Cressi

Cressi AC2/Compact (DIN)

Cressi's entry-level, rental-fleet workhorse, a simple unbalanced piston paired with a minimalist compact second stage.

Cressi AC2/Compact (DIN)
2.0Comparison Score
$329.95
Buy on Amazon
Released—
First stagepiston
BalancedNo
Environmentally sealedNo
Cold-water ratedNo
ConnectionDIN
Max pressure300 bar
HP / LP ports1 / 4
Adjustable 2nd stageNo
Weight783g
Nitrox-ready (EAN40)Yes
Octo includedNo

"HP / LP ports" is the number of high-pressure and low-pressure ports on the first stage, which caps how many accessories (transmitter, SPG, inflator, second second-stage) you can run at once.

Pros
  • Simple unbalanced piston first stage that's inexpensive and easy to service, common in dive-school rental fleets
  • Lightest and cheapest regulator in this comparison set, with a compact 145g second stage
  • Also available in a separate yoke version if DIN isn't what you need
Cons
  • Not environmentally sealed and rated for use only above 10°C water temperature, so it's out for cold-water diving
  • Unbalanced piston first stage means breathing effort can increase as tank pressure drops
  • Second stage has only a basic pre-dive/dive venturi lever, no true adjustable breathing-resistance knob, and no octopus included
Diver community sentiment
Mixed opinions

Across several Scubaboard threads, divers consistently describe the AC2/Compact as a simple, rugged, unbalanced first-stage design that dive shops and rental fleets favor because it's nearly bulletproof and cheap to maintain. Recreational divers using it in warm, shallow conditions report it "works great." However, more experienced and technical divers are critical of its unbalanced design, calling breathing performance mediocre to "terrible" compared to balanced alternatives, and several posters advise against it for cold water or deeper dives. A recurring practical complaint is Cressi's smaller dealer/service network compared to brands like Aqualung, making servicing while traveling harder to arrange.

Scubaboard: AC2 Compact discussionScubaboard: Cressi regs quality/service discussionScubaboard: AC2 as a deco reg

Summarized from public forum discussion (Scubaboard, Reddit, and similar), not a survey we ran ourselves. See the linked threads for the original conversations.

The AC2/Compact is Cressi’s entry-level set, an unbalanced piston first stage paired with a lightweight, minimalist second stage aimed at training, rental, and travel use rather than cold or demanding conditions. Cressi’s own guidance points colder-water divers toward its sealed MC9 Compact Pro instead.