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Choosing a Scuba Regulator - a must have piece of equipmentChoosing a Scuba Regulator: There are many reasons to own your own scuba regulator. What brand of scuba regulator do I choose?What brand should you go with?Should it be Scubapro, SeaQuest, Zeagle, Atomic, Mares, US Diver, Dive Rite, or any one of a number of other brands? It’s probably best if I don’t answer that question. I wouldn’t want to start a riot! There’s a lot of brand loyalty among divers and everyone swears by their brand alone. However there are some objective ways to choose a regulator brand. First, buy a brand with a good reputation that’s sold by a dive shop that you frequent. Shops that sell certain brands are often certified to service them. In addition, some brands offer lifetime warranties and will buy your replacement parts as long as you get your regulator serviced every year. I had one guy come into the dive shop with a regulator that was no longer supported by the company. We couldn’t get parts for it anymore. This guy had that regulator for twenty years, had it serviced every year, and kept records! He sent this information to the manufacturer of his regulator and in two weeks received a letter thanking him for being such a loyal customer. They also sent him a brand new, top-of-the-line regulator. Brand does matter. Balanced or Unbalanced Regulator?Scuba Regulators can also be balanced or unbalanced.This feature can get a little technical, but basically a balanced regulator will deliver the same easy breath of air when your tank is close to empty as it would when your tank is full. Unbalanced regulators breath harder as your tank gets closer to empty. Of course, the easy breathing of a balanced regulator usually comes with a higher cost. Your job is to decide whether the added cost is worth it for you. Adjustable or Not?Some regulators have little knobs on the side of the second stage that you can use to adjust your regulator to make it easier or harder to draw a breath.Why would anyone want to make it harder you ask? Because the easier it is to draw a breath, the easier it is for a strong current to depress your purge button and cause a free flow. An adjustable second stage helps you adjust your regulator to match your diving conditions. Other Considerations when choosing a scuba regulator?There are a number of other considerations you’ll face when choosing a scuba regulator.Do you want brass or titanium? Brass is eavier than titanium and can corrode, but it’s one third the price. Are you doing any specialty diving? Regulators like those made by Poseidon and the Scubapro D400 are designed to deliver air very easily and they aren’t affected by strong current as easily as other regulators. Those are just a few other things to think about when choosing a scuba regulator. As always, let your instructor or dive shop operator be your guide. Chances are, they’ve used many different brands and types of regulator and they’ll be able to help choose the one that’s best for you. My last word of advice is not to skimp on regulators. I realize some people may be on a budget, but shopping for a low cost regulator is like looking for a discount surgeon. Neither one is very safe. Good luck and safe diving! Return to Underwater Diving Equipment Home Page.
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