I have three mk25. We dive all year long water temp the other day was 34. I have never had them freeze up. I'm sure it is possible if you are spending a lot of time on the surface. As far as routing. I think they are perfect. I wouldn't have bought the other two if I didn't think so. Try them both see which one you like better routing or performance. Good luck.
scubapro or apeks
- Thread starter goliath2840
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MSRP might be the same, dunno...
It's my understanding that the Halcyon first stages are the same as Mk 17 and Mk 25 - although again I don't know that
You can buy the SP first stages for $180 and $270 respectively. The H ones are $260 and $300 from the same site (lucasdivestore.com), which I've found to be one of the cheaper sites for quality regs
If the H kits are readily available and fit the SP regs (assuming they ARE indeed the same reg), then why would you buy/prefer Halcyon?
I believe you can get SP kits on eBay anyway (I read it on SB.com so it must be true :/ )
Anyhoo, this is why I'm asking the question (and also I think 'Tek3s are expensive' is a myth... they were were they were first released, but not any more IMO)
Lastly, as evidenced by the 'How many regs do you own?' thread, most people (who progress to doubles) wind up with more than two regs (regarding converting Tek3s to single tank use) although I do agree versatility & exchangability are things to be considered when choosing regs
LiteHedded
Contributor
scubapro kits are super easy to find
Sweet, hadn't seen that
I wonder if the HOG kits fit Apeks
I wonder if the HOG kits fit Apeks
John at North East Scuba supply has APEKS service kits and he will sell them to you online.
I meant the 5th port kit, but thanks!
Actually I have about 18 - with about double that in the garage and don't have any rigged as single tank set ups (if I want to look at fish I'm pretty handy with a wrench). I was referring to stage use which I was guessing that the OP was progressing towards if he was moving to diving doubles.When technical diving, you may be asked to lend a post to a team member on a project, you may have to rig a back gas reg as an argon reg, you may have to convert all your back gas regs to stage regs or vice versa. It happens (all of the above have happened to me). I can see what the Tec 3s are trying to do but I think the loss of flexibility is a big price to pay for some slightly less convenient hose routing.
You reach a stage eventually that your back gas regs are used to power your wing and that's about it. Your stage regs become much more important to you, I certainly breathe my stage regs for far more time than my back gas regs and thus I regard them as just as important (if not more so). I don't buy poor quality regs though so it's kind of immaterial.
Whilst I admire your ability to snip around my post - I would merely point out that my comment about the expense of the Tec 3s was not to compare them with Scubapro or Halcyon but to compare them with their stable mate DS4s which do just as good a job for roughly half the price (here in the UK).
I have no clue about US pricing I'm afraid but here the Halcyon and Scubapro rges are coming in at about the same as the Tec 3s. Given the flexibility and routing benefits of the others, I wouldn't buy the Tec 3's but it's your party. If you want budget regs which are still bomb proof then DS4s are great. A lot of my students start out with them due to budget but then stick with them as they perform.
Oh and to answer the why Halcyon question - I support the brand as I know that the no quibble customer service policies support me in the diving I need to do
Finally - again for the OP - I'd recommend the Evolve 60 too.
Blackwood
Contributor
All my breathing first stages are Mk25. It's what I started with (singles), and chose to be consistent (doubles and stage regs). If I were buying all new gear, I'd probably go for whichever one is going to be cheaper in the long run (Hog perhaps?).
One for each post... makes sense :mooner:
One for each post... makes sense :mooner:
Clare, thanks for your detailed reply. I'm going to snip again, sorry - although hopefully not to the detriment of what you were getting at; just for brevity
Understand your point about versatility. I'll bow to your experience on the swapping, never having needed to do it myself. But I would have thought that if you *had* to do it, that the less-desirable hose routing of, say, a Tek3 used as a stage would be something you could live with under the circumstances (if you'll pardon the pun). Is the routing of a DS4 that different to a Tek3 when it's on a stage? Can a backgas reg be effectively used as a drysuit reg? (I thought they were tuned differently). If you have to loan a post, couldn't you loan the same post?
I'm not from the US, and the prices I quoted were from an EU store (although I quoted the non-EU prices - still they would be the same comparatively)
Understand your point about versatility. I'll bow to your experience on the swapping, never having needed to do it myself. But I would have thought that if you *had* to do it, that the less-desirable hose routing of, say, a Tek3 used as a stage would be something you could live with under the circumstances (if you'll pardon the pun). Is the routing of a DS4 that different to a Tek3 when it's on a stage? Can a backgas reg be effectively used as a drysuit reg? (I thought they were tuned differently). If you have to loan a post, couldn't you loan the same post?
I'm not from the US, and the prices I quoted were from an EU store (although I quoted the non-EU prices - still they would be the same comparatively)
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