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Which would you buy?

Thanks for all the great info and replies on this. I would say it's coming down between the Hatsan Lightning and the Omega Air Charger. They're close in price, but the Hatsan has quite a few more features. One thing it has that appeals to me is the auto purge, which should help to keep water out of your guns/bottles. The Omega has been around longer and has the most positive reviews, so that's in it's favor. 

The guy from Hatsan down in Bentonville called me back while I was out this AM, and hasn't gotten back to me again, so I don't know yet if they do service/warranty work down there on the generator. That would be a big plus for them if they do. I talked to someone at Field Supply today, and they couldn't tell me anything about where the Hatsan products that they sell are serviced, which didn't give me a warm and fuzzy!
 
Thanks for all the great info and replies on this. I would say it's coming down between the Hatsan Lightning and the Omega Air Charger. They're close in price, but the Hatsan has quite a few more features. One thing it has that appeals to me is the auto purge, which should help to keep water out of your guns/bottles. The Omega has been around longer and has the most positive reviews, so that's in it's favor. 

The guy from Hatsan down in Bentonville called me back while I was out this AM, and hasn't gotten back to me again, so I don't know yet if they do service/warranty work down there on the generator. That would be a big plus for them if they do. I talked to someone at Field Supply today, and they couldn't tell me anything about where the Hatsan products that they sell are serviced, which didn't give me a warm and fuzzy!

I wouldn't be surprised at a lack of knowledge about service location from a large vendor like Field Supply. The information Hatsan provides you once you talk to them should be relevant. I've never researched or considered the Air Charger but really like the Turbocharger. Same basic compressor mechanism as I understand it. Some people on this forum have referred to the Omega line of compressors as motorized hand pumps and similar but many swear by them and I am still considering the Turbocharger for it's apparent ease of use and quiet operation. The great thing is you have so many choices these days.
 
Looking back over the thread, it seems you want to fill guns and small buddy tanks. My early Air Charger can top my Guppy off from around 3500 to 4500 in about 10 minutes. The same amount of time that one would bleed water from the pump. Except you're done. More money for the Turbocharger for quicker and auto bleed may be a waste. Get your tank filled first time at a scuba or paintball shop so you won't have that wear on your compressor.

Also, the compressors in the "computer" shell is just something else that you have to take off should you need to make a repair. The air charger is all in the open.
 
Big R, I replied to your pm and it got returned this morning as being "delivery incomplete". I have no idea why this happened...sorry you didn't get my reply. I'm not having any luck talking to anyone at Hatsan down in Bentonville. It doesn't leave me with much of a "warm and fuzzy" regarding their service. If I can't get them to call me when I'm trying to make a buying decision, how much luck am I going to have when I'm looking for service/warranty work? I sent them another email last night to that effect, so we'll see what happens today.
 
Big R, I replied to your pm and it got returned this morning as being "delivery incomplete". I have no idea why this happened...sorry you didn't get my reply. I'm not having any luck talking to anyone at Hatsan down in Bentonville. It doesn't leave me with much of a "warm and fuzzy" regarding their service. If I can't get them to call me when I'm trying to make a buying decision, how much luck am I going to have when I'm looking for service/warranty work? I sent them another email last night to that effect, so we'll see what happens today.

You did note that a call was returned but you were out. That shows an effort on their part to contact you directly. I was impressed with that as it showed a pretty quick effort to contact you by a company representative that probably has a lot to do. No vendor is closer to your location and if service were available on a bring it in basis that would be invaluable.

As to "more money for the Turbocharger for quicker and auto bleed may be a waste", I would consider posts showing people upgrading equipment and later wishing for more performance from many things. The Air Charger might be all you need. The Turbocharger apparently has convenience features and fill speed beyond the Air Charger that only you could value. The case to me seems to be a non issue unless a major failure occurs as the Turbocharger reportedly has no internal service needs for normal use. Cost difference might be the major consideration if you are considering any Omega unit. Tominco on this site did a good review video of the Turbocharger as did AEAC. Not sure about videos on the Air Charger but I bet they are available.
 
It’ll happen. Perfect example is trying to get a hold of FXUSA. I emailed them, no response. I called yesterday at 1:30pm my time, recording said they were out. I called this morning at 8am my time, and BAM! Got Jessica on the phone, then Newman, and finally Summer and all business was completed. My faith in them came back, and I hung up with a smile. Another member who I was venting to him about FX not answering emails and phone calls told me that they are super busy and some of them have taken other roles besides just answering phones and emails. Same thing with JSAR. I called them yesterday, didn’t get thru. This morning, I got to chat with Travis, and all was good.



