New diver seeking reg advice

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Thank you for your informative post mattboy. I will let her try that and if she does not experience any difficulty, then I will get her one as well. My LDS suggested the Mk25, because it can be easily dialed in right there on the spot.

I dove with a Mk25 once and I wasn't impressed, I liked the simplified regulators more. That is my personal taste. But I am also afraid that my wife would freak out if her reg just started freeflowing and she didn't know which knob to turn. :)

I will try to keep it very simple. :D Thanks again!
 
My LDS suggested the Mk25, because it can be easily dialed in right there on the spot.

I have no idea what they're talking about, except for the user adjustable inhalation resistance on the S600. I believe, though, that the SP spec is to adjust the reg breathing resistance with the adjuster all the way out, which means (theoretically anyhow) that you can only make it harder to breathe, not easier. Certainly the cracking effort on the S600 could be set a little lighter than on the R190, and since the spring is lighter, it does theoretically take less effort to keep the reg flowing.

One real difference between the two is that as the tank empties, the IP on the MK2 will drop, eventually to the point where you will feel a difference in breathing resistance. I have found from experience that I can tell my MK2 is breathing harder at about 300-400PSI, and the deepest I've ever been at that point was 25 ft sitting on a platform breathing the reg down to see what happened to resistance. My feeling is, if you're at any real depth with 300PSI, chances are you are unaware of your dilemma and the slight increase in breathing resistance could be a welcome reminder that you're soon to be in a pickle.

I'd still be diving my MK2 all the time except I got interested in older SP piston regs, just out of curiosity. One thing I've found is that when in good shape, they all breathe great. One of my favorites is the old metal case 2nd stage, the 156. If you like simplicity and want a higher performing reg than the MK2/R190, you could buy a used MK5/156 (or 109) and get someone to rebuild it. They're not quite the paragon of simplicity that the MK2 is, but they're pretty close. Bet your LDS thinks that's a bad idea!
 
Bet your LDS thinks that's a bad idea!

Of course! If they thought it was a good idea, then they wouldn't be making money off of me. :D

I'll try out the Mk2/R190 this upcoming Friday. Most likely you will find a post on here later this week that states I picked one up. :lol:

The last item I will need to pick up (after the reg's) will be my gauges...but I will worry about that a little later on this year.

Thanks again for all the information.

Cheers
 
Hallo there If I were to speak the truth for the best reg for price see if you can find dacor they exaclty the same as mares for cheaper I think ok they are cheaper here where I am they use the same insides as mares they are both built by mares so the are not gonna go out the door soon.
The little R2 is awesome in the mares range The first stage has only 2 moving parts two o rings and a hp poppet I can service one for less than a dollar REALLY. You will probably get a rebel second stage and they are also very simple so once you start servicing them yourself it will be such a comfort they also clean so easy the upgrade on that is the Mr 12 which I will dive to 50m
no problem and the also quite cheap
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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