Promate?

[diveandclimb]

I can get a pretty good deal on a new promate brand reg set from someone here on sb but I'm cautious because I have never heard of them before. They have a website and they are sold by several different people but I'm worried they'll be impossible to service and/or poorly made. My gut feeling is that they're probably made by an oem who makes the regs for the big brands but I still am worried about servicing issue. I have had good experiences in the past with no name brands (I love my Sea Elite Tek-X BC) but that's a BC whichc for the most part doesn't need to be serviced. Any experiences or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[pescador775]

I've been using Promate/Swift frameless masks for 3 years and they are really well made. The Swift model is a copy of the original Scubapro frameless and costs about 1/2 as much.

The regulators look generic, like Sea Elite and several others. I think that SE was planning on making service kits available to divers for purchase.

I think Promate is located in Taiwan. I don't know who does service; the regulators might have to be shipped to a depot in the USA.

Pesky

 

[herman]

These guys are selling and servicing Promates. The internals are exact copies of my Apex reg. I have not had my hands on one but I do have some detailed information on them, should be fine regs and a great one to select if you choose to self service.
East Coast Diver LLC Home

 

[beanojones]

This is an old review but it does say something about at least one Promate reg:
---
LIMITED PERFORMANCE:
Aquatec Air 3

Aquatec Air 3

The only inflator/reg on the market with a built-in horn, the Air 3 will produce about 120 decibels of teeth-chattering noise above water, and a duck-like honk below. However, the breathing characteristics of the Air 3 are nothing to brag about. On the simulator it wasn't able to reach any of the RMV/depth test levels. It exceeded our test parameters at 109 feet at the moderately aggressive breathing rate. Consequently, we don't recommend the Air 3 for diving deeper than 100 feet.

In the water, test divers (who didn't know the results of the breathing machine tests) said the Air 3 breathed noticeably harder--even at shallow depths--than all the other units, but gave it a fair rating for ease of breathing on dives to about 65 feet. They also reported that it breathes dry and the buttons were easy to use.
---

It's from a Scuba Lab review of Alternate Inflator regs. The test was from 2006 so it is possible that whatever problems were ironed out since then.

 

[beanojones]

That review is here:
Scuba Diving Magazine - Better Alternatives

 

[widget]

Yes Pesky is right, the regulators are generic products, I would say, made by ODS in Taiwan, the Air 3 type system is probably made by Dutton also in Taiwan, all just branded Promate.

Nothing wrong with the product at all, ODS and Dutton make excellant products for a number of name brands so the expertise is there and the quality is not in question.

If you dont have local distribution spares may of course be an issue or you may need to send the reg away for service, but as far as your direct question relating to construction and quality, if you are just intending to use them for regular sports diving practice, I wouldnt be concerned at all.

 

[EastcoastdiverLLC]

I've been using Promate/Swift frameless masks for 3 years and they are really well made. The Swift model is a copy of the original Scubapro frameless and costs about 1/2 as much.

The regulators look generic, like Sea Elite and several others. I think that SE was planning on making service kits available to divers for purchase.

I think Promate is located in Taiwan. I don't know who does service; the regulators might have to be shipped to a depot in the USA.

Pesky

Pesky,

You are correct, its an Ocean Divers reg, is built well, and we service all we sell. I use one myself and have 10 in my rentals, they work great!

Gary

 

[sunnydude]

I was researching ProMate and Gary at East Coast provided me a bunch of information on the regs. I came across a complete Promate setup locally that hadn't been used. Asked a friend of mine who was a commercial diver and he knew about them and said they are good quality.

 

[CaptBill]

I've been diving and seling Promate Regs for 4 years now. The quality is excellent and if you need service contact me in the Florida Keys. They're Italian design and manufactured in Taiwan.

 

[wedivebc]

You are correct promate is an offshore (Taiwan) company that sells many OEM products that are rebadged in North America and may be off the same assembly line as more recognizable brands.