I've narrowed my Reg choices down...help me decide.

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Good choices. Though I will point out that if your "until I advance" means technical training you should consider making your octo another S600. It doesn't especially matter when you just have the one reg set, though.
 
My buddy, @Kim Hunter, uses an R195 on her deco bottle and she uses an S600 as her left post reg. You can repurpose the R195 later if you start tech diving.
 
Thank you everyone! With all the great feedback I have gotten, I am leaning towards the Scubapro MK17/ S600 along with the Scubapro R195 octo. Burhan made a suggestion that I agree with to have the octo match the regs. I am hoping this is a great setup that will get me in the water a lot and do me until I advance. Do you all agree? You guys are a lot more knowledgeable than I am! I have been out of the game for 15 years and just now getting back into diving.

Just to mess you up more, get the main regulator as MK17/S600 and the Octo a G260 second stage.
 
I disagree with some of the advice here, unless you have definite plans to go tech, I would not worry about tech diving. Cross that bridge when you come to it. If you do, then buy something else, like a Hog, Deep6, DRIS, or Dive Rite. Regulators that are more reasonable in cost and allow self-servicing. When you go tech you will have multiple sets of regulators. A single tank, a doubles, stage regs, a deco reg, etc. It is best if they are all the same to reduce cost and only need to stock one kit per stage.

To me a MK-17 is more like a DS4 than a DST, because the DS4 does not have a turret.

An R195 is not a bad regulator. You don't need to have 2 of the same regulators. I would just stay away from the puck octos.

If you go tech then you will need another first stage anyway. So then get another set. Pick up a used MK-2 and use it as your O2 reg with the R195.
 
I've been diving Scubapro regs for over 20 years and they've been very reliable. I noticed you chose the MK17 first stage which is a balanced diaphragm design... if it were up to me, I would go with Scubapro's balanced flow-through piston design like the Mk25. This is the design they are really known for and I've found that the gas delivery is smoother on these than their diaphragm designs... especially at depth. That's not a knock on diaphragm designs at all... Apeks delivers great breathing on their regs which are diaphragm and the Mk17 is still a very good choice, plus you may not really notice the difference, but for Scubapro I personally prefer their balanced flow-through piston first stages.
 
All great advice. I have a lot to think about. I am planning on ordering from DIR Direct in the UK. They have several reg packages to choose from.
 
I REALLY like the Apeks XTX200 package but I was told it would be very hard to get it serviced here in the US. I was also told that buying from the UK, I would lose my 2 year warranty in order to get the big cost savings.
 
I REALLY like the Apeks XTX200 package but I was told it would be very hard to get it serviced here in the US.

Why is this? Perhaps this may be the case in your area if there isn't a service tech who can work on Apeks. I know of plenty of people who own Apeks regs and have no issues getting them serviced.
 

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