Selecting Your Scuba Diving Regulator in Northern Virginia
Why would selecting a Scuba Diving Regulator in Northern Virginia be any different then in selecting a Scuba Diving Regulator anywhere else? The answer lies in the temperature of the local diving conditions. Open Water dives in the North Eastern United States is definitely colder then in the Caribbean, therefore the Scuba Diving Equipment being used must be appropriate for the environment. Aside from that what other factors will determine what Scuba Diving Regulator you will select for you use? Lets take a look at these factors one at a time.
How Deep Will You Be Diving With Your Scuba Diving Regulator?
A Scuba Diving Regulator will have to pump more air on deeper dives then it will on shallower dives. Therefore Scuba Divers who often dive deeper will need a Scuba Regulator that is balanced so that it breathes evenly throughout the dive regardless of depth. All reputable regulator manufacturers make balanced regulators but like anything else some are better then others. In addition the manufacturers will make balanced regulators in several price ranges so that they can provide product for divers regardless of price range. For example Sherwood Diving Equipment offers the Brut Regulator, the Magnum Regulator and the SR-1 Regulator which are all come with various features to fit most price ranges. ScubaPro and Zeagle do the same. ScubaPro offers the MK25/s600, the MK11/C300 while Zeagle will offer the Mark VII, the 50-D and the DS-V Regulators. Sub Gear will offer both the Cayman Regulator and the Bonaire Regulator for those divers seeking a balanced regulator. Obviously if you are doing any type of technical diving you would want a regulator that is balanced for deeper diving.
Diving with Enriched Air – Nitrox:
Not all Scuba Diving Regulators are approved for use with Enriched Air – Nitrox. Some are approved out of the box and some must have a conversion kit installed in order to use Enriched Air. Some cannot use enriched air at all. Scuba Pro Regulators, Zeagle Regulators, Mares Regulators and Aeris Regulators are approved for use with Nitrox out of the box. The newer Sherwood Regulators are also approved for use with Nitrox. Since Technical Divers often dive with enriched air or other mixtures your scuba regulator must be able to accommodate these mixtures.
How Cold is the Water?
We mentioned earlier in this article that water temperature has a bearing of the Scuba Diving Regulator that you might use. In colder water your Scuba Regulator should be either environmentally sealed or have a special heat sink to allow its use in colder water. Sherwood Regulators, most Zeagle Regulators and many of the Aeris Regulators are environmentally sealed. Several of the ScubaPro regulators such as the MK25 have heat sinks installed to allow its use in colder water. The Scuba Pro MK17 is also environmentally sealed. The use of regulators that are not environmentally sealed or do not have a heat sink can lead to free flows in colder water.
Proper Care of Your Diving Equipment:
Regardless of how good your diving equipment is unless you take proper care of it you will not get the most from it nor will it last as long as it should. Any Quality Dive Center like Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy will provide proper support for your equipment after you have purchased it. This should include both instruction on proper use and service after the purchase. Proper instruction on your equipment care after the purchase should include the do’s and don’ts of what to do and not to do regarding your purchase. This includes helping you, the consumer, with warranty repairs if needed.
Where to Buy Your Scuba Equipment?
Deciding to buy scuba equipment is only the first step. Deciding what to buy and where to buy it is just as important. Since all major Scuba Equipment Manufacturers make quality products deciding where to buy it may be the single most important decision of all. Select a Dive Center that has a good reputation, has been in business for a long while and has a good reputation for both quality equipment and standing behind the equipment that they sell. In Northern Virginia, Aquatic Adventures Scuba Academy has one of the finest reputations if not the finest reputation for quality product, standing behind the products that they sell and post purchase service of any dive center in the Northern Virginia, D.C. Metropolitan Area.