The one thing I will not do is be THE dude that chats Airguns and this PCP hobby with them like they have all the time for ME in the world. Remember, this is a hobby to us, but a job for them. I respect these people’s times, and after all the hi’s and how you been’s Have been addressed, I let it be known that I respect their time and I’ll get right to the point. Phone call done in a matter of minutes, five at the most.

Even though I love this hobby, I, too am a busy person, and I just can’t sit and chat up Airguns for more than 20 minutes. My time is so precious to me, even more so being retired, as I’ve obligated myself to taking care of things around the house that I’ve neglected for the 32 years I worked. 



Youll get a hold of Hatsan. Just remember, they manufacture a ton of Airguns along with PCP support accessories. I’m sure they are swamped like everyone else. 
 
It’ll happen. Perfect example is trying to get a hold of FXUSA. I emailed them, no response. I called yesterday at 1:30pm my time, recording said they were out. I called this morning at 8am my time, and BAM! Got Jessica on the phone, then Newman, and finally Summer and all business was completed. My faith in them came back, and I hung up with a smile. Another member who I was venting to him about FX not answering emails and phone calls told me that they are super busy and some of them have taken other roles besides just answering phones and emails. Same thing with JSAR. I called them yesterday, didn’t get thru. This morning, I got to chat with Travis, and all was good.



The one thing I will not do is be THE dude that chats Airguns and this PCP hobby with them like they have all the time for ME in the world. Remember, this is a hobby to us, but a job for them. I respect these people’s times, and after all the hi’s and how you been’s Have been addressed, I let it be known that I respect their time and I’ll get right to the point. Phone call done in a matter of minutes, five at the most.

Even though I love this hobby, I, too am a busy person, and I just can’t sit and chat up Airguns for more than 20 minutes. My time is so precious to me, even more so being retired, as I’ve obligated myself to taking care of things around the house that I’ve neglected for the 32 years I worked. 



Youll get a hold of Hatsan. Just remember, they manufacture a ton of Airguns along with PCP support accessories. I’m sure they are swamped like everyone else. 

SPOT ON +1


 
I too am considering the omega air or Hatsan lightening charger...

seems like omega just works , little reported problems quiet, and Hatsan has few more bells/whistles and maybe not as much reported good or bad..., not sure on noise, idk....

hatsan 109 lbs

air 66lbs

i just need pcp direct fill then w/in a year will have a tank to fill too I expect or I would just get 12v portable but I don’t want to spend 400-800 and year later kick myself that I should of just spent the 1200...






 
You're about the same place on this that I am. I still haven't heard jack from Hatsan, and it's been over 2 weeks now. I guess they don't need my business, as I made it perfectly clear that I was buying and that I needed to talk to them first! If they won't call you back to sell you a compressor, how long is it going to take to get a response when the thing breaks down?

I purchased a Benjamin Traveler right after I started this PCP madness about 3-4 mos. ago, just to fill the bottles on my guns. So far, knock on wood, it's done the job without any problems. I pull the filter after every use and dry out it's cup and I think I'm just going to continue with that and see how long it lasts before getting a better (?) compressor. If it breaks down the road and can't be fixed, I'll worry about that then.

Right now if I had to make any decision on a new compressor, it would probably be the Omega Air Charger or Super Charger. They have the most favorable reviews out there in that price range with the fewest complaints that I can find.
 
its definitely giving me a headache figuring this out. one day i think just the omega trail would be fine for me, could even fill small bottle...the next i think for a few hundred more i can get the omega air and then if down the road i need to fill larger bottle i'm good. AOA was steering me toward the trail but i think thats cause they are out of the air at the moment. talked to another dealer and they said omega air had a lot of problems told me to get the daystate (too much for me right now to go that route). just not sure yet but would like to figure it out sooner than later...
 
Yeah, we're definitely in the same boat on this one! I've completely given up on the Hatsan, as I haven't gotten a peep out of them yet! Sure, a Daystate would be great, but I just don't want to spend that much either for something that's not a full-time occupation, but a part-time hobby. Right now I'm definitely leaning towards the Omegas, the Air and Super, but like I said earlier, I'm going to run this Benjamin to see how long it lasts. I'm probably going to get a guppy sized bottle (90-100 cu. in.) to fill with it, but right now, just my guns are being filled and it's working fine for that. It would definitely be a lot easier decision if these things were reliable, which they don't seem to be!