Cheap reg for cold water?

[AquaNSun]

I have never tried it but heard that the SP Mk2+ with its TIS system and lower flow rate is great for ice diving. It's very reliable (no o-rings subject to HP gas), easy to service and rinse (big holes in the cap) and is relatively cheap. If anyone has actually used it in ice diving can confirm this, that would be great!!!

Good luck.

 

[halocline]

You could try a MK2 with a balanced/adjustable 2nd stage. That might set you back about $100 and it would be very freeze-resistant, and ultra reliable. The comment about "beware of cheap scuba gear", while well-intentioned, is not really accurate.

Most contemporary scuba gear is priced on features, hype, and shelf-appeal. Pricing has nothing to do with safety.

The MK2 is not sealed, and while a fully sealed 1st stage would be ideal for ice diving, the MK2 does have a great cold water reputation because of it's relatively low flow flow-by, not flow-through, piston design. Stepping up from the MK2 would be either a MK17, or any number of sealed diaphragm 1st stages. I believe that the old balanced/adjustable is probably about the most freeze-resistant 2nd stage available, but you'll have to find one used.

If you're talking strictly about new regs, the MK17/G20V would be a good choice if it's in your budget. Certainly there would be absolutely no need to spend anything more than what that costs.

 

[Tortuga68]

Apeks is another great name - the XTX series all have the Environmental Dry Sealing System

This can be a bit confusing due the the pairing and nomenculature of first and second stages

 

[adambayam]

You are right Tortuga. I goofed too, the XTX20 first stage is the only one not environmentally sealed.

Link - Apexs Product Matrix

Adam

 

[Dhboner]

I vote Sherwood Blizzard...I've been diving all winter here in Ontario (Canada) and not one free-flow incident.

Bob (Toronto)

 

[knowone]

Cut a section from pushbike tyre tube. Fill ambient pressure chamber with silicone. Cover ports. Use substitute transfer medium for O2.

 

[halocline]

Cut a section from pushbike tyre tube. Fill ambient pressure chamber with silicone. Cover ports. Use substitute transfer medium for O2.

Later MK5s have very small ambient chamber ports to allow for less messy use of silicone (or O2 compatible grease) as a freeze resistant agent. I bet it works really well to prevent freezing, but it's definitely messier during rebuilds. On the bright side, the MK5s that I've bought packed with silicone have been in much better shape overall than the ones left dry.

 

[elan]

you guys really think that the OP will be messing with sealing the reg

If you can still get a Zeagle Flathead VI on sale on zeagle express they had very good price, I got 2 regs from them and use them all for cold water (<40F). FH are great regulators. I have more than 150 dives on them mostly in cold water - 30% < 40F and I only had a couple of glitches when the reg started flowing in 36F but was working fine after closing the valve and letting it warm up a bit.

Zeagle Envoy is not a cold water reg, I believe it does not have the sealed 1st stage and heat exchanger in the second stage.

A bulletproof cold reg is Sherwood Brut, few of my friends dive them in <40F water and those are virtually undestructable.

If you plan to do some diving go with some of the good regs like Apeks XTX , SP MK17/G250V, Zeagle FH and the like. These are what people mostly use here in < 40F waters.

 

[BB1]

I had a D1 cold, which I have since passed on to my buddy - they're good

Personally I use Apeks. You can pick up a 2nd hand Apeks DST for about the same price as a D1 cold, look in teh classifieds here, or on eBay

Just check you can get spares where you live

I wouldn't use a 'cheap' reg for cold water and/or deep diving, not worth saving a few $$ for a free-flow

Care to share why you passed on the HOD D1 and kept the Apeks??

 

[Troutmaster]

A little higher up on the price range is ever popular Scubapro who have the MK17 and MK25 first stages.

Adam

MK17 is a fantastic coldwater reg (that is what I am diving in my avitar photo).

The MK25 is also a great reg BUT NOT FOR COLD WATER DIVING. It is a piston first stage and if you look around this board a little you will see not alot of folks endorse pistons for cold water, and I am one of them.