Guide to Mares regulators from 2000-2020

[Zef]

Mares Abyss 22 Extreme - "This is the Abyss 22 plus Mares’ new Dry Cold Water Kit, which insulates the first stage and includes a coating for the second stage to prevent ice formation."

Are you familiar with archive.org? It takes snapshots of webpages over time and lets you view them at each date. It doesn't have a search function, but you can often start at the top address like mares.com and dig your way down to what you are looking for. So
Abyss 22 Extreme page from 3/15/2003

Click on "product details" and you'll see that they specify it has the Dry kit.

2009 is when the Abyss 22 Extreme first appears.

I put 2008 in my update to the list in my post above because the 2009 dealer service manual listed it as a 2008 revision. I will update the post above with the pictures and dates to reflect 2009......my research got me super close though.

-Z

 

[lowwall]

I think you are correct about the Abyss 22 Navy coming out in 2011. I was basing it on a reddit thread with a 2008 page date, but that date appears to be spurious.

 

[Zef]

Looks like the Extreme was replaced by the MR22 Navy as of January 2011.

-Z

 

[lowwall]

There was a 2nd stage that was paired with older versions of the MR12 that was known as the "Navy" but that was similar to the III and the Beta and dates back to before the introduction of the MR22 1st stage and Abyss 2nd stage....I read a reference that this 2nd stage body may have been plastic. The Beta, Navy and III second stages may have been precursors to the Voltrex which eventually became the Abyss. Here is a labeled picture for reference.

I believe it's more accurate to say the MR12 III second which had a metal body was the precursor to the Voltrex/Abyss et al. The Beta was developed from the MR12 IV plastic-bodied second. Here's the III from 2 angles followed by the IV:

The III second stage was in turn based on the AMF Swimaster/Voit MR12-II which Mares acquired as part of the AMF breakup. The bypass tube which pretty much defines Mares second stages was actually was introduced on the II. This was tested by the NEDU in 1977. The report is here: http://archive.rubicon-foundation.o...le/123456789/4809/NEDU_1977_09.pdf?sequence=1 .

"The downstream second stage has a unique bypass tube that differentiates it from its predecessor, the MR12. The bypass tube directs the air from the valve seat directly to the mouthpiece, completely bypassing the diaphragm area."

"The Swimaster MR12-II meets mil spec requirements and is recommended for placement on the list of equipment authorized for Navy use.

Under normal circumstances, the MR12-II regulator is an easily operated breathing apparatus with exceptionally low work rates. As specified by the manufacturer, the vortex-assist mechanism is effective in reducing inhalation resistance."

Here's the image of the tested MR12-II. You can see the distinctive shape of the bypass tube in today's Abyss and DR.

Finally, if you want to go all the way back to the source, take a look at Greg Barlow's article in the Summer 2000 issue of Historical Diver (page 32) which describes how Voit built the MR12 to try to be the first single hose regulator to meet NEDU requirements: http://aquaticcommons.org/15012/1/Historical_Diver_24_2000.pdf

"Two designers decided to buckle down and solve the dilemma that had plagued the manufacturers for years. Andrew (Jack) Chappell, and Fritz (Fred) Schuler ofVoit/Swimaster took the excellent balanced diaphragm first stage that they had incorporated on the Dolphin II regulator and used it as the starting point. At that time, the balanced diaphragm first stage had an outstanding airflow with a corresponding small drop in intermediate pressure. When this design was extensively tested it was found that the pressure within the LP chamber would seldom drop more than 15psi, despite the workload. This design was such an innovation that it still stands as the primary engineering background for the latest Mares MR12 versions.

...

With much trepidation, Jack attached the reg under the watchful eyes of the naval operators and turned on the machine. As the breathing simulator increased the number of cycles and the depth rating, the results were read. The new design had passed with flying colors! The careful engineering and Yankee ingenuity had paid off.

The prototype was then sent to Voit's production facility in Santa Ana and the plans were drawn up for full production. The MR12 name was chosen to be the title of the first U.S. Navy approved single-hose regulator, the MR standing for "Military Regulator" and the "1" being single-hose; the "2" stood for the two-stage design.

Full production of the MR12 commenced in late 1970, and the diving world was soon to be changed forever. Voit sold the MR12's as quickly as they could manufacture them and soon their competitors were retooling in an attempt to match the performance of the new standard.

The death knell was sounded for the two-hosed regulator, and sadly just one decade later Voit/Swimaster disappeared from the market. Its legacy, the MR12 still lives on in Mares late incarnations.

