What reg/octo should I buy?

[Captain Crocs]

I am a new diver, and am looking at buying my own equipment- i have just a few dives.
The website I am looking at purchasing from is divers-supply.com. I am hoping to get a full package (reg, bc, octo, gauges) all together. The reg I am looking at is a Sea Elite Tek X or an Oceanic GT3. The Octo I am looking at getting is either a sea elite Tek X octo (shiny matching!), a Sea elite ranger octo, or maybe an Oceanic Slim line Octo.
Questions I have:

-The lever/ knob on many regs- is it a sensitivity/resistance lever? I have played with it on rental regs, and it doesn't seem to do a whole lot. Can adjusting this possibly change my rate of free flows?

-is it ok to buy online? In a package? at divers-supply?

-are these brands good and reputable?

-i currently dive air, but will be taking a nitrox class soon. Do i need specific regs for nitrox, or are regs usable with either?

-is there anything else that I should consider?

Thanks in advance!
-Crocs

 

[tfsails]

I would not buy regs, BCs, or wetsuits online. I have to say here that I work in a dive shop. If people continue to buy online, dive shops will go away. Where will you get your air from then? Who will teach you how to use your stuff? OK, I'm off my soapbox now...

The lever/knob: The lever usually controls a venturi device in the second stage to give air flow some vacuum assist using Bernoulli's principle of air flow. The knob adjusts spring tension which increases/decreases the cracking effort for the reg. You will feel it as ease of breathing. More tension requires more effort to get the reg to open up. Once open, the venturi effect from the lever makes inhalation seem easier.

Buying a package probably makes sense from a financial standpoint. Provided you get what you want in the package, it's the way to go.


I've never heard of a Sea Elite regulator, so I have no opinion of it. Oceanic makes good regs; you can't go wrong there.

Just about every reg you can buy these days is compatible with O2 mixes up to 40%, which is the limit of recreational Nitrox diving. If you ever decide to go to advanced nitrox (up to 100% O2) you'll need to have your reg oxygen cleaned, and brand doesn't matter at that point.

Hope this helps.

 

[firemedic8082]

I believe that Sea Elite is the house brand for Divers Supply. That line is sold exclusively throught them so you should take into consideration where the closest store would be for servicing etc. I currently dive a Sea Elite Tek X BCD and I love it. I dont have any experience with their Regs but several of my buddies dive them with no problems. That aside, you would be better off with Oceanic in case you need servicing on a dive trip etc. But I would check with Scubatoys if you go with Oceanic. You cant beat their prices or their service.

 

[Isaac-1]

Here are just a few general tips:

1, If warranty is important to you make sure you buy from an authorized dealer, if you buy online make sure make sure the dealer is authorized to sell online, some manufactuers don't warrant online sales even from an otherwise authorized dealer.

2, All the major brands produce good gear, but not all gear is ideal for all types of diving, this is particulalry true of cold water diving, as regulator freeze ups are more of an issue with some designs than others.

3, Buy gear that you can get serviced, more importantly make sure you can get it serviced where you are, either at home, or near where you plan to dive. Many years ago when I first started diving there was a particular elite brand of european dive gear, that was widely regarded as the best regulator you could buy, unfortunetly even in the U.S. the national distributor did not keep many repair parts on hand, so it was common to have parts custom ordered from europe to complete simple repairs. While this has changed, parts availabilty is still a concern when diving in remote locations.

4, Don't mix and match in a regulator set, (different brand octopus, etc.), while technicaly there is no issue, it can often be a service issue if you move, or even if the dealer drops one of the lines. You may find yourself taking your regulator to two seperate shops to have service done, usualy at extra expense.

 

[stairman]

I have never bought online.I like to hold and inspect gear for purchase before handing over money.They are there to help with adjustments,features and care and can answer questions etc. And if there is a problem with it,its easier than shipping something back and waiting.I hate to wait.And they service what they sell.My LDS loves me and I appreciate them.

 

[v--Locke--v]

I own the GT3 and think it can't be beat for its price. But if I had to do it again, I would buy used. North East Scuba supply has a mess of regs that are used for sale cheap. These have just been serviced and most are 02 clean (not that you need that). Ebay should be fine to buy as long as it has just been serviced. Most authorized dealers will service a "gray bought" reg. But even buying direct you still have to pay for maintenance costs (the kits/ parts are free).

I just bought a used dive rite rg2500 and the cost to get it serviced was like $20 bucks more b/c I didn't buy it authorized. I figure an extra 20 bucks every 2 years takes a while to add up. (Also Dive Rite is the only company that sells its kits directly to customer so you can service it yourself if you want.)

In the end, most people will buy new online or go to their LDS b/c of the instant gratification of easy shopping, and the safety net of a simple service. When I service I just sent the reg to any place that will do it. (you can find a ton on the internet) Most reputable shops won't rip you off, as they compete. Right now at NESS there is a listed used GT3 for $200 bucks. They may still have it, and it shouldn't need servicing for 2 years.