Ice Dive Regs

[toddr]

I would like to take an Ice Dive class in Feb. I know there are regs specific to ice diving, but I don't plan to do enough ice diving to buy a special reg. The regs I have are considered cold water dive ready, but I was curious if anyone had any experience with the following? I've had all of these in 45F water.

Aqualung Titan w/Cryo kit
ScubaPro Mk25/G250V
ScubaPro Mk25/650

 

[Captain Larry]

I have a Mk25 in my reg collection but it is not environmentally sealed. I wouldn't recommend using a non-environ sealed 1st stage. I'm not certain if Scubapro offers a environmental sealing kit for the Mk25.
There are regs on the market specifically designed for cold water diving like the Atomic M1.
Larry

 

[Jimmer]

If you want to go with Scubapro for your reg, then buy a Mk17 first stage, and not the Mk25. Around here, the Mk25's are known as "Scuba-Flows" for the amount of free flows that occur in cold water.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

The TIS kit is standard on the MK 25, but it is not really up to diving in water colder than about 45 degrees unless you use absolutely perfect cold water technique.

The Mk 17 on the other hand is fully sealed, and despite the Scubapro marketing people's hype about the Mk 25, the Mk 17 is a better reg for real world use.

Both the G250V and X650 will work fine in cold water, but of the two I prefer the G250V hands down. It breathes a bit better and has better heat transfer.

 

[Captain Larry]

The TIS kit is standard on the MK 25, but it is not really up to diving in water colder than about 45 degrees unless you use absolutely perfect cold water technique.

The Mk 17 on the other hand is fully sealed, and despite the Scubapro marketing people's hype about the Mk 25, the Mk 17 is a better reg for real world use.

Both the G250V and X650 will work fine in cold water, but of the two I prefer the G250V hands down. It breathes a bit better and has better heat transfer.

My MK25 has open ports on the 1st stage, it doesn't appear to be sealed.

 

[ppo2_diver]

I've had free flows on all of my Scubapro regs. That is why I only use them from 70' and up on my deco bottles. For really cold water, like ice diving, I use Apeks. If your Aqualung is environmentally sealed, I would use that.