Talked to Scubapro US yesterday and they said the Mk19 is a go

[BoltSnap]

Do you mean that an authorised SP shop will refuse servicing or honouring the guarantee for their own products?
This does not happens here for products purchased directly in the USA (Apple, for example, or Dell).
When a product is sold with a "worldwide guarantee", it should be serviced all around the world, this is actually one of the best selling point for SP: their regs are supported by a worldwide network of shops, all carrying spare parts and which can fix you reg while you are travelling in exotic locations.
Other excellent brands cannot say the same, outside certain countries it is almost impossible to find shops capable of servicing them.
Regarding import duties, these are generally a very bad thing, and I warmly hope that all these additional taxations will disappear in this globalized world. Removing them within the EU market boosted the economies of EU countries, so I really hope that this unjust taxation for importing goods is removed worldwide.
In the meanwhile, however, there are ways to minimize these costs. I do not know the tricks for the route EU=>US, but I know a number of tricks (some fully legal, some not so much) for avoiding to pay high import duties when I purchase goods from US to Italy. A quick search on the Internet can show you some of these tricks. As said, some are fully legal!

You can get SP equipment serviced anywhere in the world but warranty is something else. If you purchase something in the US from an authorized dealer, you get warranty from SP but buying it from an unauthorized dealer or from a SP dealer not authorized to sell to the US, you won't get warranty. Covered by warranty and getting it serviced are two totally different things. It is just like if I buy a Ford truck in the US and bring it to Libya, the local Ford dealer won't cover any warranty repairs by warranty since the warranty is restricted to servicing in the US. The dealer in Libya will be happy to service it but they won't cover anything under warranty if you bought your car in a different geographical area. If I want valid warranty for a Ford truck, I have to buy it from an authorized dealer for the geographical area where I'll be using the truck. Same thing applies to most car brands (Mercedes may have different policies). Computers, Dell or other brands, are the same thing.

Manufacturers have to protect their dealers in various geographical areas and enforce some sort of restrictions including restrictions on warranties.

 

[Angelo Farina]

You can get SP equipment serviced anywhere in the world but warranty is something else.

I know that outside Europe warranty is, in some way, a contract between seller and purchaser, so the seller can set its own policy. Here instead a two-years worldwide warranty is mandated by the law, and no seller can avoid it. Another good reason for buying from an EU-based seller.
Of course, the EU law applies to the original seller. So if you buy from an European seller and you are in the US, you probably cannot get warranty service in the US. But if you ship back the product to the original seller, he needs to honour the two-years law-mandatory warranty.
However, a 2-years warranty is a not-issue for a regulator, in my opinion. In fact it only covers manufacturing faults, not the normal wear and tear of parts to be replaced at bi-annual service.
If a reg has a manufacturing fault, usually you discover it at its first usage, and you can ship it back for a full refund during the "grace period" (usually 30 days after the online purchase). If the reg is working OK initially, being an high quality SP reg I assume that it will work perfectly for at least 2 years, so the warranty never kicks in. After two years you possibly need to have it serviced, and this will not be a problem.
In conclusion, I think that the fact that many Europeans are used to buy form US (or Japan, China, etc.), and a much smaller number of Americans are used to buy from EU is more a mental attitude or a cultural bias, than anything practical...
We are very happy and proud of foreign products, instead Americans think that anything coming from other countries is of lower quality. Which is ridiculous for SP regs, as most of them are designed, engineered and manufactured here in Italy, in their factory at Casarza Ligure, near Genoa...

 

[jale]

Yes, I am like Angelo on this one.
I don't get this warranty for regulators. If it works out out the box it will work beyond the warranty time. If not, it is a lemon and back to the seller. Easy and no need to care about that warranty stuff

 

[BoltSnap]

I know that outside Europe warranty is, in some way, a contract between seller and purchaser, so the seller can set its own policy. Here instead a two-years worldwide warranty is mandated by the law, and no seller can avoid it. Another good reason for buying from an EU-based seller.
Of course, the EU law applies to the original seller. So if you buy from an European seller and you are in the US, you probably cannot get warranty service in the US. But if you ship back the product to the original seller, he needs to honour the two-years law-mandatory warranty.
However, a 2-years warranty is a not-issue for a regulator, in my opinion. In fact it only covers manufacturing faults, not the normal wear and tear of parts to be replaced at bi-annual service.
If a reg has a manufacturing fault, usually you discover it at its first usage, and you can ship it back for a full refund during the "grace period" (usually 30 days after the online purchase). If the reg is working OK initially, being an high quality SP reg I assume that it will work perfectly for at least 2 years, so the warranty never kicks in. After two years you possibly need to have it serviced, and this will not be a problem.
In conclusion, I think that the fact that many Europeans are used to buy form US (or Japan, China, etc.), and a much smaller number of Americans are used to buy from EU is more a mental attitude or a cultural bias, than anything practical...
We are very happy and proud of foreign products, instead Americans think that anything coming from other countries is of lower quality. Which is ridiculous for SP regs, as most of them are designed, engineered and manufactured here in Italy, in their factory at Casarza Ligure, near Genoa...

Yeah, right. Europe/EU are the most closed market in the world. The "CE" requirement is the most discriminatory practice used by the Europeans to put competition at a disadvantage. The "Globalization" is a myth propagated by the super powers to fool third world countries. It is all BS.

 

[dorsal]

You mean this one in the US?
https://scubapro.johnsonoutdoors.co...g260-carbon-bt-dive-regulator-system?id=30056

that’s the one. I ordered as a keyman bundle

 

[BoltSnap]

that’s the one. I ordered as a keyman bundle

It looks so sexy

What alternate SS are you going to be using with this set?

 

[dorsal]

It looks so sexy

What alternate SS are you going to be using with this set?

just the basic octo R195. For what I’m using this for that’s fine

I really like the diaphragm in the 19 as I’m diving mostly colder quart or lake water in the US Midwest. Having the 5th port is nice for long hose routing but I’ll likely not use this reg set for that.

 

[Bald Wookie]

It is nice....

 

[Bald Wookie]

Also which other regs are balanced diaphrams with a removable/replaceable orifice AND pivoting turret?

 

[stuartv]

Also which other regs are balanced diaphrams with a removable/replaceable orifice AND pivoting turret?

I would also like to know what other regs are environmentally sealed, replaceable orifice, and swivel turret. I don’t care if it’s piston or diaphragm. Not really. Though I have the impression that all other things being equal, I’d probably rather have a piston.