Regulators

[St_Augustine_Diver_62]

I dive with a Atomic B2 giving to my son and I want a Titanium maybe not sure I mainly dive Florida Springs and tropics Bahamas, Virgin Islands etc....... Need recomendations also I dive Nitrox

 

[Fred R.]

The titanium Atomic is an excellent choice. I should be on the Atomic website one of these days, I am coming up on my 10,000th dive with one. Most of those dives were on Nitrox, under 40%

 

[ronbeau]

I dive with a Atomic B2 giving to my son and I want a Titanium maybe not sure I mainly dive Florida Springs and tropics Bahamas, Virgin Islands etc....... Need recomendations also I dive Nitrox

Be aware that if you go with the Atomic T2 and plan to use both Nitrox and air you have to diciate the T2 regulator to one or the other. In other words, you use the T2 for Nitox or air but you cannot switch between the two.

I use the Atomic B2 regulator. Id did not buy the T2 for the reason mentioned above and cost. The biggest reason was the inability to use it for both air and Nitrox.

My BC, regulator, dive computer, mask (prescription) and snorkel all go in the carry-on bag.

 

[fda483]

Id did not buy the T2 for the reason mentioned above and cost. The biggest reason was the inability to use it for both air and Nitrox.

I was looking at the T2 and had the same issue. Does anyone understand why you can't use air and Nitrox on the T2. It would seem to limit the marketability of an expensive regulator.

 

[jeckyll]

fda483, my understaning is as follows: O2 reacts with Ti. I don't think this is an issue only for Atomic, but pertains to all Ti components exposed to higher leves of O2.

stAugustine62: Given that all the Atomic regs are said to breath the same, why go away from the B2? I mean besides the 'Starbucks factor' of coolness of Ti?

 

[skinerd]

I agree with jeckyll, to me it sounds like the Ti is overkill for your diving. The B2 is a great reg at a much cheaper price.

 

[scubatoys]

Be aware that if you go with the Atomic T2 and plan to use both Nitrox and air you have to diciate the T2 regulator to one or the other. In other words, you use the T2 for Nitox or air but you cannot switch between the two.

I use the Atomic B2 regulator. Id did not buy the T2 for the reason mentioned above and cost. The biggest reason was the inability to use it for both air and Nitrox.

My BC, regulator, dive computer, mask (prescription) and snorkel all go in the carry-on bag.

If you are keeping the mix below 40% you can go back and forth from air to nitrox all day long in any reg, brass, titanium, makes no difference. I have used titanium regs back and forth for years.

It's all just a CYA thing for the lawers if any manufacturer says anything different.

If you are just after a titanium reg, we have the oceanic titaniums for under $500, and they are clearly marked - ok for nitrox to 40% right on the box. I've had people get B2's, then get one of the oceanic titanium regs and swap out the first stages, making their atomic a titanium diaphragm reg, and then have a brass piston 1st hooked up to the pneumatically balanced oceanic second.

 

[DivesWithTurtles]

Be aware that if you go with the Atomic T2 and plan to use both Nitrox and air you have to diciate the T2 regulator to one or the other. In other words, you use the T2 for Nitox or air but you cannot switch between the two.

Sounds like urban legend material here. Can you site a reliable source for this? I don't believe that this is at all true.

... I am coming up on my 10,000th dive with one.

Wow, that's how many dives a day, every day, for how many years?

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I think the concern with Ti tegs is with the oxidation that occurs on the surface - which makes use with Nitrox mixes over 40% ill advised.

Of course prudence, legal or otherwise, comes into play and many divers extend that to not using nitrox in a Ti reg at all. If you get one and use it with nitrox, just be sure to pressurize the reg slowly with the purge depressed on the second stage. Nothing wrong with being safe.

Personally, I have never seen the point in a Ti reg as they set you back an excessive amount of cash for not all that much weight reduction and no performance advantage over a brass first stage. Most of the divers I have met who have them seem to have them as a matter of conspicuous consmuption just so they can show off having them. My ego has never required feeding in that particular manner so I have trouble relating to that particular need.

Buy another B2 and invest the money saved in another dive trip.

 

[aquaoren]

Originally Posted by Fred R.
... I am coming up on my 10,000th dive with one.

Originally Posted by DivesWithTurtles
Wow, that's how many dives a day, every day, for how many years?

Well let's see. Atomic exists since 1995, which would make it about 10 years old or roughly 3650 days old, which would require about 3 dives a day, every day over the last 10 years if he got himself one the first day. I somehow have my doubts.