Regulator choice ?

I know i'm probably going to open a tin of worms here but :

Im looking to purchase my first regulator set (1st stage, 2nd stage & occy),
and I've narrowed it down to just few after lots of reading & researching
etc...

Tusa : RS-110 / SS-110

Oceanic : Alpha 8 ( reg & occy)

AquaLung : Calipso reg / ABS occy

Opinions for final decision please ...?

BTW, I'll probably do most of my diving in Victoria to max 30 meters..


cheers,
Brian Canham

( ( ( MetroMix STUDIO ) ) )
180 Bank st, South Melbourne.
Vic, AUSTRALIA 3205
T. (+61) 3 9645 5371
www.metromixstudio.com
www.myspace.com/briancanham
www.myspace.com/metromixstudio

"Hi-Soft" <nospam@spam.com> wrote in message
news:VrVHj.4218$n8.1588@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>I know i'm probably going to open a tin of worms here but :
>
> Im looking to purchase my first regulator set (1st stage, 2nd stage &
> occy), and I've narrowed it down to just few after lots of reading &
> researching etc...
>
> Tusa : RS-110 / SS-110
>
> Oceanic : Alpha 8 ( reg & occy)
>
> AquaLung : Calipso reg / ABS occy
>
> Opinions for final decision please ...?
>
> BTW, I'll probably do most of my diving in Victoria to max 30 meters..

Hope you've got a nice thick wetsuit .

I can't really comment on the sets. However when I bought quite a while ago
major consideration after getting down to a short list was ease of getting
them serviced ( does your local LDS do them or is there somewhere close ),
ease of getting spares ( if you have to ship away to the US for a part it
becomes expensive and you have to hire or get loan gear ) and price ( are
you willing to pay for the extra features that separate the cheapest from
the most expensive and do you need them)

"Hi-Soft" <nospam@spam.com> wrote in message
news:VrVHj.4218$n8.1588@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>I know i'm probably going to open a tin of worms here but :
>
> Im looking to purchase my first regulator set (1st stage, 2nd stage &
> occy), and I've narrowed it down to just few after lots of reading &
> researching etc...
>
> Tusa : RS-110 / SS-110
>
> Oceanic : Alpha 8 ( reg & occy)
>
> AquaLung : Calipso reg / ABS occy
>
> Opinions for final decision please ...?
>
> BTW, I'll probably do most of my diving in Victoria to max 30 meters..

Hope you've got a nice thick wetsuit .

I can't really comment on the sets. However when I bought quite a while ago
major consideration after getting down to a short list was ease of getting
them serviced ( does your local LDS do them or is there somewhere close ),
ease of getting spares ( if you have to ship away to the US for a part it
becomes expensive and you have to hire or get loan gear ) and price ( are
you willing to pay for the extra features that separate the cheapest from
the most expensive and do you need them)

"Hi-Soft" <nospam@spam.com> wrote in message
news:VrVHj.4218$n8.1588@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>I know i'm probably going to open a tin of worms here but :
>
> Im looking to purchase my first regulator set (1st stage, 2nd stage &
> occy), and I've narrowed it down to just few after lots of reading &
> researching etc...
>
> Tusa : RS-110 / SS-110
>
> Oceanic : Alpha 8 ( reg & occy)
>
> AquaLung : Calipso reg / ABS occy
>
> Opinions for final decision please ...?
>
> BTW, I'll probably do most of my diving in Victoria to max 30 meters..

Hope you've got a nice thick wetsuit .

I can't really comment on the sets. However when I bought quite a while ago
major consideration after getting down to a short list was ease of getting
them serviced ( does your local LDS do them or is there somewhere close ),
ease of getting spares ( if you have to ship away to the US for a part it
becomes expensive and you have to hire or get loan gear ) and price ( are
you willing to pay for the extra features that separate the cheapest from
the most expensive and do you need them)

"Hi-Soft" <nospam@spam.com> wrote in message
news:VrVHj.4218$n8.1588@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>I know i'm probably going to open a tin of worms here but :
>
> Im looking to purchase my first regulator set (1st stage, 2nd stage &
> occy), and I've narrowed it down to just few after lots of reading &
> researching etc...
>
> Tusa : RS-110 / SS-110
>
> Oceanic : Alpha 8 ( reg & occy)
>
> AquaLung : Calipso reg / ABS occy
>
> Opinions for final decision please ...?
>
> BTW, I'll probably do most of my diving in Victoria to max 30 meters..

Hope you've got a nice thick wetsuit .

