Mares reg

[Paul Evans]

Hi all,

my 1st post on this board, so would appreciate any tips and advice!

I've been looking around to purchase my own scubagear, and am considering the Mares v32 proton xl reg and proton oct

the dive shop i've gone to quoted me $462 for the set, but it's still negotiable. I am in Singapore right now.

any comments on the price and recommendations on other brands. I usually rent, and haven't been on hte lookout for gears, so am not familiar with current technology, models. any advice appreciated!

TIA

I forgot to mention that the Proton Metal is now avalible, this is all metal and has pretty much the same characteristics as The Proton Ice, All the Proton regs are the same design its only the first stage that is different, even then as Larry pointed out the guts are very similar.

If you are going to be diving in cold water, or at some point in the future, remember regs last a long time, then get the proton metal or ice with a cold water kit fitted. Trust me this was the mistake I made, I borrow a ice if I,am diving cold.

Mares have just opened a new depot in North America and this should solve all of the parts problems. Its a shame they have had this problem in the States and It almost certainly has contributed to a bad rep. The regs are widely used in Europe with no problems in general.

 

[dachsie]

hihi,

thanks for all the replies. well.. i've done anotehr round of looking around yesterday.

what do you all think about Scubapro's MK2/R390 and Oceanic's PX2/Omega2 or PX2/zeta setup?

is it comparable with the mares regs? i quite like the fact that the proton/omega/zeta 2nd stage is small and compact.

I won't be doing cold water diving. I live in Singapore, so it'll be mostly tropical waters for me.

 

[Paul Evans]

Sorry I did'nt spot Singapore :11: , Of coarse its freezing cold there

 

[PurduEE]

hihi,

thanks for all the replies. well.. i've done anotehr round of looking around yesterday.

what do you all think about Scubapro's MK2/R390 and Oceanic's PX2/Omega2 or PX2/zeta setup?

is it comparable with the mares regs? i quite like the fact that the proton/omega/zeta 2nd stage is small and compact.

I won't be doing cold water diving. I live in Singapore, so it'll be mostly tropical waters for me.

I have a bunch of regs, including both some mares (proton ice, abyss) and oceanic (zeta cdx5, zeta dx4). I like the abyss quite a bit, it's a solid, good breathing reg. However, without a sealed first stage, it's not so good for diving in our local fresh-water lakes, so I use a zeta dx4 with environmental seal. Personally, I like diaphragm regs more than the pistons, so I stayed away from the px2.

The zeta out of the box is a little sensitive and likely to free-flow. 30 seconds with a screwdriver and mine's great. I went with the zeta over the omega due to the lack of a front purge on the omega (its on the side), and the age of the omega second design. For an octo, I pulled a mares proton off another reg. It's a great setup for me.

 

[aquaoren]

I have a bunch of regs, including both some mares (proton ice, abyss) and oceanic (zeta cdx5, zeta dx4). I like the abyss quite a bit, it's a solid, good breathing reg. However, without a sealed first stage, it's not so good for diving in our local fresh-water lakes, so I use a zeta dx4 with environmental seal. Personally, I like diaphragm regs more than the pistons, so I stayed away from the px2.

The zeta out of the box is a little sensitive and likely to free-flow. 30 seconds with a screwdriver and mine's great. I went with the zeta over the omega due to the lack of a front purge on the omega (its on the side), and the age of the omega second design. For an octo, I pulled a mares proton off another reg. It's a great setup for me.

i have a mares abyss and i love it.
dove with it in freezing german lakes, in nova scotia in january between floating ice chunks and now in the great lakes and the reg never even have something similar to a hick up. always delivered the same amount of air either in 5 meters or 50 meters regardless of the temperatures, so i can not confirm that it's no good for cold water.
i didn't dive oceanic but i dove scubapro, apeks, poseidon, sherwood, aqua lung and atomic(b1) and the mares isn't any worse, maybe even better. this will be a matter of personal pref.
i don't know anyone though who bought a mares and didn't like it so go with a mares and you will most likely not regret it.
they are all very solid and well made regs.
just my opinion
oren

 

[edwinh]

hihi,

thanks for all the replies. well.. i've done anotehr round of looking around yesterday.

what do you all think about Scubapro's MK2/R390 and Oceanic's PX2/Omega2 or PX2/zeta setup?

is it comparable with the mares regs? i quite like the fact that the proton/omega/zeta 2nd stage is small and compact.

I won't be doing cold water diving. I live in Singapore, so it'll be mostly tropical waters for me.

I dove with my friend's Abyss before and I liked that reg. Very easy breathing even at 40m. However, it has a very stiff hose and it breathes dry. I had to hold the reg with my hand to rest my jaws and to keep sucking my saliva to moisten my mouth.

I have no experience with Oceanic's regs, so I shan't comment on that. Your latter choice of Mk2/R390 is quite a big step backwards from a middle-top range regs to budget range regs.

What is your budget for the regs? Remember to include your console and octopus into the consideration too.

R390 is normally used as an Octopus. I have seen one diver diving with it as primary. It's not a bad reg but it definitely can't be compared to the your previous choice of Mares regs.

If you prefer Scubapro regs, perhaps you can consider a Mk18/s600 rig or a G250HP as the second stage.

But like I mentioned before, Scubapro regs is more expensive than Mares in Singapore.

Regs are life-support equipment, I'll advocate getting the best.

 

[aquaoren]

hihi,

thanks for all the replies. well.. i've done anotehr round of looking around yesterday.

what do you all think about Scubapro's MK2/R390 and Oceanic's PX2/Omega2 or PX2/zeta setup?

is it comparable with the mares regs? i quite like the fact that the proton/omega/zeta 2nd stage is small and compact.

I won't be doing cold water diving. I live in Singapore, so it'll be mostly tropical waters for me.

as you can see, you have asked a touchy question.
everybody thinks their regs are the best. i have a mares abyss and a poseidon jetstream and they are of course the best
as i wrote before, its a matter of preference and everybody has their own.
you should try couple of these regs out and see which one you like most. if a dealer wants to sell you something, he can let you try it out.
as somebody else said, it is important to have a good reg. because we can't do without air
most high performance regs are good nowdays. i like mares but it is again my personal preference.
oren

 

[DementialFaith]

W/ the prton metal.... I found certain awkwardness in its design..... I heard Mares tried to lighten the all-metal reg by punching a bunch of holes on the out cover which gives it the "ruch" look..... don't know if it's true or not