How to Choose Your First Regulator

Picking your first regulator is one of the most important gear decisions you’ll make as a new diver. Walk into any dive shop and you’ll be confronted with a wall of chrome and rubber, price tags ranging from $200 to $2,000, and enough acronyms to make your head spin.

The good news: for recreational open-water diving, you don’t need to spend a fortune. You need a regulator that breathes smoothly, fits your budget, and can be serviced by your local shop. This guide walks you through exactly what to look for.

First Stage vs. Second Stage

A regulator is actually two devices working together. The first stage attaches to your tank and reduces high-pressure air down to an intermediate pressure. The second stage is the part you breathe from — it delivers air on demand at ambient pressure. Most recreational regulators are sold as matched sets; buy them together for optimal performance and easier servicing.

Balanced vs. Unbalanced

Unbalanced regulators are less expensive but breathing effort increases as tank pressure drops. Balanced regulators deliver consistent airflow regardless of tank pressure or depth — a noticeable improvement, especially on long dives. For most divers, a quality balanced reg will give you the best experience and the most comfortable ease of breathing underwater. The deeper you dive, the more noticeable the having a balanced regulator will be.

Environmental Seal and Cold Water Rated

Ocean temperatures in the spring and fall, along with fresh water lakes and quarries, can easily approach 50° F. An environmental seal is a specialized barrier on a scuba regulator’s first stage that isolates the internal moving parts—such as the main spring and ambient chamber—from the surrounding water. A “cold water rated” scuba regulator is engineered to prevent freezing in water temperatures below 10° C (50° F) and features both environmental sealing and specialized heat-conductive materials to keep ice crystals from forming inside the first stage, which can cause dangerous free-flowing. Using regulators that are both environmentally sealed and cold water rated are important considerations when diving.

Serviceability Matters More Than You Think

The best regulator is one that gets serviced regularly. Buy a brand your local dive shop carries parts for — exotic brands that require factory service can leave you grounded for weeks. At Scuba Shack, we stock and service Apeks, Zeagle, Sherwood, Aqualung, XS Scuba, Highland, Oceanic, Hollis, and Atomic, so we can turn around service quickly for those brands.

Our Pick for First-Time Buyers

Stop into Scuba Shack and talk with us about your diving goals and what regulator might work best for you. We carry demo models specifically so you can feel the difference between entry-level and mid-range before committing. Our staff can also match you to a reg based on where you plan on diving — cold New England waters versus warm Caribbean trips have different demands.