Time to Test

On a sun-splashed Southern California morning last April the ScubaLab test team, aboard Body Glove’s dive boat Disappearance, skirted the eastern coastline of Santa Monica Bay, headed for the rocky cliffs of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Skipper Bob Meistrell eased his 64-foot vessel into a quiet spot on the edge of a massive kelp bed and dropped anchor on a sandy bottom in 40 feet of green water. The test team, comprised of six divers and one test coordinator, got ready to hit the water with this year’s new crop of regulators. There were 14 in all, running the gamut from economy to money’s-no-object. This was judgment day — the final of three test stages — and we couldn’t have asked for a better one. When all was said and done, we found what we were looking for — the year’s best breathers.

Oceanic Delta 4.1

Features

The FDX-10 first stage comes with an environmental kit and Dry Valve Technology (DVT), which seals off the high-pressure inlet at the yoke to keep out moisture and contaminants. The second stage is fitted with another Oceanic invention: Dynamic Adjustment. Once set by the diver, it automatically maintains breathing resistance throughout the dive. This reg smoked the breathing machine in the test RMV/depth category for recreational diving, and it did nearly as well at the deeper test stops. It also earned Very Good ratings in all ergo test categories, and the breathing-resistance knob was among the best in this go-round.

Specifications

Bottom Line

A great reg with some nice features. We can’t complain about the performance or the price.