replacing my aged regulator

[rab1412000]

hi guys

im thinking of replacing my regulator.
i got my reg set back in 1996 and it is a scubapro mk10/ r190 . the r190 has been replaced with an aqualung glacia around 5 years ago.
as you can see in my sig/avatar i dont dive that often but have recently gotten more into it because of u/w photography.
my reg is old but works fine and it has only around 30 dives in it.
however ice always felt that if there had to be cutting edge equipment you use, it had to be the reg.
thus, i have decided to sell my old reg and get a new one. back in the day the mk10 and r190 were close to cutting edge. so now im looking for one that provides:
1. superior quality
2. worldwide service ( i live in the philippines)
3. lightweight for traveling
4. upgradibility/use in possibile tec diving in the futture
5. price range below $500

im kinda partial towards scubapro since thats what im using right now but would like to get some feedback on other brands like zeagle, apeks, mares and the rest


thanks in advance

 

[H2Andy]

number 2 is gonna be the key

pretty much all leading regulators (Apeks, Scubapro, Atomic, Poseidon, Zeagle, Aqualung) will meet the other requirements

i suggest you look around your area and see what the shops carry and determine which reg will be best suited for local service

 

[rab1412000]

number 2 is gonna be the key

pretty much all leading regulators (Apeks, Scubapro, Atomic, Poseidon, Zeagle, Aqualung) will meet the other requirements

i suggest you look around your area and see what the shops carry and determine which reg will be best suited for local service

well we have service centers for aqualung apeks scubapro for sure. the others im not sure of yet.

well if number two wasnt issue what wouuld you reccomend?

 

[H2Andy]

i love my Apeks XTX 50 - DS4

Apeks XTX 50 DS4. Regulators Regulators, Scubastore.com, buy, offers, scuba

 

[rab1412000]

yes ive been looking at that!
good price and reviews says almost as good as the higher end models like the xtx200

how small and light is it? would it make a good travel reg?

 

[H2Andy]

yup

 

[cbmech2]

I recently purchased a MK10 with a G250 Graphite and it performs just as well as my MK20 - S600. Unless there is something wrong with it to the point where a replacement is warranted, I would keep it. Replace the 2nd with a G250 and you'll be good to go. My two cents.

 

[rab1412000]

I recently purchased a MK10 with a G250 Graphite and it performs just as well as my MK20 - S600. Unless there is something wrong with it to the point where a replacement is warranted, I would keep it. Replace the 2nd with a G250 and you'll be good to go. My two cents.

good point cbmech. i love the mk10. its been so reliable. its just that i see some blackness around the air attachment. my dive shop says its normal wear, but i just wanna be sure too.
i know these things are built to last and ive been very satisfied with this mk10. i may indeed replace the glacia if i decide to keep my reg set. the glacia is a lil hard to breath from when im looking upwards. otherwise it functions quite well. also i had the purge tightened so it will never freeflow when going head on in strong current.
the g 250 is really such a great reg that after 20 years it still on the the product list of scubapro. some people even swear that the old models perform much better than the new ones.

 

[herman]

If your happy with the regs why buy new? Lets face it, the first stages are nothing but chrome plated marine brass and stainless steel and the seconds are tough plastic. All the aging or wearing parts are replaced during a service so what is the point it replacing it? If your tech is doing his/her job it's like new every time it's serviced. There has been a lot of hype over new models- always is, gotta sell them somehow but the fact is there have been little real advancements made in reg design since the 70's. If service and repair parts are available I see no good reason to replace it. Guess I am a tightwad but I never could understand replacing good working equipment for new models for no reason other than they are new.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I'd agree with keeping the Mk 10. It is basically rhe AK-47 of regulators. It is prolific, reasonably compact, very reliable, easy to service, and offers enough performance for deep/technical diving.

Scubapro is also the only company around that routinely upgrades their regulators and in general they use a design philosophy where improvements in new regs are backwards compatible into older regs. The Mk 10 for example uses newer updated concave seat technology that was retroffitted at no extra cost at annual service. It can also be upgraded with a new seat carrier, seat and piston used in the Mk 10 Plus thatuses essentially the same seat and piston design that was developed for the Mk 20 (and oddly enough worked better in the Mk 10 Plus than the Mk 20.)

The current G250 HP did not compare well to the original G250, and eventually SP got the mesage when usd G250's in great shape were selling for almost as much as a new G250 HP. Conequently they came out with the G250V last year and it is essentially a slightly updated copy of the original G250 and is a superb reg.

If you really feel the need for a new reg, or if you feel the need to get an environmentally sealed reg, the Mk 17 G250V makes an excellent combination. The Mk 17 offers great performance and is in my opinion the best and most relaible cold water reg available, but the sealed design also ensures the ambient chamber does not collect silt, salt, etc. so it is worth having even in warm water.

The Mk 17 is based on the earlier Mk 16 design and offers a few improvements over the Mk 16:

1. a better seat alignment system (retrofitted into Mk 16's at annual service
2. a dry sealed ambient chamber
3. another HP Port
4. some improvement in the balance system
5. better angles for house routing purposes

It is also available in some locations with a swivel turret like the Mk 10. In that configuration it is called the Mk 19.