Looking for input on 2nd stage + octo to pair with MK17 for ~45F water

[Couv]

SP 109 or Balanced Adjustable is my suggestion. @rhwestfall won't tell you that because he hoards them. I might even have some for sale, but don't tell Bob.

Errr correction, I just went back and read your post saying cost is not a concern. I KNOW I have some for sale.

 

[Matt S.]

Right now I am considering a garden hose with "Scurba pro" written on it.

 

[runsongas]

even if it costs you a little bit more to get the dive rites serviced, it will be a long time before you would break even on a new scubapro set.

going 2 years between services, even if the dive rites cost you 100 dollars more to get serviced each time than the scubapro (doubtful), you would be looking at 16 years before you break even on a 800 dollar set of regulators

another option is to just buy new regs and dive them till they need service. once that happens, sell them and buy a new set. people did that with the hogs and you could do that with the deep 6 regs. the math can work out roughly the same as paying a shop to service your regs.

 

[Matt S.]

Not being able to get any service at all without a lengthy delay is the primary consideration in the switch. Cost is secondary. I did the math too.

When I figure out what I might be switching to, I will consider all the costs and factors and make a decision. That still might be keeping the Dive Rites. But they will be out of commission for weeks every year if I have to send them to Florida for service, and if something comes up in between services, I'll have to do it again.

 

[207diver]

If you are asking about CURRENT scubapro models you won't be disappointed with the mk17/g260. You pay a bit more with Scubapro but you can be assured that they will be around and support their product for a long time to come. As far as the octo is concerned you could get another g260 or whatever the current "R" series octo is and save some cash. Both will performe well enough to terminate your dive comfortably should you ever need to use it.

 

[Matt S.]

Thanks @207diver ! The G260 seems to be a pretty safe bet.

The S600 is interesting as it is a little smaller, and I do travel sometimes... but most of my use would be in cold home waters so the travel factor isn't too important.

 

[ams511]

@Matt S. You did not mention why you suddenly cannot get your regulators serviced locally. The main reason a dive shop stops servicing a brand of regulator is because they are no longer a dealer. Once they stop being a dealer they can no longer purchase factory parts. Consequently, they cannot service the regulator once their supply of parts is exhausted. However, Dive Rite does sell parts to the end consumer so there is nothing stopping the LDS or you from purchasing the kits from DGX or another vendor and having the tech at the LDS service the regulator. This leads me to believe they are trying to sell you a new regulator, which is not necessary since you said you are happy with the Dive Rites.

My advice is to ask if you purchase factory parts will they service the regulator. If not, and you want a new regulator then I would push them on price. If they will not move then find another shop. The MK-17 is usually paired with a G-260 or A-700. I have no experience with either but if it was my decision I would go with the G-260 and put the savings toward another G-260 for the safe-second.

 

[Matt S.]

I live in the Seattle area. There are a few dive shops who do reg service with their own techs, and the ones I contacted no longer do Dive Rite. There's one semi-local tech who was always the fall-back guy for shops who needed an assist with unusual stuff, and he no longer does Dive Rite either. This isn't a case of one shop trying to sell me a new reg set... No one I have called will work on Dive Rite any more.

One tech even called around to his buddies in the area and none of them were doing Dive Rite, either. The impression I get is unless these guys can order a big pile of service kits and expect to go through them, they are not interested in doing a one-off. And Dive Rite is not as popular here as it was some years ago, the last time I was diving.

I have not yet called every shop and I will make a few more calls before I have to make a decision. But upon contacting the top few busy shops the message was consistent: sorry, no Dive Rite service here.

Now you know exactly as much as I do about the local reg tech scene!

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

You can always mail the reg back to Dive-Rite for service.

 

[Matt S.]

I know, the benefit of switching manufacturers would be not having to do it by mail.