Posted by Chris on May 04, 2003 at 12:28:41:
In Reply to: Re: I think I want my own regulator, but…. posted by seahunt on May 04, 2003 at 06:21:39:
Buying a regulator off of ebay is a bad idea unless you do your own repairs. If like most people you will have a shop do your maintenance, it is a good idea to buy your regulator from your local shop. Oceanic, Scubapro, Atomic, and Poseidon are probably the best (however others will have different opinions). Aqualung, Sherwood, and IDI are also make good products. The best choices for you are the brands your local scuba shop will support. Also keep in mind that warranty service is not available unless you buy from an authorized dealer, thus most (but not all) internet purchases will not be supported.
There are authorized internet dealers, for example Diver’s Discount is an IDI dealer and the warranty is valid, but that is not the case for most brands.
Of the regulators I own, the most reliable has been my U.S. Divers (Aqualung) Conshelf 21. This is the first regulator I ever bought. I bought it used from my local dive shop about 15 years ago, because then turn over their rental inventory once a year. This regulator still works great and is the one my girlfriend uses, and the one I like to use for beach dives.
The least reliable regulator I have has been my Mk10/G250 Scubapro. This regulator needs repair far more often than my others, however most people have had very good luck with these.