Scubapro MK11/S555 Regulator vs Aeris Atmos Pro Regulator

[sammyman]

I am looking at these two regulators because they are both on sale at leisurepro and scubatoys respectively. The scubapro is $299, and the aeris is $249. Anyone try both of these? Which do you prefer? Which is the better bang for your buck?

Also because we are on a tight budget, we are also considering the Aeris A1 Package - Deal Of The Year for $299. That would be quite a bit cheaper, but I am worried I would feel like I would need to upgrade later.

I will be diving on a trip to Cancun this year, but my home diving spot is Monterey. Thanks for the advice!

 

[mk706]

I've logged about 50 dives on my Scubapro MK17/S555. It's been a great reg that consistently breathes the same at 125 FSW as at 20. The difference between the MK11 and MK17 is that the 17 is optimized for cold water environments. The only thing missing from the S555 is the ability to adjust the flow rate by the user. Adjustments require a tool and are recommended to be conducted by a technician. Adding the user control knob turns the reg into an S600.

Personally, I've been hesitant to purchase regs that would normally come with lifetime parts warranty from gray market dealers (i.e. LP) as the manufactures no longer honor those items' warranties. Scubapro, for example, requires regular annual inspections and maintenance for continuation of the warranty. The need for checks and services is a separate discussion entirely. The cost of paying for those services do factor into life cycle costing of each unit.