dive gears

• alwaysdisturbed

  29 Feb 08, 11:10

  seems like there a few frequent divers here. just wanna ask, what to look for when getting a personal reg? tried to search online but the guidelines are quite general, includes covering cold water aspect.
• Fatum

  29 Feb 08, 11:21

  for dive regulators, there is only one brand that I use, Apeks ....

  if money is a concern and a set of top of the line scubapro set is out of reach, go for Apeks ....

  I use my set of old ATX50s in a long hose DIR configuration with a Halcyon backplate system, and I have never had any complaints ....

  don't go for those fancy and expensive mares stuff and what not .... you want something dependable, not pretty ...

• av98m

  29 Feb 08, 11:26

  I second that. I swear by Apeks regulators. Even their entry level regs are excellent performers.

   

  Don't get the fancy looking stuff like the poseidon jetstreams...looks very nice but they are very finicky.

• Xcert

  29 Feb 08, 11:31

  Originally posted by alwaysdisturbed:

  seems like there a few frequent divers here.

  just wanna ask, what to look for when getting a personal reg?

  tried to search online but the guidelines are quite general, includes covering cold water aspect.

  
  do U dive often enough to get your own reg? Swivel or standard design for 1st stage? balanced 1st/2nd stage or unbalanced? adjustable inhalation control? Price? Anyway...ADEX coming soon.
• alwaysdisturbed

  29 Feb 08, 11:38

  Originally posted by Xcert:

  
  do U dive often enough to get your own reg? Swivel or standard design for 1st stage? balanced 1st/2nd stage or unbalanced? adjustable inhalation control? Price? Anyway...ADEX coming soon.

  
  i think i'm going to dive often. not so sure about the swivel and standard function. could you elaborate on that?
  
  i know about the balanced and unbalanced function. but is there really a difference?
  
  yea, i prefer to have an adjustable inhalation control.
  
  pricing i'll decide looking at the models i'm interested in.
  
  thanks for all your replies.
• Fatum

  29 Feb 08, 11:50

  Originally posted by alwaysdisturbed:

  
  i think i'm going to dive often. not so sure about the swivel and standard function. could you elaborate on that?
  
  i know about the balanced and unbalanced function. but is there really a difference?
  
  yea, i prefer to have an adjustable inhalation control.
  
  pricing i'll decide looking at the models i'm interested in.
  
  thanks for all your replies.

  yeps ... ADEX is coming soon ..... if you're looking for a bargain, a friend of mine is bringing in a new line of diving equipment from the US, looks pretty spiffy, and the prices are not steep at all .... he's debuting his stuff at ADEX, drop me a PM if you're interested ... 

   

• Xcert

  29 Feb 08, 14:18

  Originally posted by alwaysdisturbed:

  
  i think i'm going to dive often. not so sure about the swivel and standard function. could you elaborate on that?
  
  i know about the balanced and unbalanced function. but is there really a difference?
  
  yea, i prefer to have an adjustable inhalation control.
  
  pricing i'll decide looking at the models i'm interested in.
  
  thanks for all your replies.

  1st of all...if U are planing a trip down to Concourse to look look see see...U can cancel the trip...Concourse Shopping Centre is closing for renovations...most...if not all the dive shops have shifted out.

  Now...I try to write a 2000++ word post to elaborate on the swivel and non-swivel 1st stage.

  

   

   

   

   

   

                           standard piston-->

  <-- U see the swivel?

   

   

  basically the swivel makes it nicer and also said to be less taxing on the user as the hose will basically turn with ur face...also said to be more easily configured as U can turn the swivel to get to ur LP or HP ports...but personally...I think its more of a fancy and nice-to-have thing...a standard piston can also do the same thing if U configure it nicely...sometimes I see people with the swivel pointing down into the BC when they are about to jump into the water...looks funny to me...

   

  I always use a balanced 1st and 2nd stage as I dont want to strain myself sucking air out of my tank...havent tried an unbalanced reg yet.

• alwaysdisturbed

  29 Feb 08, 17:50

  just surfing and came across models with swivel between the hose and reg. is that considered one too? hmm...looks like i'll get a balanced 1st and 2nd stage too. also don't want to suck air out....
• Fatum

  29 Feb 08, 19:29

  you don't have to worry about whether it's balanced or not ...  I think the unbalanced ones are already extinct .... most regs are actually OVER-balanced now ....

  you don't really have to worry about cold water diving either, in north america, most cold water diving are done with DIN first stages, where we are, A-clamps are all that you'll see (different tank pressures)....

  and don't get those swivels between the hose and the regs installed, that's another failure point ...

  neways the new season for the malaysian east coast is starting soon, scheduled trips are starting within a couple of weeks, it'll be a good time to borrow your kaki's regs and see if you like them, before buying your own ... I tried out many different brands from friends before swinging for my regs ... you should also ...

