Best Regulator for the price

[D1V3R]

Okay, this is something I have put off for a long time because of prices of regulators. Currently I'm using a 1975 Aqua-Lung Aquarius Regulator (dont worry I had it rebuilt), and I need to switch to something modern.
The best regulator I've used to date is a Poseidon Odin, very very nice but its out of my price range.

It has to be inexpensive and relativly small, thats why I've been looking at the Dacor Viper (anybody have on of these?).

[Tegg]

Apeks DS4 with ATX100 second stage.

Contact Salvo Diving for good price and quick shipment.

[Dwain]

Apeks DS4 with ATX100 second stage.

Contact Salvo Diving for good price and quick shipment.

Joe,

You beat me to the post... I just sent him a PM.

I've worked on several Vipers (I'm a full-time technician) . I couldn't believe how bad these things breathe. The first stage is a thirty-year-old diaphragm design, and the second stage is in essence a clone of the Scubapro 108 (another thirty-year-old design)in a sideways package.

I also can't believe how people rave about anything Apeks makes. Another iteration of the USDivers Conshelf of the 1970s. My thinking is people are just taking people's word for it, and have never tried a high-performance regulator.

You can't beat the Atomic Aquatics Z-1 for performance-per-dollar. High-performance balanced piston first stage, with a balanced and adjustable, compact second stage. An upgrade of Scubapro's Mark 10 and G-250.

But then again, that's just my opinion, based on ten years of working on about a dozen brands of regulators.

Go ahead and flame away.

Russell

[crazyduck]

Do you want new or used?

I have owned Scubapro MK25/G25HP, Poseidon Cyklon and Odin, Mares MR12, Zeagle TX50 (no longer made) and a few others. My girlfriend has the Aquarius and we do not use it at this time. Plus, she has a few mk10’s (Scubapro) that we had seriously rebuilt.

There has been subtle changes in regulators but it depends on you and what you are looking for. Scubapro while being expensive has stood the test of time. Plus, I have enjoyed the Diverite regulator. I am a technician for Mares/ Dacor, they gear works but has its faults.

I would start with new verses used. If you want a warranty and the manufacture to supply parts for overhauls then yes new, however that is really the only benefit.

Presently, I dive D400 (Scubapro) and Poseidon Cyklons both handle the environment of overhead and are sweet breathing. Some people with disagree on the Cyklons but they seems to do better with depth and regular use. Finding parts for Poseidon has been challenging in the last two years and unless changes are made I might switch out the first stages and go to someone else. We will see what happens this spring when I have them overhauled this spring.

I would have a look around at all of you mates gear and see what they are diving and then start chasing the gear sale board here and at other locations. A lot of people are willing to sell gear to someone in need. Next I would consider getting one of the more expensive models used. Such as a Scubapro, Poseidon, or Apeks, or a balanced diaphragm or better. If you are buying the 1st and second stage you should get them for a reasonable price and then pick up an Octo down the road.

I have rebuilt numerous Vipers and had no serious problems. They had a problem with the one way valve in the second stage and replaced that with a darker blue version. Mares has had some consistent problem with the 1st stages and the poppets. They tend to get high pressure leaks if the poppets wear out early. This causes the pressure to creep in the 1st stage and then the down stream second stage starts to bubble. Also the HP seat in the second stage had an issue with sealing properly. They went from a white HP seat to a blue seat. This was done while also changing the density of the material. The original part that used to seat against it was metal and the newer parts are made from plastic. This was not seating itself properly against the new Hp seat causing a leak. So basically they can be leaky units.

I have been most impressed with Poseidon’s Cyklons, Old Zeagle TX50 (Apeks), Diverite and Scubapro D400, G250.

If you heart is really set on the Odin, put out a request and see what people respond with.

Regards, Andrew

[crazyduck]

You can't beat the Atomic Aquatics Z-1 for performance-per-dollar. High-performance balanced piston first stage, with a balanced and adjustable, compact second stage. An upgrade of Scubapro's Mark 10 and G-250.

But then again, that's just my opinion, based on ten years of working on about a dozen brands of regulators.

Go ahead and flame away.

Russell

Russell,
Thanks for talking about Atomics- I have no personal history with the unit but I have a serious interest. How does it handle nitrox with the materials that it is made from? How is the rebuilding this unit compared to others.

Do you see a benefit with enviromentally sealed 1st stages? I see alot of crap in unsealed 1st stages. I have thought about making a movement towards sealed 1st stage- I had one with Zeagle it was great.

Thanks, Andrew

added- web page http://www.atomicaquatics.com/

Do you see a benefit with enviromentally sealed 1st stages?

About 95% of the first stages I work on are balanced pistons, and none of them are sealed. I've never seen a problem. To me, the only reason to seal it would be diving under ice or diving in sewage. I'll never do either.

I can't understand why everyone talks about diaphragm regs being "sealed," but on every one I've worked on, there's just as much unsealed section as on a piston.

Dive in nasty water, rinse your regulator. How tough is that? To seal an Atomic Aquatics regulator requires about $10 worth of Christolube. I'll pass. I'd rather just rinse my reg afterwards.

Russell

[Jordan]

Or get yourself RG2500's. Don't listen to those guys (Tegg and Dwain). They don't even dive!

Or get yourself RG2500's

Who actually makes these regulators? I noticed my Oceanic tools fit Dive-Rite.

Russell

[D1V3R]

I've looked at the RG2500 regulator because its small and I've seen cavers using it, but its 400 bucks, rather have the poseidon. The Atomic Regulator is about 300 bucks, and yet again I'd rather spend an extra 60 to get a Poseidon.

Eh... I might end up sticking with my old Aqua-Lung if the only good regs are this expensive...

EDIT: anybody use an OMS reg?