Best Scuba Regulators in 2023

Underwater we rely on our scuba regulators to function properly and give us air at all times.

Therefore, it’s very important to pick the right one for your style of diving.

However, there are so many different ones out there it can be hard to pick the right one.

Here, you will find the best scuba regulators 2023 that I have tested for you for any budget.

From cheap warm water regulators for reef divers to heavy-duty coldwater regs that withstand even the most extreme environments, you will find something you like.

The best scuba regulators 2023

These are the best scuba regulators 2023 for every budget:

Best value scuba regulator: Apeks XTX200
Best budget regulator: Aqualung Calypso Classic
Best mid-range scuba regulator: HOG D3
Best sidemount scuba regulator: Apeks XTX50
Best premium scuba regulator: Atomic Aquatics T3

Apeks XTX200

Rating: 4.8 / 5.0

The Apeks XTX series is the best scuba regulator series 2023 and the XTX200 is its flagship model.

Coldwater, cave diving, dirt, scuba tanks, or being dropped out of a driving car, the Apeks XTX200 can do it all.

It looks cool, works flawlessly, and if you dive backmount, the hose routing is super clean, as well.

Reasons to Buy

Coldwater certified
Never freezes
100% reliable
Great hose routing for backmount
Rubber turn knob (good for your hands)

Reasons NOT to Buy

Hose routing could be better for sidemount

Read the full review

Aqualung Calypso Classic

Rating: 4.5 / 5.0

The Aqualung Calypso Classic is in use at thousands of dive centers around the world so you will have no issues finding replacement parts or help when it needs fixing.

Super cheap, easy to use, and very reliable, it has everything you need for a recreational scuba regulator.

In 2022 it even got the EN250A certification for coldwater diving!

Reasons to Buy

Breathes flawlessly
New design looks great
Easy to service & find replacement parts
2022 version is coldwater certified!

Reasons NOT to Buy

Unbalanced 1.stage
Not for ice diving

Read the full review

HOG D3

Rating: 4.4 / 5.0

HOG makes some of the best “budget” scuba gear on the market and has long left the “secret champ” status. Their equipment is rock-solid, built extremely well, and will last you for years.

The HOG D3 is one of my favorite regulator sets out there and breathes super smoothly.

It looks cool, works in any environment, and will last forever. What’s not to love?

Reasons to Buy

Great value
5 ports
Rotating swivel port
Coldwater certified

Reasons NOT to Buy

Hard to come by replacement parts outside of North America
Faceplate of 2. stage hard to rinse
Short bubble exhaust

Read the full review

Apeks XTX50

Rating: 5.0 / 5.0

The core of the Apeks XTX50 is identical to the Apeks XTX200 with the same specs and ratings.

What makes the Apeks XTX50 stand out (and qualifies it as my primary regulator) is the rotating swivel and extra 5th port which makes it the best sidemount and technical scuba regulator on the market.

That’s besides all the other features like being totally indestructible, coldwater ready, breathing like a charm, etc…

Reasons to Buy

Perfect for sidemount
Rotating swivel port
5 ports
Absolutely indestructible
Coldwater certified
Perfect hose routing
Breathes flawlessly

Reasons NOT to Buy

Why is the turn knob not rubber like the XTX200 one?!?!

Read the full review

Atomic Aquatics T3

Rating: 5.0 / 5.0

If money really is not an obstacle…and you want the absolute smoothest breathing experience of any scuba regulator in the world…then the Atomic Aquatics T3 is THE one.

This is not a Tesla or Mercedes…it’s a scuba regulator Lamborghini. It’s outrageously expensive but so worth it.

From the looks to the feel, the packaging, the materials, and the breathing…it’s flawless.

Reasons to Buy

The best breathing experience ever
It looks so cool
100% quality
3 years (!) service intervals
Titanium material makes it virtually indestructible
Ultra-lightweight & perfect for travel

Reasons NOT to Buy

It’s prohibitively expensive for most
Replacement parts hard to come by outside of Europe
Mainly a warm water regulator

Read the full review

What is a scuba regulator?

A scuba regulator allows a scuba diver to breathe from a scuba tank underwater. The first stage of the regulator lowers the tank pressure of 200 bar to medium pressure between 7-15 bar, while the second stage releases ambient pressure that is ready to breathe in.

The scuba regulator is the central piece of equipment that helps us breathe underwater from our scuba tank.

The first scuba regulator was built by famous explorer and scuba diver Jacques Yves Couteau who called it “aqualung”.

