58 replies to this topic

[Walter]

Scubapro Mk 10/G250.

[scubafanatic]

........well, when I dive 'doubles' or Y-valve 'singles', I go with my Poseidon Jetstreams....for my recreational style dives, I use Mares MR16 Voltrex's....Mares Ruby's....and Atomic B1/T2. (do have an Aqualung Titan too, presently on loan to the daughter of one of my dive buddies in Cozumel.)

I'd agree with peterbj7 on the 'Jets' , very high performance, but not always easy to find good service/support and more pricey to maintain.

......over the course of the last year I find myself bringing these 2 reg sets on all my recreational trips...the Atomic B1/T2 and the Mares Ruby....and I'd put both these regs up against anything out there with respect to sheer performance / ease-of-breathing.

Karl

[scubafanatic]

"My equipment sucks compared to yours, this is the best breathing regulator that I have ever used anywhere."

Oh knight in shining armour,

What brand of regulator did you so gallantly offer to the fair maiden on that fateful day?

(Inquiring minds, after all! )

.

...yeah, I second the question....when will you reveal your special reg of mythic power ?

Karl

[drdiver]

Zeagle Tech 50D (Apeks) or moi Scubapro Mk 25/G250

[Trimix2dive]

"My equipment sucks compared to yours, this is the best breathing regulator that I have ever used anywhere."

Oh knight in shining armour,

What brand of regulator did you so gallantly offer to the fair maiden on that fateful day?

(Inquiring minds, after all! )

My Dear Canadian friend -

it was the brand new redesigned ScubaPro X650 tuneable regulator. shop set to effortless setting. she got the virgin dive on the regulator.

The other X650 has been previously dove.

[Marvel]

Scubapro M25/S600. Oh, & a backup Zeagle DS- IV

[mistral]

Currently I am partial to my 1967 Royal Aquamaster 2 hose reg. If I have my pony attached for safety, I use an Atomic T2. I have countless others in my collection of 120 + regulators. I only have about 10 that I would use.

[finGrabber]

I have 3 sets right now

2 SP MK10's with G250 primary and a Zeagle Envoy

I love the SP's...easy to breathe at any depth and any pressure in the tank. I have noticed that if I'm upside-down, that the SP get harder to breathe than the Zeagle, but I wouldn't trade my SP's for anything! I love 'em

[scubafanatic]

"My equipment sucks compared to yours, this is the best breathing regulator that I have ever used anywhere."

Oh knight in shining armour,

What brand of regulator did you so gallantly offer to the fair maiden on that fateful day?

(Inquiring minds, after all! )

My Dear Canadian friend -

it was the brand new redesigned ScubaPro X650 tuneable regulator. shop set to effortless setting. she got the virgin dive on the regulator.

The other X650 has been previously dove.

..........'redesigned' X650, huh ? ...........yeah, I guess that's 'one' way to phrase it, although I kinda prefer the more accurate terminology 'silent recall' as there was a huge controversy with massive numbers of failed 2nd stages on that regulator when it first came out........ performance quickly deteriorating to the 'sucking a golf-ball through a water hose' sensation, was commonly encountered........for a time dealers were pulling X650's off the shelf, and sometimes defective units were being replaced by S600's , hard to believe they let that thing out of the lab.

I'd have to agree with 'peterbj7'

" There's no question though that Scubapro quality isn't what it was. I envy people who still have old models like the Mk10. "

.......sure hope the 'redesigned' X650 works out better.

Karl

[ScubaGypsy]

.........'redesigned' X650, huh ?  ...........yeah, I guess that's 'one' way to phrase it,   although I kinda prefer the more accurate terminology 'silent recall'  as there was a huge controversy with massive numbers of failed 2nd stages on that regulator when it first came out........ performance quickly deteriorating to the 'sucking a golf-ball through a water hose' sensation, was commonly encountered........for a time dealers were pulling X650's off the shelf, and sometimes defective units were being replaced by S600's , hard to believe they let that thing out of the lab.

" There's no question though that Scubapro quality isn't what it was. I envy people who still have old models like the Mk10. "

.......sure hope the 'redesigned' X650 works out better.

I've been diving with the ScubaPro Mk25AF/S600 that I purchased last year but am not overly impressed with it. I've tried all of the adjustments but I still find it abit of a hard draw. Had used a Sherwood Blizzard for many years before this purchase which my oldest son is using now (although I did end up replacing the first stage with a ScubaPro Mk2 Plus last year as well). Not really convinced that I have upgraded.

I agree that ScubaPro is not what they once were. I also bought the ScubaPro split fins last year as I had been using the original ScubaPro jet fins since 1986. I gave my oldest son my original jet fins when I bought the split fins. I put stainless spring bands on both which was a huge improvement. After about 50 dives I finally came to the conclusion that I missed my old jet fins so I traded back. I just get more power from them. However he is pleased as can be with the split fins as they are less taxing for him. Hmm, perhaps a regulator trade should be in order next?

