Your thoughts please on the following regs

[Southern Blue]

Ok I am new to diving and have made some errors already. I dont feel like going into the regs with the same attitude.

I am looking for a reg set that is of good value for my needs. Even though I am relatively new to diving I am advanced certified and intend to go further.

Asking shops for regs has been a nightmare as most are very happy to bag anything they dont sell and try to charge you a fortune for something because its your life support. I agree it is my life support but having searched the web I have found Leisure pro to be a great site and really resonably priced.

These are the regs I think suit me, they are good due to customer reviews and I can have them landed in Australia for around AUS$400. Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated as I really dont know, I know scubapro are great but these other two are really good priced and have great reviews as well.

The regs

1. Oceanic Alpha 8 CDX5 Regulator
2. Aqua Lung AquaLung Legend Glacia Regulator
3. Aqua Lung Titan LX Regulator
4. Cressi-Sub Ellipse Titanium/MC7 Regulator (I Like this one)

There is also the scubapro mk17/G250V which a little more but the above sound pretty good.


I know everyone has there preferred choice but if we can just give an opinion into these that would be great otherwise i will just get more confused.

Thanks in advance

 

[rstofer]

The MK 17/G250V may very well be one of the top regulators around, especially for cold water. The Mk 25 first stage will deliver more air for very deep diving but it is less useful in cold water. It's the diaphragm (Mk 17) versus balanced piston (Mk 25) thing. Either first stage is more than adequate for recreational diving depths but the Mk 17 is more appropriate for cold water.

I like the Leisure Pro price on the Mk 17/G250V and it might be the next regulator I buy. In the meantime I have bought 2 Dive Rite Hurricanes and I just bought my wife an Oceanic Delta 4/FDX10. This Oceanic reg is now the regulator of choice for cold water diving by NOAA, the US Coast Guard and the US Navy. Details on the Oceanic site. The problem is that Leisure Pro is now an Oceanic dealer and their price is just as high as anyone else's.

There is another option if you like the Delta 4/FDX 10 idea: buy it without the DVT and swivel nonsense. You can get it from an authorized dealer for < $400

Oceanic Delta 4 Non-Swivel FDX10 Non-DVT Regulator

That reg comes with the most limber rubber hose I have ever seen. It should be very comfortable. We're going to be in the pool in a couple of hours so we'll see. I probably won't even change the hose to Miflex unless we agree to make it 5'.

Of the regulators you listed, I would absolutely go for the Mk 17/G250V. You won't get a factory warranty if you buy it from Leisure Pro so you will have to pay for parts but that's the way it goes. Or, you can send it back to Leisure Pro for service.

There are a number of Internet service centers if you get too much gas from your LDS over buying stuff on the Internet.

Richard

 

[TSandM]

If your plans are for general recreational diving, I'd go with the Aqualung Titan LX. It is a very good, reliable regulator, which breathes well (I've had mine to 130 feet) and comes with a reasonable price tag. My husband and I both have them and both use them routinely for single tank, recreational diving. I'd say between the two of us, we've got probably 400 dives on the regs. We've had one freeflow, which was probably a freeze (no reason was found) but no other problems.

I also own Scubapro MK25/S600s, and they do breathe a little better than the Titan, especially at significant depth, but the price difference was significant. I use them for cave diving.

 

[DMJulie]

I love my new Cressi Ellipse Steel

I recently purchased my own gear and I am using all Cressi products.

 

[Southern Blue]

Thanks heaps, your few words have eased my mind and I feel good about it all.

However about the MK25 I have been told that in Melbourne we experience dirtier water eg. sand and being a piston reg it is more susceptible to wear and tear.

Also the Titans have been mentioned more than once by different people at times as being undestructable and a great reg.

So whichever I buy by the sounds of it they all have place and will serve me well.
Making my choice looks like it will be easier now with your kind words of advice.

 

[snowflake4727]

I would go with either the Titan LX, or the Legend. The legend is environmentally sealed, however the Titan can be made sealed. Both are great regs. The Legend will probably breath a little easier.

 

[tfsails]

Get a Zeagle 50D. It 's environmentally sealed and has a swivel on the first stage. I dive one and love it. They have the best warranty service in the industry as far as I'm concerned.

 

[RonFrank]

I have 2 50D first stages, and Zeagle ZX seconds stages.

Nice regs, easy to work on, made in the USA (or were).

Honestly, read the reviews, most regs made these days are VERY good. One needs a machine to determine how well they breath, because it is beyond our ability to determine such minor differences.

I like Zeagle because they are local (USA), and they are easy to work on. Other than that, my buddies LOVE Atomic regs, but they break the bank.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Of the bunch listed above the Mk 17 G250V is the way to go. It has enough gas flow for any rec or tech need, is fully sealed making it great for dirty or cold water and is less expensive than the less capable but over marketed Mk 25 S600. The G250V air barrel is also all metal which reduces dry mouth.

My number 2 choice would be an Aqualung Legend LX.

 

[TGreene]

I too am a new diver and bought the Cressi-Sub Ellipse Titanium/MC7 Alaska w/ the matching Ellipse Octo.

I bought it after doing a ton of research that had me looking for the lightest weight 2nd stage that I could possibly find for under $500, because I needed it for my job. I own and operate a very high-end saltwater aquarium design and maintenance company (and a coral aquaculture facility), and have to dive large reef tanks with a 25' hooka type setup. Because of having to drag a long hose around a tank, I needed to minimize on weight as much as possible, so I bought the Titanium Ellipse and put a swivel on it.

At this point I own the following Cressi equipment, and am very happy with it all.

• Ellipse Titanium Alaska MC7
• Ellipse Octo
• Focus mask w/ corrective lenses
• S116 BC

-Tim