   

   

   

• viciouskitty74

  4 Mar 08, 23:26

  Am finally thinking of doing a begineers course on Good Friday.

   

  Now to decide....NAUI or PADI

• Fatum

  4 Mar 08, 23:28

  Originally posted by viciouskitty74:

  Am finally thinking of doing a begineers course on Good Friday.

   

  Now to decide....NAUI or PADI

  I'd like to tell you to go for the DIR fundamentals straight away, but i'll tio shoot ....

  so I'd say NAUI ....

   

• Xcert

  4 Mar 08, 23:45

  Originally posted by viciouskitty74:

  Am finally thinking of doing a begineers course on Good Friday.

   

  Now to decide....NAUI or PADI

  doesnt really matter as long as the training is solid...no short-cuts or any monkey business...

  NAUI / PADI / SSI / whatever is just the certification agency.

• viciouskitty74

  5 Mar 08, 00:02

  Originally posted by Fatum:

  so I'd say NAUI ....

   

  
  K. Will go check out the dive outfits to find the Naui thingy.

• alwaysdisturbed

  5 Mar 08, 00:09

  Originally posted by Xcert:

  doesnt really matter as long as the training is solid...no short-cuts or any monkey business...

  NAUI / PADI / SSI / whatever is just the certification agency.

  
  agree....thats why i went to the dive centre nearest to my house.
• viciouskitty74

  5 Mar 08, 00:13

  Originally posted by Xcert:

  doesnt really matter as long as the training is solid...no short-cuts or any monkey business...

  NAUI / PADI / SSI / whatever is just the certification agency.

  
  For beginers....how to tell if there is short cuts and monkey business?

• alwaysdisturbed

  5 Mar 08, 00:18

  perhaps ask around and look for a reliable dive centre.
• alwaysdisturbed

  5 Mar 08, 13:12

  Originally posted by av98m:

  I second that. I swear by Apeks regulators. Even their entry level regs are excellent performers.

   

  Don't get the fancy looking stuff like the poseidon jetstreams...looks very nice but they are very finicky.

  
  hmm...my dive centre said apexs are pretty ex....asked me to go for scubapro or mares.
• Xcert

  5 Mar 08, 13:38

  Originally posted by viciouskitty74:

  
  For beginers....how to tell if there is short cuts and monkey business?

  for beginners...the best bet is to ask around...especially from divers or people who have taken scuba diving courses before...I can recommend some dive shops to U...but I dont think I want to put them here as it would seem like I am advertising for anyone....PM me if U keen.

• Xcert

  5 Mar 08, 13:42

  Originally posted by alwaysdisturbed:

  
  hmm...my dive centre said apexs are pretty ex....asked me to go for scubapro or mares.

  
  NDU was using Apexs regulators...dunno if they are still using it...

  My point is that they should be pretty sturdy...not sure about their price compared to Scubapro...

• av98m

  5 Mar 08, 16:36

  Originally posted by alwaysdisturbed:

  
  hmm...my dive centre said apexs are pretty ex....asked me to go for scubapro or mares.

  
  given that this stuff is suppose to keep you alive underwater....I wouldn't mind the extra expense for greater reliability and performance....scubapro regs are pretty good too. never tried mares.

• Fatum

  5 Mar 08, 16:42

  Originally posted by alwaysdisturbed:

  
  hmm...my dive centre said apexs are pretty ex....asked me to go for scubapro or mares.

  depending on the range, they are not much more expensive ... apeks are cheaper actually, if you know where to buy them ....

  mares is good for the recreational diver, effortless breathing, cool design etc, but it's not for the more technical diver ... in some models the airflow is not even adjustable ...  if you have more money to spend, go for one of the better scubapro models ....

• Fatum

  5 Mar 08, 16:43

  Originally posted by av98m:

  
  given that this stuff is suppose to keep you alive underwater....I wouldn't mind the extra expense for greater reliability and performance....scubapro regs are pretty good too. never tried mares.

  oi ! ... av ! ....

  next month perhentian ? ... on ? ...

• Maurince

  5 Mar 08, 16:52

  
  
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• alwaysdisturbed

  5 Mar 08, 16:55

  thanks for all the replies and recommendations.

• s|nNeD

  6 Mar 08, 02:18

  Wow.. its 8 bucks to go to Adex..

  Man, sure its expensive.