Scubagaskets getting into the Reg business

[BoltSnap]

if only to maintain my reputation as a Mk25 hater,

So you are finally coming out of the closet and admitting it publicly?? I knew it and said it before, you are a "hater"

 

[rsingler]

Just chatted with the owner of Scubagaskets, and it turns out that they've been in development with Narwhal for the HotDive for some years now. This is not a sudden decision.
Sure, Narwhal may OEM this for more than one brand, just like WMD and others, but Scubagaskets has been in on this early, and as I suggested, is influencing design factors beyond the branding.
As for cost differences, at least part of the difference is Scubagaskets policy of a uniform shipping fee anywhere in the world, apparently even if multiple (heavy) regs are purchased. And then you also have the benefit of a company to turn to for problems, rather than an anonymous factory 10,000 miles away. That has some modest value, in and of itself.

 

[Tanks A Lot]

I had a bit of a back and forth with some people involved, including ScubaGaskets and here is where it stands.

• Their drop-shipping has the intention to keep prices uniform for where ever one orders from. Otherwise some customers outside the EU would end up paying taxes twice, once for import into the EU and then again on importing into their home country if outside the EU. It has nothing to do with the certifications of the regulator as I previously assumed. The regulator is indeed EN250 compliant.
• People will receive a free service manual alongside their regulator. This is a huge boon in my eyes and speaks well for the path that ScubaGaskets tries to get on.
• People will have a secure way of getting spare parts and kits for their regulators as they can get these directly from ScubaGaskets.
• ScubaGaskets is evaluating and checking on the stainless steel for the O2 regulator.

I wish I could edit my previous posts or at least amend them. My words have been too harsh in condemning this off the bat. ScubaGaskets has been forthcoming in addressing my concerns and very open in their responses.

I do hope they end up with a good polished product, with parts and documentation freely available for everyone. This would be great for the dive community and maybe finally put a stop to the "liability" nonsense that so many other manufacturers pursue.