Mares ice

[trevinkorea]

I'm considering a mares (proton) ice reg.

so far I haven't been able to find many threads on this reg.

My question. I dive cold water most of the time. I mean, cold enough to feel the chill through a drysuit with a 200 gram thinsulate undergarment and a couple layers of fleece.

Mares is advertising thier ice reg. Blue all metal second and black first stage.

Is this a good reg? I haven't heard much about it. A LDS has one that he can't move and I may be able to get a good deal on it. It is not moving only becuase most of the divers where I am currently living dive tropical or warm water only.

Please post any comments on this reg.

I plan to use it as a primary sometimes and a stage reg as well if the dive requires.

Is this reg compatable with higher O2 mixes?
Is this a good deep reg? I will limit myself to around 150 feet for the near future but am considering taking an extended range course or possibly an intro trimix course in a couple of years.

I love scubapro regs and Apex have also been good but I would really appreciate any information on the mares line.

 

[rescuediver009]

There is nothing wrong with Mares. People who have them seem to like them. While the Proton ice is a great reg and is well suited for cold water. If you are searching for an ice regulator however, Mares still uses the old school silicone environmental kit (which is optional). I wouldn't use the kit, but at the sametime it doesn't seem that you are going to be under the ice anytime soon. So yes it is a great reg and if you can get it cheap, I would jump at it. Take a look at Apeks and scubapro first though, I don't know many people that would pick the Mares over either of those two...

 

[dannobee]

I currently have three regs, one of which is an Ice. It breathes VERY well at any depth and I've had it down to the low 40's deg. and haven't had any problems with it. In case others are wondering what else I have to compare it to, I also have an Apeks ATX 200 and an ATX 50. (I also have a Mares Axis that I use for a pony, but I hardly ever breathe from it). I find myself sticking the Ice in the dive bag more often than not, and my daughter liked it so much that I was forced to buy her one too.

FWIW, most people seemed to be turned off by the blue color than anything else. It also lacks any external adjustments, but in all my diving with it, I've never found myself wanting one on this reg, and it's never freeflowed, even with a strong current or scooter.

 

[aquaoren]

Don't have any experience with the Mares Ice but I have a Mares Abyss. I also have 2xApeks DS4/ATX50 for my doubles and a Poseidon Jetstream.
The Abyss breathes better than the Apeks regs and is fully suitable for cold water diving without the CW-kit.
Pretty much all regs are suitable for highr O2 mixes up to 40%.

 

[Divedoggie]

Talk to Larry or email him, at www.scubatoys.com He and I had a lengthy talk about the ICE. He has the best price on them too!