with those free flowing SP regs, that would have been so sad.........

 

[matt_unique]

True, if it wasn't for this board, I would probably be diving with those free flowing SP regs, that would have been so sad.........

"Less Filling!"

 

[yknot]

Okay, I know there have been hundreds (if not more) of postings regarding regulators and opinions about them. I just recently became open water certified and my fiance and I are looking to buy the gear. In class, I used a Dacor Eagle regulator which was sort of heavy. My fiance used a Sherwood Brut (which he liked, but I didn't).

Anyways, we have some choices of regs included in some "student packages" being offered by the dive store. We want the regs to be suitable for cold water conditions since we live in Michigan; however, we will also be doing warm water diving. I'm looking for a reg with good breathability, lightweight, and suitable for cold waters. I'm not sure if an environmentally sealed 1st stage is necessary or not.

Here is the list the LDS gave us in the student packages. Any opinions on these particular regs would be of great help!

Thanks in advance!! :dazzler1:

1) Poseidon Odin Regulator
2) Mares Proton Ice
3) Dacor Eagle Pro DPD Regulator
4) Sherwood Blizzard
5) Mares MR12 Proton

I'm suprised a Michigan dive shop is recommending the Poseidon. Odins have been around a while. A better choice may be the Xstream. In my part of Michigan, parts and service for Poseidon's (qualified, not "Hey, let me take a look at that") is non existant. If you want Poseidon anything, PM Bob3 (a scubaboard veteran) for the best price, service and selection and these are with a warranty.

Anything Mares is available on the net at prices far lower than what your LDS will offer, including a warranty if you choose the right web site. For that reason alone I don't see a lot of Mares stuff actually hanging on the wall at any of my LDS's (no margin left).

Dacor used to be a big name. The company was sold to the parent co. of Mares anyway. I don't know where they went wrong but alot of people on this board believe that just being in the same room as a Dacor reg can cause serious injury.

Don't know much about Sherwood mostly because no one locally uses them or sells them. Bottom line, based on what you are being offered in these packages is that your LDS thinks your a sucker and may be trying to unload some obsolete junk on you.

What others are telling you is good info. Apeks regs are top performers, as are Zeagles and the Aqualung Ledgends, because at one time or another and in one way or another these are virtually the same regs anyway. Some LDS's will match net prices. Avoid the ones that don't. Needing two sets of gear, your savings could be in the $1000's of $$$'s. Come to think of it, Bob3 also has Apeks stuff at the best prices I've seen. If you are going to dive locally, an enviromental seal is a must. If your gear is rugged enough to ice dive it will be just fine in the tropics also.

 

[deadend]

"Dacor used to be a big name. The company was sold to the parent co. of Mares anyway. I don't know where they went wrong but alot of people on this board believe that just being in the same room as a Dacor reg can cause serious injury."

My Dacor has been a great regulator for several years and have zero complaints with it's performance. However, the decision by Mares to stop parts production after they acquired Dacor makes me want to douse anything with those two names on it with gasoline and fire.

So buy a Dacor or Mares and get bent over and dry reamed later.

 

[ShakaZulu]

http://www.scubaboard.com/t64983.html

This thread should be a sticky..............

 

[R_Deluca]

Please close this thread after this post............Save yourself the pain and get the APEKS ATX50. Enjoy the diving.

Apeks DS4 with the ATX50 second stage !