Scubapro R390 vs R295

[Hoosier]

The R190 is still on the US site along with the R295 but the R390 is not. And the R295 is a compact R390 ish regulator but without an adjustable flow vave.

The R290 is on the UK site and is billed as a compact version of the R190 - which I find confusing as that is exactly what an R390 is, and of course the R390 is still on the UK site.

Consequently, in the US you can have an unbalanced downstream poppet second stage in the "normal" R190 size with it's full sized diaphragm and an adjustable flow vane. Or you can have it in a small, ugly purge covered version without the adjustable flow vane. So if you want small size, you have to accept even more compromises than before (ie: you get no adjustable flow vane like you did on the R390).

In the UK, you can have an unbalanced downstream poppet second stage in the compact R390 size and with an adjustable flow vane. Or you can just get the original R390 with it's small size and...of course...an adjustable flow vave.

So in the US, you have to have the large size or go all the way up to the balanced S550 to get an adjustable flow vane.

While in the UK, you can buy what is from a feature standpoint, the same reg but with a different number and purge cover.

It makes no sense to me. The R190 and R390 choices worked great because they offerred the same full features, just in different sizes. And if you did not want to use the adjustable flow vane, you could just leave it set in one place.

Thanks for your great review.... I don't look at the schematics, so I am not sure how much internal parts are different each other though (apparently R190/R290 looks like sharing the same parts).... R190 with an adjustable vane really works great. I feel like it is just market strategy to change the number and size periodically.

 

[WarmWaterDiver]

I swear the R190 wasn't on the US site last time I looked - when I posted the R295 links - but I see it this evening. Weird . . . I need some time off - good thing next week's a short week.

It's definitely gone from the UK site though - if this is a pacesetting insight for things to come - the MK17 appeared on the UK site long before it did on the US site . . . the G250 is gone from the UK site as well, except for as a technical poster.

Hoosier - the UK site has the technical posters link - the one for the R380 is also labeled as for the R190 . . .

http://www.scubapro.co.uk/images/posters/R380.jpg

But no poster for the R290, R295, or R390. And I don't see the R380 on either site other than the poster it shares with the R190.

I'll be really interested in what the 2006 catalog (US) and 2006 catalogue (UK) show as offerings once they're released!

The R295 is billed as having a "new modern look" - I suppose to be different from the "old modern look", which was maybe preceded by the "traditional look", maybe itself preceded by the "shiny metal look", the quantum leap from the "double hose look"?

I'll have to check the Australia / New Zealand site more often now - similar minimal language hurdle, and they seem to offer everything from the US and UK sites combined (except the Lady Xtender) - as well as a Scubapro Titanium Watch I hadn't seen before. Definitely not for me, but seems like the US market certainly isn't the "alpha" market for Scubapro's newest offerings.

http://www.scubaproasiapacific.com/products.asp?catid=1

 

[Hoosier]

Hoosier - the UK site has the technical posters link - the one for the R380 is also labeled as for the R190 . . .

I'll have to check the Australia / New Zealand site more often now - similar minimal language hurdle, and they seem to offer everything from the US and UK sites combined (except the Lady Xtender) - as well as a Scubapro Titanium Watch I hadn't seen before. Definitely not for me, but seems like the US market certainly isn't the "alpha" market for Scubapro's newest offerings.

http://www.scubaproasiapacific.com/products.asp?catid=1

WarmWaterDiver,

Also look at ScubaPro Japan and Korea. They used have the new stuff that we don't have in US. As you may know, the new scubapro Jet fin is sold at Japan. The titanium knife has been sold in Korea.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

The UK site often seems to foretell the future on the US site. Not seeing the G250HP anymore worries me as I much prefer it to the S600. Smaller seems to be the preferred direction regardless of the compromises involved.

On the other hand, the UK site does promote the MK 17 much more and offers a much better selection of stock packages with it which is a very good thing as it is a truly excellent first stage.

SP put a lot of time into the Mk 17 design and as far as I can tell, they have achieved one of those rare no compromise designs.

 

[WarmWaterDiver]

WarmWaterDiver,

Also look at ScubaPro Japan and Korea. They used have the new stuff that we don't have in US. As you may know, the new scubapro Jet fin is sold at Japan. The titanium knife has been sold in Korea.

The language hurdle is too much of a challenge for me and the Babelfish tool I'm afraid. I've looked at all the interesting Xtender variants on the Japan web site, but wound up getting my wife a matching TUSA IQ-700 (so we both share the download cable & software) after my woes with Dive Rite NiTek Logic upgrade from v2.09.

 

[Hoosier]

There is another new one, R395 octo at http://www.simplyscuba.com/ProductDetails.aspx?StockID=87434.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

That looks like an R295 with an adjustable flow vane - which of course would make it essentially an R390 with a new number to match the ugly purge cover.

They all (R190/290/295/380/390) use the same annual service kit and as far as can tell the R295 is the same internally as an R390.

 

[Hoosier]

I am not sure if it will be ok after getting used to the new design. It looks an ugly to me at this moment. IMHO, it is an ordinary EU design.

 

[WarmWaterDiver]

AHA - now I can see "New Modern look" in the marketing jargon for the US sales means "Ordinary EU Design" when appropriately translated! These are the same marketing folks who turned the "balanced" MK16 and MK18 into "overbalanced" overnight I think!

And it means "Ugly" to someone with a collection and history like DA Aquamaster - I saw your reg list in another post . . .

You're no longer "hip" - but then neither am I!

 

[DA Aquamaster]

You'd think Scubapro would notice I buy a LOT of regs and maybe consider that my opinion might count for something.

Change that actually accomplishes something is good, but change for the sake of change is not. Unfortunately, the marketing pukes in so many companies actually believe the copy they write and after a while it becomes a circular process where you have to have change just so you can advertise all the new changes. They need to fire some advertising executives and hire some more engineers.