[maninthesea]

I use the sherwood maximus for Tech or Rec and Sherwood Magnums or Oasis's for the deco/stage tanks.

My choice of the sherwood is based on three things.
First is reliability. In my experience a sherwood will take more use and abuse than anyother regulator I have run across. A maximus adds to that by being diver tuneable in the second stage.
Which brings me to the second point, How they fail. Sherwoods generaly fail from salt or somenting being caught between the metal oriface and the seat. The salt is driven into the plastic but the IP ends up going up. In a maximus if the IP goes up you can adjust the oriface to the point where it wont freeflow. Generally it will take several dives for the IP to get to a point where it is beyond the users range of adjustment. If you know how the reg works you will notice the IP is up by the amount you must suck the diaphram in before it moves the demad lever. I have had IP's of 200 and still been using the reg. So........ I consider it much more safe than regs that catastrophicly fail in the first stage. In otherwords they are working fine until they suddenly are massively freeflowing becuase the first stage is delivering 250+psi to the second stage. Most of the scubapro and oceanic piston regs fall into this catagory along with aqualung diapram first stages. Mares first stages are split between the ones who's seats are designed like Aqualung and the ones with spherical seat design like the ruby, V-32, and V42 first stages.
Final point for me is serviceablity. Sherwood regs can all be serviced with normal tools and all the regs can be serviced with the same kit.(just ad a couple orings for the maximus swivel.
Before you all decide I am a Sherwood spokesman consider that I distribute Mares and DiveRite products. Sherwood accts for maybe 10% if you exclude tanks.
Cheers Jim

[Trimix2dive]

"My equipment sucks compared to yours, this is the best breathing regulator that I have ever used anywhere."

Oh knight in shining armour,

What brand of regulator did you so gallantly offer to the fair maiden on that fateful day?

(Inquiring minds, after all! )

My Dear Canadian friend -

it was the brand new redesigned ScubaPro X650 tuneable regulator. shop set to effortless setting. she got the virgin dive on the regulator.

The other X650 has been previously dove.

..........'redesigned' X650, huh ? ...........yeah, I guess that's 'one' way to phrase it, although I kinda prefer the more accurate terminology 'silent recall' as there was a huge controversy with massive numbers of failed 2nd stages on that regulator when it first came out........ performance quickly deteriorating to the 'sucking a golf-ball through a water hose' sensation, was commonly encountered........for a time dealers were pulling X650's off the shelf, and sometimes defective units were being replaced by S600's , hard to believe they let that thing out of the lab.

I'd have to agree with 'peterbj7'

" There's no question though that Scubapro quality isn't what it was. I envy people who still have old models like the Mk10. "

.......sure hope the 'redesigned' X650 works out better.

Karl

I heard the 1st generation sucked. I have had excellent luck with the two I purchased with one critisim, I am not a fan of the purge button. They have that issue to resolve but to 180 feet I have had no problem over 40 dives.

Minus the purge, it breaths great. Not my JetStream, but almost.

[Dennis]

My set up in Florida is a ScubaPro MK200/G200 with and Air 2 (2nd generation) Octo. I am overhauling a Sherwood Brut / Magnum with an Air 2 (3rd generation) Octo for Virginia. Both very good regs. If your regulator doesn't breath easy, it's not tuned correctly. However, you can tune it to breath too easy and it will free flow much easier. There is a trade off there.

I like my ScubaPro regs, but they are no longer made and if my piston has to be replaced on the MK200, I have to get a new 1st stage. However, it is very easy to maintain and is a tough regulator, I bought it in 1988. The Sherwood is a simple and bulletproof regulator, easy to maintain and service. I like the Air 2 because is gets rid of an Octo that can fall out of the mouthpiece holder and become a dangling thing to get tangled up in stuff.

[Travelnsj]

I just got the new Atomic B2. Being I picked it up this weekend in Catalina....I am excited to use it.....But when talking to divers at Casino point and the water Temps were between 58 at 75' and 67 at 20' burrr.....I will have to wait until October and try it in Kiribati.

I have had a Cousteau for years and liked it. In doing research on a new Reg I narrowed it down to the Legends, Apex and the Atomic B2. The Atomic got such rave reviews I picked that....Just have to wait....till October

Edited by Travelnsj, 22 August 2005 - 09:04 AM.

[David Evans]

I used to dive ScubaPros and really like(d) them, but switched to Apeks because of service issues.

I now dive the ATX 50 for my single-tank dives, and dive the ATX 100's for doubles (the hose routing is cleaner on the first stages for doubles with the 100's IMO). The more expensive 200s or Black Pearls I just don't like as much.

I use a TX50 with a DST first stage for my stage bottles, also for hose routing purposes.

The Apeks and Aqualung regs are closely related to each other, at least based on what I know of them.

I don't know much about some of the other brands listed here, but I know I've been very pleased with my ScubaPros and especially my Apeks.

-d