 

[lowwall]

@Zef - some more Abyss family links for you

Mares Lab equipment seminar - IDC Thailand Blog - Report from a "Mares Lab equipment seminar" including teardown pics of a Turbo Abyss

Next are some old Diver magazine tests (from archive.org)

August 1997 issue, Diver Tests August 1997

The Mares MR16 first stage combined with the well-established Voltrex second stage is a new product intended to slot into a niche between the MR12 Voltrex and MR22 Abyss.
With four medium-pressure and two high-pressure ports positioned around a cylindrical first-stage block, it lacks the fancy hose-routeing of the more expensive MR22. And despite advertising claims, I discovered that it was impossible to use it with the transmitter of a radio-controlled deco computer like the Air-X, because the hoses were too crowded together.
It has a very sexy black paint job, however, and this paint is unusual in being soft to the touch and resilient enough to stand the slings and arrows of misfortune that seem to visit regulators rigged on cylinders in busy dive boats.
Under water I was able to compare the MR16 Voltrex, at all the depths an air-breathing diver can safely plumb, with both the MR12 and the MR22 Abyss.
All three proved excellent, and I would have no qualms about using any of them at up to 1.6 bar ppO2 (66msw), but the MR16 Voltrex seemed surprisingly smoother compared to the MR22 Abyss. The latter was my own regulator, which has seen a lot of use, but it had only just been serviced by the top Mares technician in the UK, so I have no doubt that it was in perfect condition. What else does the MR16 Voltrex have to offer? The second-stage is made partly of metal, with all the good heat-sink qualities and freedom from freezing problems that implies. In line with all Mares second-stages it uses a unique bypass tube to avoid the problems of a high air flow within it causing a pressure drop and the diaphragm to be pushed in, with resultant free-flow.

November 1997 issue, Diver Tests November 1997

When Mares produced the MR22 Abyss regulator, it was aiming at the top end of the market. It was a very expensive item and, for those who really wanted to spend money, it was also made available with titanium plating instead of conventional chrome.
When it comes to something as important as breathing, it seems that divers are willing to pay the extra, and the MR22 Abyss has become a runaway success. Also, it has a proven record of reliability, with Mares receiving fewer than 0.1 per cent of warranty claims on sales, even in the consumerist USA.
When a manufacturer has made a product that really works, it has a great incentive to keep ahead in the R&D; department. I would have thought this nigh on impossible with the Abyss, but Mares has succeeded with the Mares MR22 Abyss Ruby.
The Ruby has the now-familiar MR22 first stage with two hp and four mp ports, which allow the hoses to route off in the most convenient way, but the poppet seat of the valve is made from urethane plastic with an actual ruby gem stone set in it.
For the same reason that jewels are used in expensive mechanical Swiss watches, this allows virtually no wear and tear. An average sport diver will never have to replace it, and a busy professional is expected to get at least four years of use without any servicing needed. Equally, it is said to resist oil or grease and any form of corrosion....
The second stage of the Abyss Ruby is an amazing bit of retro design. It looks like it came off the carburettor of a Harley-Davidson.
It uses a lot of metal and therefore has good heat-sink qualities - good news for those who dive in cold water. The front reminds me of the perforated zinc they used to sell for the windows of larders (sorry, if you are under 45 - you won't have a clue what I'm talking about!).
This design breaks up water flow caused by currents or fast body movements (such as when using a DPV) in order to prevent the uncontrolled free-flow sometimes experienced with high-performance second-stage diaphragms that are very finely tuned....
I found the Ruby's performance indistinguishable from the plain MR22's. Naturally, I assume it would take me years to report on its longevity - watch this space!

That didn't quite work out as expected.

March 1998 issue, "The Deep Breath Tests" Regulator Tests - March 1998

Mares MR12 Voltrex

First impressions: The design of the MR12 first-stage meant a tortuous route for some hoses, but it has an excellent rubber bumper. The second-stage is mainly metal, which bodes well for cold-water use, and we liked the simplicity of the patented Mares by-pass tube. No knobs!

At depth:
George: "A great breather at all levels of demand. No nonsense. I liked its shape, although I would have preferred a bigger mouthpiece."
Sarah: "My star performer. Better than the Apeks TX40. A very, very nice breathe. The second-stage is nice and small and did not obtrude into my line of sight. It could do with a better mouthpiece. What a shame about the way the hoses route."
Steffi: "Although I found the mouthpiece too small and it tended to free-flow too readily, its air delivery was great. It is a great little unit. With power breathing there was no change whatsoever. I'd be happy to use it in a cave."
Steve: "Excellent, very positive. There was no flutter or change of speed of delivery. I could not fault its performance, even when tilting face-up."

...
Mares MR22 Ruby
First impressions: A beautiful bit of kit! A seriously heavy MR22 first-stage with excellent hose routeing from an ergonomic design, and a retro-look second-stage that is much lighter than it looks. It has all the advantages of metal (for cold-water use) and no knobs! The mouthpiece was felt to be too small.

