The big regulator thread

[Eric Sedletzky]

I wan't to find out once and for all what all the different regulators are in regards to where they are made (country of origin), who actually makes the regulator for the company putting their name on it. There is so much confusion and contradicting info about all the different regs that I thought this could really help me and others understand what's what.
So, if anybody that's really in the know want's to chime in and explain these brands listed:
1. Where they are made (country of origin)
2. The original manufacturer (not the label name)
3. List the different brands that might have the same manufacturer.
4. Any other info like if one particular brand is a knock-off of another brand.
5. Please list any other brands I may have overlooked.

Aeris
Apeks
Apollo
Atomic
Aqualung
Beauchat
Cressi Sub
Dacor
Diverite
Genesis
Hollis
Kirby Morgan
Mares
Oceanic
OMS
Oxycheq
Poseidon
Scubapro
Sherwood
Tusa
XS Scuba
Zeagle


I really appreciate this, thanks.

 

[h90]

I wan't to find out once and for all what all the different regulators are in regards to where they are made (country of origin), who actually makes the regulator for the company putting their name on it. There is so much confusion and contradicting info about all the different regs that I thought this could really help me and others understand what's what.
So, if anybody that's really in the know want's to chime in and explain these brands listed:
1. Where they are made (country of origin)
2. The original manufacturer (not the label name)
3. List the different brands that might have the same manufacturer.
4. Any other info like if one particular brand is a knock-off of another brand.
5. Please list any other brands I may have overlooked.

Aeris
Apeks
Apollo
Atomic
Aqualung
Beauchat
Cressi Sub
Dacor
Diverite
Genesis
Hollis
Kirby Morgan
Mares
Oceanic
OMS
Oxycheq
Poseidon
Scubapro
Sherwood
Tusa
XS Scuba
Zeagle


I really appreciate this, thanks.

I checked my Mares Abyss (should be Italien) and it does not tell anything.
I checked my Beuchat (Masterlift EVO or something like that) BCD (should be French) and it told "Designed by Beuchat" what means that they didn't produce it.
No country.

I once found some Chinese/Taiwanese factories which sold Regulator and BCDs without the brand name on it. In my opinion not a Clone, instead they produce it and later they just get the branding.
I have only bookmarked this page: ECWEB 2004 TRIAL
But don't know if these will be sold under a brand name as well, if yes, please let me know.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

ZKY: ODS appears to be "ground zero" for a few of the brands listed.... I think Taiwan would be a "safe" guess for country of origin for a lot of the re-branded equipment we see.

ODS

I think several members of this board can provide a great deal of accurate info because they are "in the industry", but may be "restrained" for legal or financial reasons from doing so, which I can understand and do not have a problem with.

Interesting topic!

Best wishes.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

Mares is made in Italy and they manufacture their own gear.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

It's more complicated than that. For example company A may design a reg and then farm it out for production to company B. Company B may then make similar models under license and sell them through company C.

The Scubapro Mk 16 S55 is a good example. The Mk 16 and S555 were both Scubapro designs that Tabata was contracted to produce. However, Tabata also made and continues to make licensed versions that were sold by TUSA (as in Tabata USA) as the RS-460 - a combination of the R-400 first stage and S-60 second stage - both of which are dead ringers for the Mk 16 and S555 with the exception of some minor cosmetic changes. And the current R-400 also includes the same poppet upgrade that the Mk 16 got a year or two ago when the new Mk 17 poppet was retrofitted to the Mk 16.

It is a good arrangement for Scubapro as they have no need to devote the resources to manufacturing resources for what is a small volume item, so they save money and benefit from Tabata's world class manufacturing facilities. Scubapro also saves on production costs by cutting a deal to allow Tabata to sell licenced copies and Tabata benefits from access to the Scubapro design that they then market through TUSA.

Where it gets confusing is that Tabata is a Japanese company with production facilities in Japan and Taiwan, but the Scubapro box the reg comes in will suggest the reg is made in Italy. I am not sure if just the box is made in Italy or if the parts are shipped to Italy and assembled there. I suspect the latter.

In any event, Tabata has been making scuba equipment since 1952.

Sherwood is another early maker of regs. They were around for 30 years making medical and gas handling equipment before getting into the scuba manufacturing business in 1955, but even though they made regs or parts for nearly every company selling scuba regulators, they did not sell a reg under their own name until 1972.

Beuchat is a third early maker of scuba equipment and early Scubapro and Beuchat models have the same similarities as do Scubapro and TUSA.

Between the three of them, I suspect they make the majority of regulators sold worldwide.

 

[Nemrod]

Remember when people learned their Oldsmobiles had Chevy engines in them?

Most of this crap is made in China or Taiwan is my bet.

N

 

[tfsails]

Lessee---Aeris, Oceanic and Hollis are essentially the same company and are made in the USA.
Poseidon is Swedish and AFAIK they make their own stuff
Dacor and Mares are owned by the same company which has decided not to support Dacors any more.
Sherwood is American, bulletproof, and simple
Zeagle is American and they make their own stuff, but I've seen some of their BCs with a "made in China" label on them.

Hope this helps a bit. I have yet to see a Beauchat, Kirby Morgan, Apollo, or XS Scuba reg come through my shop.

 

[shellbackdiver1]

Remember when people learned their Oldsmobiles had Chevy engines in them?

Most of this crap is made in China or Taiwan is my bet.

N

You know that crappy computer you are using now connected to the crap network that is connected to all the crap electronic stuff at the telephone/cable company that is sending your crappy little opinion across the world is working because most of the processing chips are made in the crap country of Taiwan.

 

[Pacific Taco]

Atomic machines their regs here in Oceanside, CA and does the final assembly up in the OC somewhere. I'll know more in a couple weeks as we're going to shoot a video of how the Atomic regs are made.

 

[Couv]

Atomic machines their regs here in Oceanside, CA and does the final assembly up in the OC somewhere. I'll know more in a couple weeks as we're going to shoot a video of how the Atomic regs are made.

Hello Pacific Taco,

Will you be posting the video here? I am interested in seeing it.

Cheers,

c