The best regulator for me?

[pw1981]

Ok, clearly from reading back threads on my regs, I have missed the information train on the Viper Tec's. :11: I also know several other divers using them who like them and, to date, they serve me well.

So, after reading all this stuff, I am fully ready to accept the fact that it is very likely that I will have to replace them at any moment. While I am hopeful that this is not the case, I want to be prepared with the necessary information should it become necessary.

I hate cotton mouth and my standard Viper gives me a
nasty case of it on long dives. I am interested in the newer models that retain moistre and give it back to you so you don't get dried out.

Before I got my Vipers, I tried a couple regs from Tusa nad Cressi and I went with the Vipers because it wasn't very heavy in comparrison and I like the way it directed exhaust beaths away from my face not up under my chin like others.

I am hoping to get some ideas on what regulators are worth considering... brands and model recomendations would be great. But I guess what I really need to know is which ones to avoid since I, clearly, missed the bulletin on the Vipers.

 

[Diver0001]

Phil,

If the vipers are working for you then I don't see the problem. They certainly wouldn't be my choice if I had to buy a new reg now but as long as you can still get them serviced then replacing them because other people don't like them is unnecessary....imo.

About the cotton mouth. I know that the Sherwood Maximus does a good job of trapping some condensation to help fight cotton mouth. The Maximus wouldn't personally be my first choice either but it's a reliable regulator and works well in the dry mouth deptartment.

R..

 

[alemaozinho]

very hard to get parts for the vipers,Dacor belongs to Mares now and you,ll have problems getting it serviced. Peace

 

[fraff2]

I just bought a Viper Metal. Liked everything about it - profile, breathability, lifetime warranty (what will be it's lifetime). But reading all the threads in regulator section has me really worried to the point of cancelling order (I just purchased yesterday and it is being setup today/tom'w). My LDS says service/parts should not be a problem. At this point I have even emailed Dacor to inquire about situation (I know they wouldn't dis' their own product, but I would at least like to get some assurances from them that they are not going away soon ?)

 

[SubMariner]

very hard to get parts for the vipers,Dacor belongs to Mares now and you,ll have problems getting it serviced. Peace

Where are you getting this information? Mares is not going to let a division they spent much time & money acquiring go down the drain.

I've had a Dacor Abyss for years & have no problems getting it serviced.

 

[fraff2]

Where are you getting this information? Mares is not going to let a division they spent much time & money acquiring go down the drain.

I've had a Dacor Abyss for years & have no problems getting it serviced.

SubMariner,
First off, thanks very much for the reply to both this post and a earlier thread I started. It put my mind at ease as to the choice of my reg. I had same thought today. Why would Mares buy out Dacor if they were just going to discontinue all the models.
As far as where I am getting all of this info ? ScubaBoard... I did a search on my reg and got spooked by all of the negative stuff I got about Dacor/service/parts. Yet, two of my instructors swear by a similar reg that I purchased. I am sticking with the Dacor Viper Tec Metal (maybe put a orthodonic mouthpiece on it in the future though !).
Thanks again...

Raff

 

[SubMariner]

Where are you getting this information? Mares is not going to let a division they spent much time & money acquiring go down the drain.

I've had an Abyss for years & have no problems getting it serviced.

Note: Hindsight being 20/20 I realized that Abyss is a Mares reg & not a Dacor. However, Mares has been bringing out new gear under the Dacor banner since they took over the line, so I can't see them dumping the line any time soon.

Apologies for the typo & confusion. :blush:

 

[SubMariner]

Yet, two of my instructors swear by a similar reg that I purchased. I am sticking with the Dacor Viper Tec Metal (maybe put a orthodonic mouthpiece on it in the future though !).

Frankly, the 1st thing both Pearce & I did upon buying our Abyss regs was to put new mouthpieces on them. The ones on there sucked! No pun intended

 

[pw1981]

Phil,

If the vipers are working for you then I don't see the problem. ... replacing them because other people don't like them is unnecessary....imo.

I am not going to run out and replace them, but given the negative comments on them I want to be prepared with information should the need to replace them become apparent. Thats all. So far they work pretty well for me and I am enjoying them.

 

[tndiveinstruct1]

I just bought a Viper Metal. Liked everything about it - profile, breathability, lifetime warranty (what will be it's lifetime). But reading all the threads in regulator section has me really worried to the point of cancelling order (I just purchased yesterday and it is being setup today/tom'w). My LDS says service/parts should not be a problem. At this point I have even emailed Dacor to inquire about situation (I know they wouldn't dis' their own product, but I would at least like to get some assurances from them that they are not going away soon ?)

I wouldn't worry about Dacor going away anytime soon. Dacor has been around for years, and quite honestly, had more of a chance going out of business BEFORE Mares bought them than AFTER Mares bought them. HTM Sports is the company behind both of Mares and Dacor. ( It stands for Head, Tyroli, and Mares ). Mares is pushing it's established line into the Dacor realm. Case in point, the Darwin computer. It's really a Mares M1 computer in a Dacor color scheme and name change.

Have quite a few friends around here that dive Dacor regs. Getting them serviced is NOT a problem, and getting parts for the Viper, which 4 of them have, has never been a problem. There are 14 dealers in NJ alone and 33 in Florida alone.

Hope this eases your fear...

Randy