Dive regulators, how to choose best?

[subzero]

I was wondering how to choose the best dive regulator to buy.

[Jack]

The good news is that among major-label regulators—the kind sold in dive stores—there is no junk. Regulators have been perfected to the point that even budget regulators can offer high performance. However, you must do your homework before buying this vital piece of gear.
What does it do? Converts the high-pressure air in your tank to ambient pressure so you can breathe it. A regulator must also deliver air to other places, such as your BC inflator and alternate second stage.

What to look for? High performance. The best regulators can deliver a high volume of air at depth, under heavy exertion even at low tank pressures. Some regulators also have diver-controlled knobs and switches to aid this process, so it's important to understand the controls and how they work.
Comfort, look for a comfortable mouthpiece and have your local dive store select hoses of the right length for you.
Try as many regulators as you can in real-world diving situations. Breathing in a regulator in a dive store tells you nothing about how it will perform under water.

[DiveDevil1966]

I wish to pick up on this where Jack left and would like to explain a couple of sepcific brands and features.
Decide whther you want to get a diaphragm or a piston first stage. This is the choice you have to make deopnding on the environement your are diving in, temperature and preferrence. Regardless which Regulator you choose, they both should be balanced First Stages.
Usually the piston first stages are easier to service and do not have as many moving parts in the regualtor body. They are pretty heavy and can be quite large too. The diaphragm first stages can be really small, which is a benefit for travelling etc. They are more complicated in their design and therefore need more time and parts when they havo to serviced.
I personally have two distinqt preferences. When I am diving with a piston first stage I am using a Scubapro MK25 with a S600 second stage. I find that this is a great set-up and the comfort and delivery of air is great at any given depth relevant for recreational diving. When I am using a diaphragm regulator I choose the Mares MR42 first stage with the Abyss second stage. This regulator is fantastic in its performance and it is much lighter compared with the MK25 and threfore my preferred choice when travelling.

Have a great time and always safe diving

Dive Devil