I am looking at buying a regulator.  I think I have narrowed down to a few that I am looking at.  I am just an open water rec diver today but want to be able to do deep diving and maybe wrecks later.  Here is the list of regs that I am looking at:
Atomic Z3
Tusa RS-812
ScubaPro MK21/S560
ScubaPro MK25/S600
Sherwood SR2
Mares Prestige
Mares Abyss 22
Oceanic EOS FDX10

Between 2 local shops that i go to, they can service any on the list.  Right now i think i am leaning towards the atomic z3 from what i have read.  I am scheduled to try to the Tusa, Mares Abyss, and Sherwood out in a pool in a couple of weeks.  Anyone have any thoughs on this?

ETA:  I am wanting something that will last over time and i am definitely of the cry once / buy one mentality.

If you're going to be doing a lot of serious wreck and deep diving in the future then you're going to probably want to go with a set of manifolded back mount doubles or side mount a set of independent doubles, especially if you're going to do any significant penetration. That's going to mean two sets of regulators at least.

Personally I use a set of Dive Rite XT regulators. I was able to buy two for side mount for a little more than the price of most of those regulators that you have listed. I can also buy the parts that I need both locally and online. They breathe just as well and are just as rugged and durable as anything else.

Another option to look at are HOG regulators. They do just as well as the regulators you have listed and you can take the HOG repair course and learn to service them yourself. They'll do everything you need them too and they won't break the bank.

Both the Dive Rite and HOG are pretty much designed around technical and cave diving and are more than capable of performing recreational duties.






If you're dead set about the regulators you have on your list then I'd probably lean towards the Scubapro's. Why? Because you can pretty get them serviced anywhere which is nice when you're traveling. I've got a couple of set of Mares and they're great regulators, but I was having a heck of a time servicing them locally so I switched especially since I dive a lot more than my wife who now is the proud owner of my Mares regulators.


Lastly, what ever you end up purchasing I do recommend getting them for DIN valves, especially if you want to do wrecks and deep diving later on. You can get an adapted to use them with K-valves should you travel but not the other way around.

This is what I've got.

ScubaPro MK21/S560


It works fine. It's got some sort of wondertech in it that they claim reduces breathing effort by a considerable margin. I can't really feel a difference, but I have noticed my air consumption drop a bit.

It's not a sealed reg however, so not for muck diving. I'm a clear water tropical guy so I'm OK with it.

The biggest reason I went with a scubapro is their popularity worldwide. Anywhere you go you can find at least one shop that sells and services them. This is not necessarily true for other brands.

ScubaPro
Hog
DiveRite
Apeks

Any of those would be great, and they all offer options particularly suited to things like deep wrecks.

Hog and DiveRite are both made by ODS. Hog has blessed TDI with teaching a training course so you can learn how to service your own regs. The only pre-req is a tech ticket of some sort.

Apeks still makes their own in house, but having dived an Apeks DS4 and a Hog D2 side by side (DS4 right, D2 left), I can't tell the difference in operation. If you go with the XTX50/DST, you can add the 5th port for cleaner hose routing on back mounted doubles. I have DS4's on my Meg, Hog D2's when I'm OC backmount.

The Mk21/G260 is a great standard regulator. The G260 is almost classic actually, in various iterations has been around for a while. The Mk21 is basically an evolution of the Mk25.

Either way, get DIN if you have any inkling of going into technical diving.

My aqualung titan lx is going strong for 15 years. Parts are still readily available including body pieces that will break over time. I just bought a new legend lx set because I wanted to. My titan lx is now my backup reg.

You can convert most good regs to DIN later if you get into tech diving. I prefer yolk unless you dive exclusively on your own din tanks. Otherwise you need a yolk adapter and those things make your regs ridiculously huge.

thanks for the replies.  I may have given the wrong impression but the tec/wreck diving is going to be a while.  all the dives I have done so far in open water are in the Caribbean with tour groups.  there are local clubs here the lake dive but so far their schedule and mine haven't matched.

for first stages, I plan to get a yoke. when it comes time for side tank setups I will get din first stages then.

as for service places for regs, it was my understanding that finding places to service atomic and tusa should be as easy to find as scubapro.  is that not true?

btw, I did find out that the scubapro s600 and s560 all use the same parts kits.  all the atomic b2,z2,z3 use the same parts kits also

If you're looking at sidemount, there's nothing that says you need to get DIN, it's just much preferred as it's a better form of connection all around. In fact, if you're just doing recreational sidemount, it may be preferred to stick with yoke as you can bring rigging and still dive sidemount at your recreational dive destinations. You can show up in the Caribbean with your bottle rigging and just grab any 2 tanks and still dive with the rest of the group, but still dive sidemount.

As for service, it has been my experience that Atomic and Tusa are not as prevalent as ScubaPro. Doesn't mean you can't find service centers, but might not always be as easy. This is why I have a preference for Hog regs and the TDI course. You can buy parts kits and have the knowledge to do them yourself, regardless of location, and not always tied to an LDS or even worse trying to find some place to get your regs fixed in a 3rd world country. And it's not just parts availability, it's the knowledge to maintain and repair them.

Not familiar with the SR2, but the SR1 had a lot of problems.  I like the older piston Brut/Blizzard etc.  If someone had to have a piston 1st stage, that's what I would recommend.  It's dry bleed system keeps the inside dry and no crap gets in, unlike other piston designs. Parts, what little there are to change, are dirt cheap.
What Mares Prestige where you looking at 12 or 15?  I have the 12t and no problems.  Why? because it is a clone of the old US Divers Conshelf/SE series.  HP seat and diaphragm interchanges and from memory most o-rings do as well.  The sinter filter is different though. I wasn't impressed with the Prestige 2nd stage though and sold it.   The older Sherwood 2nd stages were a better design and easier to adjust.
If you have your heart set on new equipment, go for it.  But, nothing wrong with used equipment like the ubiquitous US Divers Conshelf's.  It's balanced, parts are a plenty, and they are well known.  Nothing in the Scuba Manifesto that says you have to match mfg's 1st and 2nd stages.  The only thing to consider is proper IP is set, even then that can be tweaked.  Currently, I mated the Mares to a balanced adjustable Beuchat Evolution 2nd stage.   The Beuchat Evo is an excellent breather which I pulled off my Conshelf 1st stage set up.  I am using a Scubapro 156 BA as the octo.   As far as my bailout, I use a Aqualung Aquarius 1st and 2nd c1979 piston reg.   Another super simple piston reg.  That was an Ebay deal for $19.95 delivered.  I serviced it and the thing was like new inside.  Any reputable dive shop can service what I mentioned above if you don't go the diy route.

I do like the AL Legend.  I have serviced/used it.  Currently, this is my daughters go to reg set.

Hell I didn't even know Beauchat was still around. My first set of regs was Beauchat, but I couldn't get parts for them any longer.

They are, but not in 'Murca.
I pass on their first stages as most of them have proprietary HP seats.  There is an outfit in Canada that will sell kits as Beuchat is available there.