which reg best for me?

[SA Boy]

nickjb once bubbled...
Check out the reviews at divernet. They are pretty thorough and unbiased.

http://www.divernet.com/gear/testindx.htm

http://www.divernet.com/gear/gtests.htm

We have similar conditions over here. Apeks regs are the most popular in the UK but they are much easier to buy and get serviced here.

Good point nickjb

As a journalist based in the UK (cars not scuba gear) I notice that US mags tend to sit on the fence and not make any definitive statements about which products are best.

This may be down to US libel laws or it may be down to advertisers exerting pressure on the editorial staff and publishers.

UK magazines such as (but not only) Diver and their associated website Divernet are much more likely to state an opinion. However magazines here are also sometimes swayed by advertiser's pressure.

If you're swayed by other people's opinions then by all means look around and ask for an opinion, but for my money you've got to take a reg out for a test dive.

When I drove cars and wrote about them for a living the only way to form an opinion was to take them out for a drive. If I could take different models, that are competing against each other, out back-to-back so much the better.

It seems to me that this is an important step in helping you to decide which reg suits you best - take them out and try them. If shops don't have demo models get in touch with local divers, see what they use and see if you can have a go.

When rated for cold water (if you plan to dive in cold water), well maintained and properly cared for I'm sure that any given reg from a good manufacturer is just as safe as any other manufacturer's product.

I use Dacor regs and have done for the last 18 years. They're not particularly popular here (in the UK) but I like them and they suit me. I've used my kit all over the world from warm waters like the Seychelles and Mauritius to Mozambique, South Africa and even an English quarry in January.

And, as has been so often stated on these message boards, BEWARE THE LOCAL DIVE SHOP/SCHOOL THAT PUSHES YOU TO BUY A PRODUCT THAT THEY SELL.

 

[Aardal]

Get a Apeks or SP setup and you will be good to go for the rest of your dive career. my .02

Sherwood, IMO, is a has been company. Blizzard is a good reg back in the day but technology has evolved and there are many regs made by Apeks and SP that by far outperform the competitors. The #1 thing you have to look out for is LDS biases! They pump whatever product line they sell. Kind of like when you buy a new car. They are there to sell. Many opinions on this scuba board and out in the dive community, you might as well try as many set-ups as you can and form your own opinions.

Good Luck!

 

[wheezy]

All bs and hype aside. I dive COLD and DEEP for long periods of time.

I've had great success with the Apeks line... Personally I would save the cash and go with an ATX50 w/DS4 1st stage...

OR... my newest reg which is a smoking deal and at least on par with the Apeks is the new "Aqualung Legend LX Supreme" (what a name)

But it works just as good as anything else I've tried.

I wouldn't buy a Scubapro... Great regs... awefull prices.

Good Luck

 

[Ari]

It can be a SP, Apeks, Mares, Aqualong and others.

It depends a lot on your budget. It seems that metal budied regs resisit the cold better.

Take a look at the latest Rodale's Mega Test (October '02 issue i think) or try http://www.scubadiving.com/gear/motherofregulators/

Good luck.

Ari

 

[cstreu1026]

I will reinforce what others have said. SP's are great and since they dropped the prices a bit int he US the LDS is more competitive with online prices.I tired several regs before I bought my Mk25/S600, including an Apeks ATX100, Aqualing Titan LX, and Atomic B1. To me the SP breaths smoother at shollowed depths than the Apeks reg but not enough of a difference to keep me from buying an Apeks reg. I just bought an ATX40 combo for my fiance for an insanely low price online. However, I would never buy an Apeks reg from a lds. They are very expensive if you go that route. If i remember right an ATX50 is about the same price as my Mk25/S600.

With that said, you may also want to consider an Atomic Z1. You get all the performance of their pricey titanium reg but without the cost. I am sure my next reg will be an M1 for dedicated nitrox use. You can get an environmentally sealed Atomic Z! for a few dollars more than an Aqua LUng Titan LX

And as far as the Blizzard is concerned, the Sherwoods seem to be real work horses and very very reliable. I used a brute as a rental reg and it performed acceptably well in a cold quarry but it is no SP, Atomic, or Apeks.

 

[cstreu1026]

One more thing, the SP dealer I bought my reg from doesn't seem to have a very high opinion of their lower regs. He was very up front about the Aqualung titan regs being a much better buy at similar prices to the lower level SP regs. He was the first agree that Atomic's T1X is the best titanium reg and better than the SP M25T/S600T that he refuses to stock and he doesn't carry Atomic regs. It is apperant honesty like that that sold me on both the shop and the reg I purchased.

 

[Rafael]

I will say go to your dive shop and check what is better for the kind of weather you will be expose, in my case i use an Aqualong reg, is incredible easy to breath and perfect for really cold water, try a couple and remember the most of the stores will let you test the gear and if you are not happy they will give you something else