I'm looking to invest in my own regulator and would like some idea/feedback. From the second stages that I have rented, I have realized that I want a regulator that can swivel on the second stage for comfort.
And, you say this because . . . ? Generally, for single cylinder diving, a swivel is unnecessary. If you have problems with discomfort, you should probably look at: a) your overall level of comfort in the water (i.e. are your clenching your teeth around the mouthpiece, and suffering some jaw fatigue as a result - not uncommon in newer divers?), b) the second stage mouthpiece itself (I find that some - e.g. the Apeks Comfo-Bite - are much easier on the mouth than others, as they are smaller, made of firmer material, and feel very secure), c) the second stage hose length (too short OR too long = potenital discomfort due to awkward positioning), and d) the size / weight of the second stage (some older second stages are often bigger and heavier than newer models). I have nothing against swivels, per se - I use them on my sidemount regs because of the different hose routing with that configuration - but I don't feel the need for one on my single cylinder rigs. Or, if I had discomfort, I ultimately determined that the problem was the hose length or mouthpiece. Of course, you may have rented a regulator with a second stage swivel and found that it felt better than anything else you rented. And, while the swivel may have made the difference, it is also possible that the particular rental reg also just happened to have a better mouthpiece, or just happened to have the right hose length. Just a thought to consider before investing in a swivel.
JonOh:
Also maybe a regulator that breathes continuously even if you are upside down or right side up (the ones I have rented felt harder to breathe in these two positions).
This may be a matter of physics as much as / more than the performance of the second stage. Even most very smooth, high performance second stages will breath just a little harder if you are inverted. Think about it - when you are horizontal, and your face is down, the aperture of the second stage is positioned upward, toward your mouth - which is the natural direction for air to (want to) move underwater. If you are inverted, you are essentially 'sucking' the air down into your mouth, from the second stage that is above you. Having said that, I will also acknowledge that my Zeagle ZX second stages, and my Apeks ATX and XTX second stages breath noticeably easier when I am inverted than do my low end Mares alternate second stages. But, that is true when I am swimming in a 'normal' horizontally trimmed position as well.a reflection. A good second stage is better than a cheap second stage, irrespective of position.
I am only familiar with Atomic regulators, where the T2, B2 and Z2x all have swivel second stages. Is the swivel feature unique to Atomic?
You can install a swivel on virtually any second stage - it fits between the low pressure hose and the second stage. The Atomic unit is actually an integrated swivel, and for that reason I prefer not to use use it. You can buy a good (e.g. Omni-Swivel) swivel and install it yourself. But, there are also a number of people who are not enthused about 360 degree swivels, and recommend a fixed angle adapter (70 degrees, or 90 degrees) instead.
What should I look for on the first stage? At this point of my diving experience, I just know that I need to screw it into my tank.
That is a question that will prompt a lot of 'personal preference' recommendations, so I will give mine. On one hand, the question is, 'What brand, and 'level' of first stage, should you consider?' Frankly, most commercially available, mid-range regulators will perform equally well. I prefer Apeks and Zeagle (because that is what I am credentialed to service and those are brands that our shop carries), but also dive Mares and Sherwood (which we also carry). I really like the performance of Apeks on deeper dives, but that may just be my imagination. On the other hand, are there specific features that you might consider, irrespective of brand? I prefer environmentally sealed units as I dive cold water quite a bit. I prefer DIN - and most of my regs (and cylinders) are DIN - but also dive yoke regs.