At depth:
George: "I could use any number of adjectives to describe the quality of the breathing. Excellent - and no knobs!"
Sarah: "A poor mouthpiece but certainly the best regulator of the day."
Steffi: "Very smooth and very nice in the mouth. There was increased inhalation resistance when tilting the head far back."
Steve: "Very smooth."

February 1999 issue, Diver Tests February 1999

Some think the Mares Ruby regulator is the best you can buy - but it is expensive. So Mares has come up with a less extravagant alternative, the VX16scs Titan with Orbiter second stage. I have no idea why products like this should require such complicated titles, especially when a similarly named regulator first stage is already available from another manufacturer - you must ask the Italians.
Like the Ruby, the VX16 has a balanced diaphragm first stage, but its high-pressure seat is of titanium instead of a gemstone. In common with most Mares regulators, this one features Dynamic Flow Control, the company's design solution to the problem of getting the air out with as few restrictions as possible.
It is a fixed unit with four medium- and two high-pressure ports, and is encased in a black rubberised paint-like material that gives it a very smart appearance.
The ports don't seem to be positioned as closely together as I remember with the similar MR16, although there will still be a problem when the regulator is used with an air-integrated computer transmitter unit in one hp port.
The machining of the A-clamp revealed an Italian flair when it came to design, and the soft rubber and plastic combination knob was a pleasure to handle with water-softened hands after a long dive.
Also like the Ruby, the VX16 has a vortex-assisted second stage that neatly dispenses with any additional knobs for venturi +/- or breathing resistance adjustment.
It doesn't have quite the retro-look appeal of the Ruby but, with a mesh front that acts as a heat sink and aids inhalation, it promises to be a trouble-free performer under water.
Despite its all-metal look, the second stage was lightweight in the mouth. I found it gave me plenty of air, albeit in a narrow cone, but I thought that in comparison to the Poseidon and Dacor it was a little "squeaky" in the way it delivered it.

 

[lowwall]

One more link. DIVERNET- Equipment test index

This is the last archive.org version of the Diver magazine's Diver Tests index with working links. This page links to all their tests from January 1996 through August 2006. It's a valuable resource to anyone interested in the equipment introduced in that era.

 

[Roisland]

I am an old Mares fan and own/have owned several regulators, I have been using Apek sidemount kit with DST first stages up until now. I just bought the brand new Mares 28XR HR Sidemount kit. The fist stages look beautiful. Due to Corona my dive trip was cancelled so I have no experience using them. There is not much info or reviews available online yet.
Does anyone here have any experience?

Thanks

Johan

 

[Zef]

@lowwall / @JackD342 ,

Do you guys (or anyone else for that matter) know why the AST (auto sealing technology) cannot be retrofit in the DIN connector of an MR22 1st stage?

I am wondering if Mares does not list it in the ad copy because they are only producing the Navy certified version of the MR22 right now as opposed to it just not being compatible....is that correct? or is there a physical issue with the MR22 DIN that prevents it from being installed and working properly?

I would have guessed that if it was compatible with the MR52 then the it would work with the MR22 as well, but I am asking because I am not 100% sure about this.

-Z

 

[lowwall]

I am an old Mares fan and own/have owned several regulators, I have been using Apek sidemount kit with DST first stages up until now. I just bought the brand new Mares 28XR HR Sidemount kit. The fist stages look beautiful. Due to Corona my dive trip was cancelled so I have no experience using them. There is not much info or reviews available online yet.

The 28XR first stage is the 82X with a nicer finish and a factory included coldwater kit, which they call "Twin Balanced Piston Dry Kit". This is the newer of the two coldwater kits available for the 82X. I don't know the advantages of one versus the other. The second stage appears to be a Dual ADJ, again with different cosmetics.

You can find reviews of both the 82X and Dual ADJ, but probably not set up together since the 82X only comes from Mares with the Epic Adj and Ultra Adj. Note that Mares doesn't use their Epic, Fusion, or Ultra second stages in the XR range. This should tell you what the divers (as opposed to the marketers) at Mares really think of the "Twin Power System".

 

[Roisland]

The 28XR first stage is the 82X with a nicer finish and a factory included coldwater kit, which they call "Twin Balanced Piston Dry Kit". This is the newer of the two coldwater kits available for the 82X. I don't know the advantages of one versus the other. The second stage appears to be a Dual ADJ, again with different cosmetics.

You can find reviews of both the 82X and Dual ADJ, but probably not set up together since the 82X only comes from Mares with the Epic Adj and Ultra Adj. Note that Mares doesn't use their Epic, Fusion, or Ultra second stages in the XR range. This should tell you what the divers (as opposed to the marketers) at Mares really think of the "Twin Power System".

Thanks Iowwall!