choices choices choices!!

[Hoyden]

I have SP Mk20s with g250s and Apeks DS4s with Tx50 and TX 100 (also have an ATX200) - I prefer the SPs because they breathe dry in any position - the Apeks breathe wet if you are head down or on your back. The Apeks and Scuba Pros that you are considering are both great regs and will deliver all the gas you need. I have had the Scuba Pros in water down to 41 degrees with no problems. I hope to never be in water colder than that so I don't anticipate any issues with them. If you go with the Apeks and can get a TX 50 instead of the ATX 50 you will like the exhaust tee better - it is larger and keeps the bubbles out of your face better than the atx.

Jackie Cooper

 

[Fouremco]

Having used a MK 25 extensively, it's a great reg, but I like the new Mk 17 much better. It's sealed design makes it bullet proof in cold water and the performance is excellent. The Mk 25 left a lot to be desired in cold water but the Mk 17 does not, and is pretty much eliminated any advantage Apeks had over the earlier unsealed SP designs.

I'm seriously considering the Mk 17, but have been told that the air flow is considerably less than the Mk 25, which my LDS has recommended. As a new diver, whose only experience has been with the Mk 16, I have a very limited base for comparison. Have you found any major difference between the two from this perspective? Also, what second stage are you using with the Mk 17?

 

[DiverBuoy]

hey all,

Im the new guy looking for my first reg. Have narrowed it down to 3 in my price range. Im chose based on availablity of a breathing resistence knob ( sounds like a good idea to me) and being environmentally sealed ( dive in mid-atlantic, and planning to not stop when it gets a little cold). I know you all probably have your alliegences, but has anyone had good or bad expereinces with these exact models? ( not just brands)

1. Scubapro mk25/gp250 ( or s600 if i can find a good price)
2. apeks atx50
2. atomic z2

your thoughts?

For your price range here is what I have to offer. I currently own Apex and Atomic. Above all else I love my T1/T2 Atomic Extreme. A close dive buddy of mine (about 100 dives together) has owned the s600 for a while and swears by it. But he did indicate if he had the money he would have bought my regulator. The bottom line is I don't have any experience with the b (bronze) or z (zinc) versions of Atomic but would swear by their service record and performance at deep depths and in high demand work-load. Before I bought my Atomic I did about a hundred dives on my Apex. Apex is world renouned standard for bailout bottles and the like. The conclusion - I can't imagine you'd be unhappy with any of these three choices. Should have thrown in a mares/dacor, oceanic, or other piece of crap so we could have helped you to quickly narrow it down

 

[DiverBuoy]

I tried the ATX 50 and the ATX 200 was not able to notice a difference so I purchased the ATX 50 with no regrets

Actually unlike many companies these three are famous for consistent performance across all 3 levels of their regulars. Apex and Atomic IMO have the most consistent ease-of-breathing across their model line - ie. bottom of the line performs like their top of the line, with little variance. You spend more money for special enviroments (like water below freezing - needing a sealed 1st stage), peformance at depth and in high work-load, the t1/t2 Atomic (retails about $1800.00) for example was in its day the only regulator to claim a bi-annual service mfg service requirement. After hundreds of dives I've only serviced it 2 times in 4 years.

On the other hand ScubaPro at the bottom end has it's share of duds, but these models were not listed in your choices, the ScubaPro regs mentioned are really decent models.

 

[gt3073b]

On the other hand ScubaPro at the bottom end has it's share of duds, but these models were not listed in your choices, the ScubaPro regs mentioned are really decent models.

I haven't tried ScubaPro's higher end regs, but their (bottom of the line) R180 and R380 is like breathing through a short straw. Not hard but you are fully aware of each breath. When I was getting certified, I just assumed all regs were like this underwater. Then I tried a better reg on the last pool day....

I ended up going with the very reasonably priced Apeks ATX50/40 with DST first stage. After further reading here, the DS4 may have been a better option but I'm VERY happy with my setup. Runs great even in the murky 43F quarry water. It also breathes incredibly easy.

 

[David P]

The MK 17 does have significantly lower flow than the 25, however, it has significantly higher flow than many other regs. I don't think it would be possible to out breath this sucker! People run the S650 on a MK 17, so its a high performer.Scuba pro is planning on coming out with an economy version of the MK 17 with a diaphram thats not so thin and flexable so you may wait a little while and see what the price difference is if your trying to pinch a couple of pennies. Something else you may consider... get a nice balanced second stage like the 250/600 and get a bullet proof, super simple, inexpensive Mk2? You get the ease of breathing from the second stage and unless your doing super crazy diving I doubt you'll ever REALLY need anything more than the MK2

 

[DiverBuoy]

Sorry if this seems like a thread hijack ... but I agree gt3073b Yah ScubaPro has some real 20-40feet-of-water-resort-course-"specials" in its inventory. Of that you can be sure. Diveshops love to order this crap because renters are so abusive. And since they end up replacing the more expensive stuff in about the same period, why spend the money. I'm sure this type of business was not the exclusive domain of Mares/Dacor, Genesis, Oceanic, ... but IMO ScubaPro would do a lot better if they decided not to represent this domain at all, or just find a way to make a better (and still lower cost) regulator.

What is sad for the public is that some students do pay attention to what they learned on - if not the model at least the brand name.

 

[Eagle-scuba]

I use the MK25 and S600, and have found that Scuba pro is widely used at most international dive resort areas that I have visited, making it easy to find repair and replacement parts should there ever be problems ( never happened to me yet) , for the money it is the best I have found, not to mention the warranty..

 

[DiverBuoy]

Oh one more thing, do you plan to dive oxygen enriched air, then you will also have to give consideration to the regulator you buy, it would have to be serviced for EAN for example and then it could not be switched back and forth. The o-rings and lubricants used have to be safe with higher oxygen environment. For example some of these regulators have a max O2 % limit. Many of the Apex/Zeagle low end models can't service past 40% O2. But anyway for more details post your questions in the technical forum.

 

[mccaigk1]

thanks for all the input guys,


Diverbuoy,

I do plan on getting eanx certified in the future. I also mean to make this investment a lasting one so id want my reg to be nitrox compatible. I was under the assumption that all 3 of these regs were compatible to 40% I guess my question is, once you go eanx you cant breath air on the same reg once the o-rings and such have been switched over? i can see how standard parts could be sensitive to more o2, but will the degrade with a lesser o2 content? Also, what exactly do you mean by "breaths dry" lol i hope i dont buy this thing ( am leaning to the atx50 right now) and get mouth full of water!

-kevin