Scubapro R109 cold water performance

[ericpitar]

How is the Scubapro R109's (balanced adjustable) cold water performance? I have it hooked up to MK25 and would like to get input how this setup will perform in cold canadian waters.
I've only been doing tropical dives, thus far.

thanks all.

e

 

[Luis H]

The Scubapro R109 (Balanced Adjustable) will work great at any water temperature, including ice diving...I am not so sure about the Mk-25. Actually, everything I hear about the MK-25 is that is that it is a poor cold water first stage.

I used Scubapro Balanced Adjustable as octopus to my Phoenix Royal Aqua Master double hose under the ice and it worked fine. I also used a Balanced Adjustable with an Aqua Lung Titan sealed first stage on my pony bottle and again it works great.

 

[halocline]

The metal case and air barrel are much better at heat transfer than plastic would be, so theoretically they offer ideal cold water performance.

Given my locale and overall dive preference, I can only answer this question in theory, and I'm just fine keeping it that way!

 

[ericpitar]

Thanks for the quick replies guys. I got my eye out for a backup 1st stage and since there is a possibility of coldwater diving, I'm considering MK10. Any feedback on this or other scubapro recommendations for reliability?

thanks!

 

[akscubaduck1]

My MK 10 has performed flawlessly. I dive all winter. But just because it's a piston driven I own a MK17 to use on the stage bottle as a back up. Bal. 109's all the way around.

 

[Jrock1062]

I think you would be better off with the MK which is a environmentally sealed 1st stage i would also say look up posts from DA Aquamaster he is really the expert i would go to when you talk about scubapro

 

[Jrock1062]

I dive the MK 25 S600 and i love the reg it breaths great but i don't dive cold water

 

[divinginn]

I have dove my balanced adj. down to low 40s temps without any problems,I have it hooked up to a mk 5 1st stage.

 

[halocline]

Thanks for the quick replies guys. I got my eye out for a backup 1st stage and since there is a possibility of coldwater diving, I'm considering MK10. Any feedback on this or other scubapro recommendations for reliability?

thanks!

The MK10 is a great 1st stage, but so is the MK25 you already have. I assume you're familiar (unlike me, thank god!) with the techniques of cold water diving, not purging the reg at the surface, etc. The later MK10s have a groove around the ambient chamber for a SPEC boot, which would allow you to pack the ambient chamber with either silicone or christolube for further freeze resistance.

 

[ericpitar]

Matt,

I'm actually just looking for a backup 1st stage and since there is a possibility of coldwater diving, albeit rather small(actually it's probly incredibly small), I thought I may as well get a balanced backup that'll be reliable even in cold frigid waters. I don't have any coldwater diving experience as I've only dived in the tropics thus far.

Anyway, this 1st stage is already off-topic so I better end here. Thanks for the feedback!

E