What's the most solid reg for the best price?

[mts0628]

Hi kathydee:

Well, if you haven't noticed, you have a few choices, and all of them good. I would like to suggest the following: get a regulator that can be serviced essentially no matter where you go, and especially at your LDS. It doesn't help to get your BF an Aqualung product and you have a Scubapro and your local dive shop is a ScubaPro dealer/ service station. But I do not know the situation of yours, and you could either be traveling to get your regulators serviced or just shipping them away.

Now, as a previous poster alluded to, ScubaPro & Aqualung are pretty much everywhere. Also, pretty much all of the regulator brands have an overall good reputation, so that makes everything more simple. I could say go with what you know, but I also want to throw in my choice: Apeks ATX 50 with an ATX 40 backup. Cheap, reliable, I have done cold water diving with both; I was somewhat hesitant about the ATX 40, but it performed flawlessly in cold water. And cold water on this day was 45 degrees Fahrenheit. Not to coldest but not the warmest.

Apeks is distributed by Aqualung so parts and service shouldn't be a big deal. I mentioned the older ATX series because they are cheap and abundant; I have no personal experience with the newer XTX but have never heard anything bad. If you look around, you can find a great deal, even here on SB. I just purchased an ATX 200 (1 & 2), ATX50 backup, with a G&B SPG, long hose, and inflator hose (I think) for 425 USD here on SB. Not bad, eh?! I already had essentially the same rig but ATX100 and ATX 50 backup.

And finally, the comment about loaning the next purchased regulator to your BF, very funny but oh so true. I lost my ATX50/ATX40, Suunto Vyper, SK7 to my former GF after we split. I should have grabbed it when she told me to get all of my stuff out but I didn't (I was in shock). Now it's not worth it to get it back and I hope that if or when she uses it, she thinks of me and how she couldn't have a better and safer dive buddie! But the moral, either get an expensive one and loan it, or get a cheaper one and if you lose it and him, meh, NEXT!

I hope this helps and good luck!

With kindest regards,
Thomas

 

[kathydee]

Thank you all for the great advice - both gear & otherwise ;-) !! I

Sounds like the best thing to do is to have him to pay for his own reg
-- or get my own Mk17 G250V spare - although I love my gear and am not sure I'd want to share it if I bought the spare !

These are some great suggestions that will really help make shopping MUCH easier!!

 

[cbmech2]

I would second Rstofer's advice. A good versatile regulator and commonality of gear for both of you.

 

[Diver0001]

Hi there,

I;d love some advice I really want to get my guy a new reg (he;d is a very occasional diver). Most likely he;ll only dive 10 times a year or much less, but might occasionally venture into our local 48 degree water if I twist his arm.

He;d got about 16 dives (in the last 3 years) & only OW now were heading down for some mellow reef diving in the southern Philippines Islands & since he;ll be my buddy for a few weeks-- I really want him off rental regs (I just don;t trust them especially in developing countries)!

I;d love some recommendations for a very safe, reliable, solid, relatively inexpensive reg combo. (I'm a grad student & don't have lots of cash)

Personally I have a SP MK17 G250V (I love it!!)! But I dive lots more than him & go to very remote places where service access could be an issue.

Don;t want to pay this much if he;s only getting in the water now and then & in his case service access isn;t really an issue.

Thanks for the advice!

This will probably be one of those threads where everyone suggests what they have.

I think given your cold water requirement that you should look at a diaphragm type 1st stage with an environmental seal.

There are many on the market. The main players probably all make regs that would suit your purpose.

Personally all of my regs are Aqualungs and I would highly recommend the Titan if you decide to go with the Aqualung series.

R..

 

[Merlin830]

I just purchased a Zeagle envoy a month ago and it is an excellent regulator. It is rated down to 50 F. It retailed for $299 the LDS had seceral and they were selling them at half price. For $150. Shop around and look at closeouts. All the regulators out there are very well made and unless you have a breathing machine to put them on I cant tell any difference between them.

 

[meesier42]

Zeagle Envoy Deluxe, nuff said, although I prefer the DS-V. performance per dollar on them is really really hard to beat.

 

[diver 85]

If you have a MK17/G250V, IMO the obvious regs to purchase for him would be something like a MK11/R395 or MK2PLUS/R295.

ditto on the Mk2/r295........picked up a barely used one here and have used a couple times, notice no difference in it & my Mk10/G200 -----lol, so far...