I can't really comment on the sets. However when I bought quite a while ago
major consideration after getting down to a short list was ease of getting
them serviced ( does your local LDS do them or is there somewhere close ),
ease of getting spares ( if you have to ship away to the US for a part it
becomes expensive and you have to hire or get loan gear ) and price ( are
you willing to pay for the extra features that separate the cheapest from
the most expensive and do you need them)

"dechucka" <dechucka@vomithotmail.com> wrote in message
news:47f03784$0$13278$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
>
> "Hi-Soft" <nospam@spam.com> wrote in message
> news:VrVHj.4218$n8.1588@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>>I know i'm probably going to open a tin of worms here but :
>>
>> Im looking to purchase my first regulator set (1st stage, 2nd stage &
>> occy), and I've narrowed it down to just few after lots of reading &
>> researching etc...
>>
>> Tusa : RS-110 / SS-110
>>
>> Oceanic : Alpha 8 ( reg & occy)
>>
>> AquaLung : Calipso reg / ABS occy
>>
>> Opinions for final decision please ...?
>>
>> BTW, I'll probably do most of my diving in Victoria to max 30 meters..
>
> Hope you've got a nice thick wetsuit .
>
> I can't really comment on the sets. However when I bought quite a while
> ago major consideration after getting down to a short list was ease of
> getting them serviced ( does your local LDS do them or is there somewhere
> close ), ease of getting spares ( if you have to ship away to the US for a
> part it becomes expensive and you have to hire or get loan gear ) and
> price ( are you willing to pay for the extra features that separate the
> cheapest from the most expensive and do you need them)
>

yeah good points... well I have both Tusa and Oceanic dealers quite near by,
though I think Oceanic is more localized ("Oceanic Australia")... so
possibly leaning that way now... on the other hand, my BCD is a Tusa
Platina...and some people say it's easier if everything is serviced at one
place... but as I said...both dealers are near by..anyway..

I must say, I do prefer the all yellow occy of the Tusa...just for safety
reasons..

And...yeah...also looking into a new wetsuit too..( currently just have a
3mm Tusa steamer )... that's another sagga to sift through..

Got that down to :
Pinnacle (aka Parragon) Elastiprene 7mm
Bare 7mm Arctic
AquaLung Aquaflex 7mm
and a few others too..

bc

"dechucka" <dechucka@vomithotmail.com> wrote in message
news:47f03784$0$13278$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
>
> "Hi-Soft" <nospam@spam.com> wrote in message
> news:VrVHj.4218$n8.1588@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>>I know i'm probably going to open a tin of worms here but :
>>
>> Im looking to purchase my first regulator set (1st stage, 2nd stage &
>> occy), and I've narrowed it down to just few after lots of reading &
>> researching etc...
>>
>> Tusa : RS-110 / SS-110
>>
>> Oceanic : Alpha 8 ( reg & occy)
>>
>> AquaLung : Calipso reg / ABS occy
>>
>> Opinions for final decision please ...?
>>
>> BTW, I'll probably do most of my diving in Victoria to max 30 meters..
>
> Hope you've got a nice thick wetsuit .
>
> I can't really comment on the sets. However when I bought quite a while
> ago major consideration after getting down to a short list was ease of
> getting them serviced ( does your local LDS do them or is there somewhere
> close ), ease of getting spares ( if you have to ship away to the US for a
> part it becomes expensive and you have to hire or get loan gear ) and
> price ( are you willing to pay for the extra features that separate the
> cheapest from the most expensive and do you need them)
>

yeah good points... well I have both Tusa and Oceanic dealers quite near by,
though I think Oceanic is more localized ("Oceanic Australia")... so
possibly leaning that way now... on the other hand, my BCD is a Tusa
Platina...and some people say it's easier if everything is serviced at one
place... but as I said...both dealers are near by..anyway..

I must say, I do prefer the all yellow occy of the Tusa...just for safety
reasons..

And...yeah...also looking into a new wetsuit too..( currently just have a
3mm Tusa steamer )... that's another sagga to sift through..

Got that down to :
Pinnacle (aka Parragon) Elastiprene 7mm
Bare 7mm Arctic
AquaLung Aquaflex 7mm
and a few others too..

bc

"dechucka" <dechucka@vomithotmail.com> wrote in message
news:47f03784$0$13278$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
>
> "Hi-Soft" <nospam@spam.com> wrote in message
> news:VrVHj.4218$n8.1588@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>>I know i'm probably going to open a tin of worms here but :
>>
>> Im looking to purchase my first regulator set (1st stage, 2nd stage &
>> occy), and I've narrowed it down to just few after lots of reading &
>> researching etc...
>>
>> Tusa : RS-110 / SS-110
>>
>> Oceanic : Alpha 8 ( reg & occy)
>>
>> AquaLung : Calipso reg / ABS occy
>>
>> Opinions for final decision please ...?
>>
>> BTW, I'll probably do most of my diving in Victoria to max 30 meters..
>
> Hope you've got a nice thick wetsuit .
>
> I can't really comment on the sets. However when I bought quite a while
> ago major consideration after getting down to a short list was ease of
> getting them serviced ( does your local LDS do them or is there somewhere
> close ), ease of getting spares ( if you have to ship away to the US for a
> part it becomes expensive and you have to hire or get loan gear ) and
> price ( are you willing to pay for the extra features that separate the
> cheapest from the most expensive and do you need them)
>

yeah good points... well I have both Tusa and Oceanic dealers quite near by,
though I think Oceanic is more localized ("Oceanic Australia")... so
possibly leaning that way now... on the other hand, my BCD is a Tusa
Platina...and some people say it's easier if everything is serviced at one
place... but as I said...both dealers are near by..anyway..

