When to buy a first regulator?

[BryanBM]

I'm a very beginner diver (recently OW certified), pool diving each week in a club and planning to dive on holidays approx 30-40 dives per year.

My local dive shop has a great deal on a Scubapro MK19EVO G260 + R105 with 200€ off. I'm wondering if I should splurge now considering that I'm still very early in my diving "career".

When did you buy your first reg and what would you consider great timing doing so?

Many thanks!

 

[Mobulai]

When did you buy your first reg and what would you consider great timing doing so?

I was motivated to do it in 2020, I really wanted to dive and (as a noob) I thought that would make it easier to manage the whole thing

Having said that, I choose back then the most economic (read cheap) choice, and I have bought many more since — they weren’t the best choice for the bigger picture (how my diving „career“ changed since)
The MK19+g260 alone can serve any kind of diver so they’re great (I ise them for sidemount currently)
If you get a great deal on them, get them — I love them

Be warned, the mk19 is a tad heavy (you feel it with air travel, esp if you carry 2 of them like me — but I digress)

 

[Bladebreaker65]

no time like the present. start building your kit as you can. Reg is a safe purchase if going with good quality product. BCs and Fins are the things you need to try a variety of and settle your style in before you purchase.

 

[Mobulai]

When is a good time part:
Anytime, definitely before/by the time you take up (if that interests you) technical diving
But it all depends on how much you’re into it
My gf had her ow for lke 6 years, but she rarely dives so it makes no sense for her ever to
The way you describe yourself, I’d say go for it, will save you some rental fees at least

 

[Mobulai]

Just an extra thought: look out for the new (not yet released) mk17evo2
It would be drastically lighter/smaller
But that comes out end of year or so (I just learned about it today)

 

[BoltSnap]

with 200€ off.

Run, don't walk, and buy it!

Buy a dive computer with it too.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

Go ahead and get it. That's a great deal. Just be prepared, over time, to buy six more reg sets, a dozen masks before you find the right fit, four pairs of fins, three wetsuits, and a bcd and then a bpw, and a bazillion doo-dads before you are through.

say goodbye to disposable income and being honest with your spouse about how much you are spending on scuba.

 

[Ez E]

 

[Umuntu]

I'm a very beginner diver (recently OW certified), pool diving each week in a club and planning to dive on holidays approx 30-40 dives per year.

My local dive shop has a great deal on a Scubapro MK19EVO G260 + R105 with 200€ off. I'm wondering if I should splurge now considering that I'm still very early in my diving "career".

When did you buy your first reg and what would you consider great timing doing so?

Many thanks!

I would advise you to educate yourself on different types of regulators first. No harm in waiting a while and then making an educated choice.

In particular, don’t buy something just because your local dive shop is pushing it with a “discount” because it’s old stock and it’s been sitting there for a while and they want to move it on before the next model comes out (which they know and you don’t) and they won’t be able to shift it then without an even bigger discount.

That’s the advice I wish someone had given me before buying my first regulator set.

Also, once you can make an educated choice, be willing to buy used but well maintained (especially on this forum) because many people are constantly “upgrading” to the latest snazzy model with no performance improvements.

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

It's a good deal. I don't like the MK19s. I think it was a bad idea to make a great, big, huge honking reg out of an MK11, but it's to sell shiny stuff to folks... Depending, I could see the argument for an MK17/H50-D (actually I've got probably a half-dozen of each... Grrr...)

But yeah, if you can put up with that oversized turreted version of an MK11, go for it. (Yes, yes. The MK19 is a bloated MK17. And the MK17 is a bloated MK11. That's where I get the logic).

(My first reg, before my first dive excursion was an Atomic B-2. Still good, but I've gravitated away from the ScubaPro/Atomic pistons to diaphragm regs aka MK11 & MK17 firsts. Loves me some good Halcyon action on the MK17 front too (H50-D)