Sidemount regulator choice post 2024 inflation

[Willdiveforhugs]

Hi, new to the boards~ 50 dives single back mount only as background.

Starting my sidemount training next week locally in the PNW.

I’m planning to purchase my own equipment and have carefully read every applicable thread I could find.

Posting because historical price relationships in those threads have changed dramatically. ( Deep6 now much more, XTX basically same as atomic M1…)

Would like your suggestion and rationale:

1.) high end set defined as $1500-low 2000s for new set of sidemount regs.

2.) budget oriented set defined as sub $1500 with minimal specs of balanced first and second stage and swivel on the turret present.


Option for TLDR resistant folks:

Additional background:

- I am open to piston and diaphragm.

- I will not service them myself for the foreseeable future.

- I want to be able to dive in the PNW and tropics.
I would like to eventually progress into both technical and cave diving.

- I do not believe in the last reg of my life philosophy. Correct regulator for current goal suffices.

- There is an excellent independent scuba service only business in town (no sales no training)

- The local dive team training me use Diverite XT, I believe



Things that have stirred armchair interest.

High end: MK25/G260 ish, XTX50, atomic any, Poseidon

Value: Diverite, Deep6, DGX D6, DGX Xtra

 

[rongoodman]

Hog or Deep 6.

 

[Thrutch]

Love my Deep 6 regs for everything—warm, cold, sidemount, doubles, even the ever-demanding single tank backmount resort diving. Been diving them for four years and a few hundred dives now. Started with Scribble (Excursion now) first stages and Signature seconds, and upgraded to Signature first stages two years ago. They recently did great in Mexico for cave training (in sidemount). I'm frequently in cold water (down to 37°) with zero issues. I also just sent them to Deep 6 for service, and they turned them around in 4 days. Considering my LDS is backed up 6 weeks, this blew my mind. Big fan.

 

[LandonL]

If you have any questions about our products (Deep6) please reach out!

 

[runsongas]

the apeks set has always been really expensive. piecing it together from a UK/EU retailer used to be more reasonable as you could get it together for around 1400ish but that is no longer possible. if you aren't scared off by used, a used set for apeks or atomic might be workable.

budget option is the dgx d6 and after that look at DR/D6 if you want something a bit nicer

 

[Willdiveforhugs]

Thank you for your replies.

“budget option is the dgx d6 and after that look at DR/D6…” if I extrapolate that to XTX50 and atomic M1/ Poseidon…

So the old adage of “ you get what you pay for” holds then?

I left the topic of used out of the question. If a compatible quality used set surfaces locally, that will be my choice indeed.

 

[LandonL]

@Willdiveforhugs The old adage doesn't hold.....

 

[lowwall]

DGX Custom - DGX Gears D6 Sidemount Reg Package

The DGX Gears D6 Sidemount Regulator Package contains everything you need for a high performance regulator setup in a sidemount style configuration.

www.divegearexpress.com

The more expensive options aren't better (or at least the differences are much smaller than the price delta). The extra cost comes from much higher marketing costs and general big corp overhead, higher markups, and pricing in an extra distribution layer.

 

[Mobulai]

I believe everything of higher value has been said already by others, (my instant recommendation if you’re in ConUS is D6)

Just one tiny suggestion, instead/beside the mk25, give the mk19 a looksie as well
(Env seal, almost as performant as mk25); if you decide to go the SP — I find better value there personally

Edit: if I lived in conus I’d already have gotten a D6 expedition but parts have long lead times to EU; so I went with a SP mk19/g260 for SM (I also start next week — cheers and have fun w it

 

[Wibble]

Second hand regulators will save you a LOT of money. I’ve acquired at least a dozen regulator sets and have only bought a couple of DS4+ATX40 stage cylinder sets new when Apeks were good value 7 years ago (£150/$200). All of my other regs are second hand.

For sidemount, I’ve a pair of Mk25s with ATX40 second stages. These work very well as the turrets are very effective.

I’ve 4 Tec3's for stages/bailouts as they have great hose routing.

DSTs work OK but the turret will not rotate 360 degrees as the hoses snag on the DIN wheel. DS4s do route hoses well for OC configuration (long hose of course!). I’ve a genuine Apeks yoke connector for a Caribbean OC set; v.quick to swap between DIN and joke.

I’m careful to only buy decent looking regs second hand. I wouldn’t bother with scruffy and tarnished regs that look as if the owner hasn’t take care of them. A good sign is when there’s a reg bag included. I definitely prefer words like "recently serviced" in an advert. Have bought a few through eBay and haven’t been turned over yet. I always get them serviced after purchase unless they’re clearly recently serviced and look clean.

Also, don’t be afraid of making a cheeky offer on eBay/forums. They can say no, or sometimes you get a bargain. The most expensive set I bought by a long way was a few months ago from eBay where there was a virtually new, just serviced set of two Tec3 with XTX50s for £500/$650. Cheeky offer accepted. Absolutely as described and now used as bailout regulators.

It helps to have an intermediate pressure gauge to ensure the regs are within specification (around 9-ish bar) don’t have IP creep, i.e. stay at that IP over time.