I must say, I do prefer the all yellow occy of the Tusa...just for safety
reasons..

And...yeah...also looking into a new wetsuit too..( currently just have a
3mm Tusa steamer )... that's another sagga to sift through..

Got that down to :
Pinnacle (aka Parragon) Elastiprene 7mm
Bare 7mm Arctic
AquaLung Aquaflex 7mm
and a few others too..

bc

"dechucka" <dechucka@vomithotmail.com> wrote in message
news:47f03784$0$13278$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
>
> "Hi-Soft" <nospam@spam.com> wrote in message
> news:VrVHj.4218$n8.1588@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>>I know i'm probably going to open a tin of worms here but :
>>
>> Im looking to purchase my first regulator set (1st stage, 2nd stage &
>> occy), and I've narrowed it down to just few after lots of reading &
>> researching etc...
>>
>> Tusa : RS-110 / SS-110
>>
>> Oceanic : Alpha 8 ( reg & occy)
>>
>> AquaLung : Calipso reg / ABS occy
>>
>> Opinions for final decision please ...?
>>
>> BTW, I'll probably do most of my diving in Victoria to max 30 meters..
>
> Hope you've got a nice thick wetsuit .
>
> I can't really comment on the sets. However when I bought quite a while
> ago major consideration after getting down to a short list was ease of
> getting them serviced ( does your local LDS do them or is there somewhere
> close ), ease of getting spares ( if you have to ship away to the US for a
> part it becomes expensive and you have to hire or get loan gear ) and
> price ( are you willing to pay for the extra features that separate the
> cheapest from the most expensive and do you need them)
>

yeah good points... well I have both Tusa and Oceanic dealers quite near by,
though I think Oceanic is more localized ("Oceanic Australia")... so
possibly leaning that way now... on the other hand, my BCD is a Tusa
Platina...and some people say it's easier if everything is serviced at one
place... but as I said...both dealers are near by..anyway..

I must say, I do prefer the all yellow occy of the Tusa...just for safety
reasons..

And...yeah...also looking into a new wetsuit too..( currently just have a
3mm Tusa steamer )... that's another sagga to sift through..

Got that down to :
Pinnacle (aka Parragon) Elastiprene 7mm
Bare 7mm Arctic
AquaLung Aquaflex 7mm
and a few others too..

bc

"Hi-Soft" <nospam@spam.com> wrote in message
news:u7XHj.4262$n8.549@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>
> "dechucka" <dechucka@vomithotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:47f03784$0$13278$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
>>
>> "Hi-Soft" <nospam@spam.com> wrote in message
>> news:VrVHj.4218$n8.1588@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>>>I know i'm probably going to open a tin of worms here but :
>>>
>>> Im looking to purchase my first regulator set (1st stage, 2nd stage &
>>> occy), and I've narrowed it down to just few after lots of reading &
>>> researching etc...
>>>
>>> Tusa : RS-110 / SS-110
>>>
>>> Oceanic : Alpha 8 ( reg & occy)
>>>
>>> AquaLung : Calipso reg / ABS occy
>>>
>>> Opinions for final decision please ...?
>>>
>>> BTW, I'll probably do most of my diving in Victoria to max 30 meters..
>>
>> Hope you've got a nice thick wetsuit .
>>
>> I can't really comment on the sets. However when I bought quite a while
>> ago major consideration after getting down to a short list was ease of
>> getting them serviced ( does your local LDS do them or is there somewhere
>> close ), ease of getting spares ( if you have to ship away to the US for
>> a part it becomes expensive and you have to hire or get loan gear ) and
>> price ( are you willing to pay for the extra features that separate the
>> cheapest from the most expensive and do you need them)
>>
>
> yeah good points... well I have both Tusa and Oceanic dealers quite near
> by, though I think Oceanic is more localized ("Oceanic Australia")... so
> possibly leaning that way now... on the other hand, my BCD is a Tusa
> Platina...and some people say it's easier if everything is serviced at one
> place... but as I said...both dealers are near by..anyway..
>
> I must say, I do prefer the all yellow occy of the Tusa...just for safety
> reasons..

well that is a feature that you should consider than. It will help you find
it when a panicked diver sees the blowing bubbles and grabs it our of your
mouth ;-(

>
> And...yeah...also looking into a new wetsuit too..( currently just have a
> 3mm Tusa steamer )... that's another sagga to sift through..

You haven't dived Melbourne in that have you. We used to wear those sailing
in Melbourne and still got cold and we tried to not get to wet

>
> Got that down to :
> Pinnacle (aka Parragon) Elastiprene 7mm
> Bare 7mm Arctic
> AquaLung Aquaflex 7mm
> and a few others too..
>
> bc
>