Mares Ranger 12 Regulator

[Hoosier_Dive]

Does Mares still make this regulator? I have checked Mares' website, and it is not on there site. I have looked online for a manual and have not been able to find one. The reviews at Leisure Pro have all been fairly positive. It fits my budget well. I understand that the more you spend does not "always" mean the better you get. I would appreciate any feed back you might have. I now dive with a very old US Divers Conshelf SE and would like to update. Would this be any better or worse than a freshly serviced Conshelf SE?

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

It would probably be a "lateral" move. The design of the MR-12 frist stage is very similar to the Conshelf I believe. So close that I use Conshelf service kits to rebuild my Mares MR-12's .

Either first stage will provide more than enough air flow for recreational diving. The biggest factor determining performance in your case will be the performance of the 2nd stage (assuming a properly functioning 1st stage).

The 2nd stages?

I'm not sure. Probably pretty close in performance, depending on how well they are tuned. The Mares might have a very slight edge, assuming "equal" tuning. But there are better 2nd stages out there.

One option would be to keep your Conshelf 1st, and couple it with a better 2nd stage. Brand is not terribly important, but you might want to look at a HOG 2nd stage, since rebuild kits are openly available, the cost is low (for the quality), and the reviews by members on this board have been very positive.

Have fun with whatever you choose!

Best wishes.

 

[Fishpie]

As LeadTurn said the Conshelf and MR12 1st stages are very very similar and the US Divers 2nd stage is really quite good (as good as pretty much any other unbalanced downstream 2nd stage) the Mares move would be to a another very similar discontinued reg.....although at $115 quite a bargain.

 

[stevenkimbell]

I noticed this thread is a few months old, but the Mares Ranger 12 Regulator, 1st and 2nd stage just popped up on Leisure Pro again, this time at 124.95. I am currently using a USDivers Conshelf Pro (the one that sort of looks like a spaceship). I bought this 1st stage along with my Conshelf 30 in about 1986 and have been diving both of them ever since, so it has seen some service. I recently had a conversation with Aqualung about its compatibility with Nitrox. They told me they would no longer support either piece beginning in 2013. I have been thinking it may be time to upgrade to a new unit, but just cant find anything that I like well enough to put out the bucks for. However, the Mares Ranger 12 Regulator at 124.95 seems to be a really good deal for a 1st and 2nd. Any thoughts out there?

 

[Fishpie]

I can't see a time Aqualung won't have the main service parts for their diaphragm 1st stages......the seat and balance chamber o ring are what they are still using today, and have been since the mid 60's.
I haven't had to change a 2nd stage seat in many years, but I expect that they too, are the same as used today.

......plus the service parts for the MR12 and Conshelf are interchangeable.