Cold H2O reg

[CWMurf]

I'm sure this has been covered somewhere but I am hoping for specific info from a specific group of divers. I am getting the last few bits of gear to start my DSAT deep course.

I would like feedback from divers who regularly take their gear below 150' and below 40 degrees F. My instructor recommends SP MK25/S600, the local SP dealer suggests SP MK17/X650. I can't say for sure but I doubt the kid at the shop is actually diving the gear he is pushing and I doubt he dives outside the rec guidelines.

Those of you who regularly go deep and/cold, what regs do you use/recommend and what would you avoid and for what reasons.

Thanks in advance for all your guidance.

Murph

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I concur with the SP dealer that the Mk 17 is a much better cold water reg. It is fully sealed where the Mk 25 is not. More importantly the Mk 25 S600 has a reputation for freezing up in water temps below 40 degrees F. Personally I switched from the MK 25 to the MK 17 first stage on my doubles as I ice dive in the winter and even this time of year bottom temps around here are in the 38-39 degree range at 150'.

SP did extensive cold water testing with the Mk 17 and it was the only reg (of several brands tested including the Aqualung Legend Supreme) that survived the full 200 minute test at high flow rates at 165 ft in 35 degree water. The Mk 17 is in my opinion (based on extensive cold water diving experience) the best cold water reg available. In terms of deep diving performance, for test purposes I dove with a MK 25 on one post and a MK 17 on the other with a single second stage on a gas block below 150 ft and could not tell any difference in performance. The MK 17 will deliver all the gas you need in deep/technical diving situations.

I have used both the G250 and the X650 in cold water and both work well. The X650 has I think been discontinued and if so, both it and the first stage it is sold with are no longer subject to SP price restrictions so the dealer can discount it (much) more than 10%.

 

[CWMurf]

Thanks for the insightful reply. That is very valuable information to me at this point. Anybody else with any helpful info? A local buddy who I respect highly has told me that the Apex ATX and XTX regs are popular as well as the Aqualungs.

I'd really appreciate as much info as I can get before dropping the cash on a couple sets of regs. Thanks for all your help!

Murph

 

[Tim Greaves]

I would go with a Apeks XTX200 or an Apeks DS4/XTX50 setup..

I dont go much below 100' right now but I do dive in 35F or so water temps and Apeks regs work great there..

 

[Hockeynut]

Zeagle DS-V or the flathead. I've had my ds-v to 38 degrees lots. And below 120 quite a few times.

 

[cfdfirediver]

Have used my Sherwood Maximus under ice several times always works great. My dive team and two other local teams also swear by Sherwood Blizzards and Maximus.

 

[Igodeep]

I highly recommend the MK 17 for cold water. You instructor is wrong about going with a MK25 S600. The Apeks would also be a good choice for cold water since it is also dry sealed.

 

[Jimmer]

I'm with Hockeynut on the Zeagle DS-V's. I haven't been past 150, but I have done numerous dives between 100 and 130, and all of those dives were high 30's to low 40's. As well as having ice dived that reg, and I have never had even a hint of an issue with it. I also know a guy who has used that reg to 240' in the North Atlantic.

 

[captndale]

I have had MK20's and MK25's freeflow on several occasions. It never was an emergency, but it was an annoyance. I have dived MK16's (the predecessor of the MK17) for about 5 or six years. I have had them as deep as 325 feet and as cold as 34 degrees F. They have never free flowed on me.