Regulator Performance Testing

[Bob S]

This subject has probably came up previously but I would still appreciate your feedback. I was recenlty viewing Rodales Scuba-Lab regulator testing from last year and was surprised to find certain highly touted regulators such the newest Poseidon, the G250V and the Mares Abyss 42 did not score that well. How much gospel does everyone put in the Rodale comparative testing? Is it unbias? I have a 20 year old G250 that seems to perform on par with my Atomic Z-1 and Apeks XTX-50. Thanks for your reply! Bob S

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I never put much stock in Rodales. As an evaluator by profession, I have a very low opinion of their methods.

To be fair though, I have an even lower opinion of testing based purely on work of breathing numbers as there is a lot more to it than that and low numbers do not equal natural breathing. For example, a ventilator has no work of breathing at all, but no one I have known who has ever been on one has found it to be comfortable.