hikescub:
I've been hearing pretty negative things about ScubaPro lately - all rumors. Apparently the company has been sold? The quality of the regs isn't what it used to be? The company is bankrupt?
I have no solid info on any of this but so far it's biasing me away from ScubaPro. Anyone have better info?
Scubapro became part of Johnson Outdoors several years ago but has not been sold or merged recently nor is it going bankrupt.
SP has had some problems with the Mk 25 S600 freeflowing in very cold water. SP has also, like most reg companies since 1998, detuned it's second stages to meet some really useless and ill advised European standards for freeflow resistance. It's not a matter of quality decreasing but rather one of adjustment standards changing to reflect the higher cracking efforts required. But the regs can still be tuned for lower cracking efforts and produce the same performance as before. The US made G500's were superior to their European made successors but that is the only second stage that saw a general decline in quality.
SP also went with plastic orifices in most of it's second stages a few years ago. This made the orifice inexpensive to replace and eliminated some corrosion concerns. They work well in most SP second stages with the exception of the D400. The D400 used much less spring pressure in the second stage and was (in my opinion) never really capable of the same exceptional level of performance with the plastic orifice as it was with the metal orifice. It also generated more complaints from techs servicing it. D400's are one of those second stages that are a bit different and really benefit from an experienced touch. Thise factors, I suspect, a lot to do with SP's decision to discontinue the D400 last year.
SteveD:
I am finally updating from my Scubapro D400 (love it!). Choices are coming down to the Scubapro X600 and the Zeagle Flathead.
I'd appreciate any comments from owners regarding likes/dislikes. Any other regs that I should look at?
I am getting more into deep (40-60m), Nitrox, and tech stuff. Just finishing my TDI Deco Procedures, and will be going on from there. Probably looking for 3 regs (doubles and a stage/pony).
Also, any comments on the SP X650. I'm hearing mixed reports in Oz.
The S600 is essentially a G250 HP in a smaller case. It performs as well in warm water but is more prone to freeflow in cold water and would not be my first choice for cold water use. The G250 HP would be a better choice.
The X650 had some initial problems with the lever design that have since been resolved and there were some availability issues for awhile. But I have not heard any recent negative comments.
You don't mention what first stage you have with your D400 or its age. If the first stage is a Mk 15, Mk 20 or Mk 25, you will gain virtually nothing in terms of performance with a newer MK 25 as the MK 15 and MK20 are just earlier evolutionary predecessors of the Mk 25. The Mk 15 is harder to servcie but offers comparable performance to the Mk 20 and Mk 25. The Mk 25 is just a Mk 20 with an externally adjustable IP, but this again only makes a difference to the tech servicing it.
If your first stage is a Mk 10 or Mk 10 Plus, you would gain some performance in terms of flow capacity but a Mk 10 or Mk 10 Plus would still offer more air flow than you will ever need anyway and additional flow capacity would mean little.
If your D400 is an older model with the metal orifice, you would be far better off keeping it than upgrading to something else. They were truly exceptional second stages and are in my opinion the best second stage SP ever made. The D400 is also an exceptional second stage for cold water use.
A newer D400 with the plastic orifice is a little harder to adjust for peak performance and may give up .1 to .2 in cracking effort compared to an older metal orificed D400 but would still be in the same class as an S600 with the added benefits of being much better suited to cold water and with the advantage of a case design that allows peak performance in any position with no need for an adjustment knob.
If it were me I would look at finding another matching Mk ? / D400 used locally or off E-bay and would stick with them, particulary since you love the one you have. I currently dive with two upgraded Mk 20 D400's and have no plans to retire them anytime within the next decade.
A Mk 2 Plus / R190 or R390 makes a good choice for a deco reg as it is simple and compact and can, in an emergency, be switched between tanks underwater unlike most diaphragm regs.
