Which Atomic reg (ST1 / M1 / B2 / Z3)?

[rombre]

I am about to buy my first own reg and due to the number of recommendations (here and in person on dive trips), I am looking at buying Atomic. Now given the performance of the regulators is apparently identical, I am struggling to decide on which one to get.

My current dive profile is several warm water dive trips per year (purely recreational) and no local diving. However, I would like to keep the flexibility to do cold water diving (UK, maybe Scandinavia and Iceland) and ideally - if possible - also have the option to carry on using the reg if I should ever get into tec. Price is not the most important consideration, so I'm happy to pay an additional couple hundred $ to get sth. that better fits my requirements.

From looking at the available regs, my thoughts were:

- To keep maximum flexibility, a sealed reg seems preferable to be, so this would exclude Z2/Z3/B2 (which would need to be "upgraded"
- The T3 seems just too expensive for almost no benefit compared to e.g. the ST1
- The ST1 and M1 look most interesting to me at the moment, with a tendency towards the ST1 (swivel hose, better materials?)

Would you agree with my assessment or do you have a different recommendation?

Regarding octo most bundles I have seen include the Z2 - is this fine or should I rather take a different one?

Thanks a lot for your help!

 

[BoltSnap]

I have all models, based on what you are describing, go with the M1 and never look back. If you have to change hose lengths on the ST1, it will be extremely expensive to buy it from Atomic since their swivel is permanently attached to the hose. I would not make a decision to buy the ST1 over the M1 based solely on Swivel. The M1 is also Atomic Technical and Cold water rated regulator. If you need a swivel, you can buy the Omniswivel later (this was what I did when I changed hose lengths on my ST1. I have two standard length Atomic hoses with swivel that I don't know what to do with them).

For Octo. get a second M1 second stage.

 

[tbone1004]

You are in England, support local business, buy Apeks. Regs are just as good, they will be easier to service locally, they are much better suited for proper cold water diving than the Atomics, which are beautiful regs, but since you're in England, you'd be far better off with Apeks imho. XTX50/DST combo would be the better one here.

I would not choose the first stages based on the ability to "upgrade" to sealed regs. They seal them the same way and isn't something you'll need to buy parts for.

Z2/Z3 are out for me because 7 ports is excessive and there is no swivel without the option, so those are out.
T3 is out because titanium is gimicky and unless you are like backpackers that cut the handles off of their toothbrush to save an ounce, it's just a gimick.
Comfort swivel hoses are ridiculous, no need for those, but if you want them, they are cheap in the aftermarket

My money for Atomic says to go with the M1. The ST1 is nice, but not worth $200 more than the M1. For me, octo should match the primary, so M1 for both.

That said though, if you're travelling that means salt water. If you want to do cold stuff eventually that means a requirement for sealing of some sort. Sealing is very expensive at the time of service for piston regulators. The extra cost of sealing them to keep salt crystals out of the body and to keep them from freezing means that I will go for sealed diaphragms over pistons every day of the week. Others disagree, that's fine, they are entitled to their opinion, but combine the fact of local production *Manchester area, so 4 hours drive, but better than California*, and the sealed diaphragms for cheaper service and easier maintenance, the XTX50/DST is really an impossible regulator to ignore for you.

 

[rombre]

Thanks so much to both of you!

This limits it to the M1, ST1 and Apeks XTX50/DST.
The price difference between ST1 and M1 is quite small here, however I understand you would still go for the M1 between the two of them. I liked the idea of the 2nd stage swivel (that might reduce the price difference further - couldn't actually find a price to add that to an M1) - but will look at that at the LDS I think. Very cold water diving will very likely not become my focus buy I will have a closer look at the Apeks.

My LDS services Atomic regs for £99 incl. lubricant - that seems reasonable to me.

I have to admit I haven't thought about buying the same 2nd stage as octo. Not because I think it won't be used anyway / don't care what my buddy has to breathe from but more because I thought that the performance of the Atomic is the same anyway and it makes sense to go with a cheaper one there. However, following your posts I realised the cost difference of the 2nd stages is negligible. Will definitely follow your advice there and get the same 2nd stage twice.

 

[tbone1004]

If the price difference between the ST1 and the M1 is small, I'd probably go for the ST1, but ask them if they can remove the swivel from the second stage. Swivels are nice, $200 proprietary hoses are not....

Either way, given the options, I would go with Apeks if I were in your shoes.

 

[BoltSnap]

With the Atomic regulators, you can go few years without service and they would still perform as new (I service them every 4 - 5 years). Just make sure that you rinse and soak them well.

 

[BoltSnap]

The swivels that come with the ST1 aren't "optional" AFAIK. They are part of the basic regulator price.

Also, if technical diving and/or very cold water diving is in the horizon, M1 is tech and cold water diving ready.

I am not sure why the ST1 can't be used for technical diving as long as it isn't used for the deco bottle (with more than 40% O2). It can be used for the 40% O2 or less gas no problem.

 

[rombre]

I thought (without actually having seen or used it) the 2nd stage swivel would be a comfort advantage (and wasn't aware of the significant price implication on the hose) which you don't seem to agree with. In that case, out of the two, the M1 does indeed seem to be the better choice - even if there wasn't a price difference.

Haven't discarded the Apeks at all, tbone1004, just want to decide on the best Atomic for me and then I'll compare them with the Apeks (also in-store).

 

[BoltSnap]

I didn't mean to imply that having a swivel is not good, I merely meant that their version of the swivel on the hose is expensive. If you are going to keep the hose that comes from Atomic as is and you don't need to use a longer hose, then it is fine, no problem. For the octo., you will need a longer hose for sure which means you will have to buy a hose in addition to the one that comes standard with the extra second stage. You can buy a longer hose from Atomic with their swivel attached but that will make this hose very expensive. I'd buy a longer hose without their swivel and then add a swivel from a third part (the omniswivel brand is best).

 

[BoltSnap]

Atomic regulators are probably one of, if not the, most reliable regulators in the world. The way they are design and the material Atomic uses in their manufacturing makes them most reliable in addition to their unique outstanding performance. They are as "bullet proof" as they can get.