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TheOldPilot

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Location
Tampa, FL
# of dives
0 - 24
Hello All,

I did scuba for a brief bit in college 15 years ago, but wasn’t in an area where there was much available so didn’t continue. Recently got back into it and, of course, a lot has changed in 15 years when it comes to gear. I’m getting into investing into my own gear and could use some help.

I have done the best I can searching my answers out on the internet, but tend to find only thinly veiled sales pitches or half the people saying something is great while the other half hate it. It’s the internet, I get it. Hopefully I can find some more concise views or additional information from you.

Anyways, I wanted to put forward my needs/goals for diving, what I’m looking at for some purchases of second stage regulator/octo, and see if anyone has first-hand experience they can speak to…especially if they have experience with more than one of these and can provide a comparison.

Priorities/objectives are as follows (in no specific order):

- I primarily will be doing “shallow” warm water diving – reefs and the like.
- Travel is a part of my plans, so size/weight considerations come into play
- Durability/ease of maintenance are a priority. Some of my long term plans will include extended time away from civilization, so being able to service on my own is of value. And while still at home, my LDS is four hours away, so any pro service would be mail-in anyways.
- I would like to keep my 2nd stage and octo of the same brand for ease of maintenance (only have to learn how to service one, buy one brand of parts, etc.)
- I’m a KISS, Toyota-kind of person (i.e. value minded). I don’t need the flashiest and I don’t care about brand names. I don’t like paying extra for gizmo features, but I will pay extra for quality/durability. (For instance, I’m a former firefighter and we would spend extra for tools that was forged as single pieces vs welded together, if that makes sense. The welded things were often flashier, but the single forged tools were much stronger.)

I’m looking at the following. Assume this would also include the corresponding octo (or a duplicate in situations where a corresponding octo isn’t made). For these, I consider the price differences negligible – just looking for the best that meets my needs as listed above:

Edge Nano* (Edge Nano Sport Regulator)
Deep 6 Signature (Second Stages - Regulators)
DGX Gears XTRA/D6 (DGX Gears Regulators)
Hog Classic 2.0 (HOG Classic 2.0 Second Stage)
Cressi Compact/Compact Pro (Cressi Regulators & Octopus Cressi Professional Scuba Diving Equipment)
Zeagle Envoy II (Envoy II Regulator - Zeagle)

*Note - The Edge Nano is obviously offering less than the others. It caught my eye simply because of the value proposition in that you can find a first stage, second stage, and octopus for $200. I'm not shopping a price point here, but at that cost/size/weight, maybe it's just worth picking up as a back-up set.

Thanks all!
 
dgx d6 is the value pick, signature has some improvements, but not that noticeable for most use cases over the dgx d6 with proper rinsing/maintenance.

if you might want to go DIY, buy a used set and some tools instead of the edge nano and rebuild it for practice then you would have a backup set.
 
Cressi and Zeagle will not allow you to DIY your own service easily so those should be out.

Deep6 Signature has the lowest total cost of ownership since the first service is included free and if you take the service course they send you a free parts kit every year. It is also nicest regulator on the list.

Regs should be in your carryon and easily go in a backpack so unless you're really out in the boonies where those bags are weighed the 1lb or so delta between the heavy and light regs shouldn't be much of an issue.
 
If you are diy, buy some simple used second stages and service them, keep some spare seats around and go diving. Tons of simple cheap plastic second stages you can find. All will work for your application.
 
Cressi and Zeagle will not allow you to DIY your own service easily so those should be out.

Deep6 Signature has the lowest total cost of ownership since the first service is included free and if you take the service course they send you a free parts kit every year. It is also nicest regulator on the list.

Regs should be in your carryon and easily go in a backpack so unless you're really out in the boonies where those bags are weighed the 1lb or so delta between the heavy and light regs shouldn't be much of an issue.
T bone what do you mean by Zeagle won't allow you? I used to service mine all the time before I got certified. Have they cranked down on this?
 
T bone what do you mean by Zeagle won't allow you? I used to service mine all the time before I got certified. Have they cranked down on this?
Owned by Huish which strictly forbids the sale of parts to end users. Back in the day when they were stenciling from Apeks it was a different story but Apeks won't let you buy parts either which is why you don't see them much in cave country anymore.
 
Cressi and Zeagle will not allow you to DIY your own service easily so those should be out.

Deep6 Signature has the lowest total cost of ownership since the first service is included free and if you take the service course they send you a free parts kit every year every two years. It is also nicest regulator on the list.

Regs should be in your carryon and easily go in a backpack so unless you're really out in the boonies where those bags are weighed the 1lb or so delta between the heavy and light regs shouldn't be much of an issue.

It's every 2 years as per their blog, but honestly after taking the class and owning quite a few of their regs I don't think they've ever not obliged to sending a service kit when asked.

Blog excerpt;

"If you take this option (the rebuild class) we will provide (for shipping costs only) a no charge service kit once every two years upon request for each stage that you have purchased. If during the service you discover issues bigger than a service kit then you’ll need to get in contact with us and we can figure out together the next step (in others words, if something breaks that is a manuf. defect it’s a Deep 6 issue, if you simply broke your stuff somehow… say “I broke it” and we’ll bend over backwards to get you and your reg back in the water."

@TheOldPilot Deep 6 would get my vote. Nice reg, really easy to work on if you go down that road. The owners of the company are passionate divers that you can call and talk to anytime. Great people, and you won't get that level of support from any of the other regs that you named. (I honestly can't think of another company that does that?).

Good luck!
 
Owned by Huish which strictly forbids the sale of parts to end users. Back in the day when they were stenciling from Apeks it was a different story but Apeks won't let you buy parts either which is why you don't see them much in cave country anymore.
Ah, I see... I figured it was the Huish acquisition that did it. Thanks
 
Cressi and Zeagle will not allow you to DIY your own service easily so those should be out.

Deep6 Signature has the lowest total cost of ownership since the first service is included free and if you take the service course they send you a free parts kit every year. It is also nicest regulator on the list.

Regs should be in your carryon and easily go in a backpack so unless you're really out in the boonies where those bags are weighed the 1lb or so delta between the heavy and light regs shouldn't be much of an issue.
Thank you for this insight. The plan is an extended sailing voyage, but the logistics of that do negate the weight difference...more about the servicablility. So thank you again!
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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