It looked different from today’s regulators, however, the underlying working principle was the same.

The parts of a scuba regulator

Every scuba regulator consists of at least a so-called first stage, a medium-pressure hose, and a second stage with a mouthpiece.

In addition, we need a submersible pressure gauge to indicate the current tank pressure, as well as an inflator hose for our BCD.

Let’s look at all the pieces that make up a scuba diving regulator kit individually:

First stage

The first stage is essentially a pressure regulator (hence the word “regulator”) which is screwed into the tank valve and lowers the pressure from tank pressure (200 bar max) to medium pressure (7-15 bar).

All first stages feature several high and medium-pressure (HP) outlets through which we connect the other parts of our regulator setup to the tank.

DIN vs INT valve

Just like scuba tanks, regulators either feature a DIN or INT valve.
The easiest approach is to just pick the one that’s more common in the area you plan on diving in the most. In Europe or North Africa, for example, this is DIN, while INT is prevalent in North America and most parts of Asia.
Don’t worry about it too much though. There are plenty of adaptors from DIN to INT and vice versa.

Medium-pressure hose

The medium-pressure hose connects the first stage through a medium-pressure outlet with the second stage and the mouthpiece.

Medium pressure is around 7-15 bar, depending on the regulator.

Second stage

The second stage is usually what most people have in mind when thinking about a scuba regulator, with its iconic mouthpiece and front-button design.

The job of the second stage is to lower the medium pressure from the hose to ambient (surrounding) pressure at each depth and provide us with air by breathing from the mouthpiece.

The purge button allows us to depressurize the entire regulator once we disconnect the first stage from the tank.

Octopus

The Octopus is a second medium-pressure hose and second stage used as a backup and for emergencies. It often has a different color than the main one, usually yellow or similar, but otherwise works identically.

Submersible pressure gauge (SPG)

The submersible pressure gauge or SPG indicates the current tank pressure and is connected to the first stage through one of the high-pressure outlets.

An SPG is an essential part of the regulator set.

Inflator hose

The inflator hose aids us in inflating our BCD with medium pressure coming from the first stage.

BCDs usually ship with their own inflator hoses, so if you buy a BCD, you don’t need to get one when buying your regulator.

Warmwater vs Coldwater

Coldwater is defined as anything below 15°C and requires special coldwater diving equipment.
Only scuba regulators with a DIN250A certificate may be used for coldwater diving. You will also need a second first stage in order to dive with double-valve tanks that are also required.
Such regulators are a little more expensive, however, they’re much safer than freezing regulators and voiding your dive insurance policy.

Tips for buying a scuba regulator

Now that we have looked at what scuba regulators do, and what they consist of, let me give you a few more tips for buying your own

Pick a coldwater diving regulator

Even if you never dive under ice or in lakes at home, I recommend going for a coldwater certified regulator.

They are usually very well made, not a lot more expensive than their warm water siblings, and allow you much more flexibility if you do choose to dive at colder dive spots.

Choose a DIN valve

DIN is much safer and more convenient than INT regulators by definition.

If you are unsure what to use, pick a DIN valve and get an extra adaptor to connect it to INT or Yoke valves if necessary.

Unless you live in an area where INT is the type of valve available, of course. In that case pick that.

INT valves like this one work fine, however, DIN ones are less error-prone.

Replacement parts available

This is important, especially for those in rural areas or regularly diving at exotic places.

Get a regulator that is well known and for which replacement parts are readily available. Apeks, Aqualung, or ScubaPro are well known around the world, whereas most dive bases do not have parts for Atomic Aquatics ones, for example.

Don’t fall for hype

Go for what works for you and not for anyone else (including me).

Marketing is great and all, but look if you really need the marketed features or whether they even make sense…Looking at you here, integrated mouthpiece/inflator hose combo…

Set a budget

By any means, if money is not a limiting factor, go and buy that titanium regulator with diamond encasing now! However, it’s always a good idea to set a fixed budget +-a little buffer and stop yourself from looking in pricing tiers that are beyond your scope.

You do you

I personally have a great distaste for Poseidon regulators, for example. They are built like tanks and always work, however, they are really really uncomfortable, and releasing water from them is a pain.

If they are exactly what you want though, don’t be put off and go for it. You are the one who needs to dive with it and will feel much better if you selected something you are 100% convinced of.

Scuba regulators for beginners

Picking the right model for your first scuba regulator can be tough.

Check out my recommendations on the best scuba regulators for beginners to help you with your decision.

The 5 best ScubaRegulatorsin 2023

Breathe Easy underwater