Regulators

[Cougra]

During the past couple years I have been pricing basic regulator systems (two mouth peices and presure gauge/depth gauge and BC adaptor) and I'm very discouraged with the prices I'm finding up here.

It's still going to be a while before I get a reg, but I was wondering what the price range for a decent basic system where you live?

[mwrager]

Cougra, I went alot of dive shops until I found the reg setup that I liked. For my main I went with a SHERWOOD MAXIMUS and for my octopus I went with a Dacor Extreme Plus. Now I looked around at different dive shops for the proce and found the comb would cost me around $500. So I then went to EBAY and started looking at dive shops that sell on EBAY that have a very good Feedback rating greater than 98% and with over 1000 feedbacks and sent them an email telling them what I wanted and to give e a price. I found a place that sold me both for around $300 saving me $200. That does not include my BC or my computer.

Mark

[Maxx]

I agree w/ Mark. Altho its been awhile since I've been in the Market for a Scuba regulator, 500$ isnt uncommon for a good set. Keep in mind that your gear will last a good long while so its not like your dumping 500$ every other year. I would look @ Ebay or also check dive shops for used gear/ people wanting to saell their gear. Thats how I got most of my stuff...saved a lot of money that way. Good luck Michelle,
Nick

[mwrager]

Now there are two different dive computers out that I like, I know there are more out there but here are the ones I like. Suunto Cobra w/ compass and quick disconnect and the SHERWOOD WISDOM W/QUICK DISCONNECT. Both can be used to down load info to your computer and both can be used with air and nitrox. For them off of the web you should be able to find them for around $500, but at a dive shop you will find them around $800. I use the Suunto Cobra w/ compus and quick disconnect. On the BC, I did not get that off of the web because of the fit. I wanted it to fit me and I did not want to have to ship it back because it did not fit right, so I found a dive shop that had a sale on BC’s, they were selling last years model for 50% off. It was the Mars brand, don’t remember the model, I think I paid around $300 for it. I hope this helps, it not PM me.

[LuckyInk]

IMO
You may be better off just getting your first and second stage at one place, your safe second (octo) at another and your gauge package at yet another. I basically had to do that to get the best price.
I picked up an Oceanic Delta3 for about $100, a slimline octo for $89, and my gauge package for $80. Now my computer was purchased used and had a scratch on the acrylic face, but it worked fine. That ran me about $100. While I didn't save a ton of money, I was able to find the equipment that I was comfortable with, which is in my opinion, a biggie while trusting your ability to breathe in an 'alien' environment.

This was about three years ago...

[Cougra]

Thanks everyone. I also think that I"ll use a trip to the states to pick up my reg system. I don't remember name brands but a complete decent (not even anywhere near top of the line stuff) octopus system here so far will cost me between $1200 and $1500. Dive computers still cost in the $500 to $800 range when I checked in the fall at a dive show.

[mwrager]

Just one tip, look at what type of dives that you want to do and buy that type of equipment. My computer does nitrox. Right now I am not cert to dive nitrox, but i will. Also my Reg are made not to freeze up on cold dives. I live in AZ so I dive in CA. The water temp can be around 60F, thats cold, so before I did any diving I thought about where I wanted to dive and how I wanted to dive and bought that equipment.

(Oh yah this is my 900 Post)

[Cougra]

Congrats on your 900th post!

Good point you brought up. One that I forgot about! I need equipment for coldwater. I would even like to do some ice dives but due to the extra cost for that equipment, I'm going to end up renting when the time comes! I'm not certain when I'm going to go for my nitrox cert anymore since I lost my main dive buddy.

I still think it'll be cheaper getting my equipment state side then up here though. I thought about going the used route, but I'm not comfortable with that. I don't know how the people used the equipment before hand and I'm a little fussy when it comes to the reliability of the equipment I'll be depending on to breath for some odd reason. I will be more willing to get a used wetsuit, computer, or BC. Tanks are fairly cheap so I'll buy my own for local area dives (I like the stubby bottles and they are harder to rent).

[Craig Manoukian]

Hey, how 'bout some order of magnitude for a non-diver here. A regulator is the link to your underwater lungs (tanks) so why would you not spend the money for the best stuff available? I realize that you want value, and if all things being equal, how price sensetive should one be?

TIA

[Cougra]

Order of magnitude.. hmmm... well there are different levels of regulators out there. Most of them a good and fairly reliable, some are exceptional and designed for serious professional divers. Some are designed for warmer water dives others are designed for extreme coldwater dives.

I'm not looking to buy the cheapest that has a potential to fail in the colderwater environment I'm diving in up here. These regulators are generally sold to people who don't know if they really want to dive and just want to get their faces wet. Nor do I really need to get the latest state of the art Titaniam regulator that can withstand obscene pressures and extreme cold type technolongy.

There are a lot of middle ground regulators that have been proven to last and to be reliable that I'm looking for. This is an extreme sport where your life depends on your equipment so any equipment that is unreliable rarely if ever passes saftey test and stays on the market!

However, I do know that regulators are much higher priced up here then they are in the states and if I can save a couple hundred by shopping around for the SAME reliable peice of equipment I think I owe it to myself to find that out! I'm not looking to save dollars at the expense of quality but through the reality of price gouging!!!

Example:
Sherwood Blizzard regulator: (First and second stage) Designed for cold water diving. Plated fins/heat sink captures heat from your exhaled breath and keeps mechanism warm, reducing chance of free flow. Patented Air Sensing Channel.

In Canada (locally that I have seen) =$500-600 CND ($400-$475 USD)

US website= $250-$350 (US)

[Craig Manoukian]

Originally posted by Cougra
Example:
Sherwood Blizzard regulator: (First and second stage) Designed for cold water diving. Plated fins/heat sink captures heat from your exhaled breath and keeps mechanism warm, reducing chance of free flow. Patented Air Sensing Channel.

In Canada (locally that I have seen) =$500-600 CND ($400-$475 USD)
US website= $250-$350 (US)

Well you could buy alot of nice stuff for your reef tank for the extra $125+ so I say go for it!

Thanks for the lesson Michelle.

[Cougra]

Any time Craig! I agree there are some things you don't skimp on but that doesn't mean you need to pay a premium for it neither.

[Craig Manoukian]

Originally posted by Cougra
there are some things you don't skimp on but that doesn't mean you need to pay a premium for it neither.

Yup!

[mwrager]

Hey Cougra are going to be diving soon or some time this year? I am planing in June and July on going to about 4 different places and doing about 50 to 75 dives.

[Cougra]

I hope to get out more some time this year. I hope t obe able to make it down to florida again this summer/fall. I need to find a new dive buddy though, hopefully I'll be able to meet someone at the dive club!