The New Scubapro Regulator

[halocline]

I still think it's ugly. They had what is arguably the most elegant, high class looking 2nd stage ever as a direct ancestor, and they managed to come up with a homely step child.

Oh yeah, what is this "high polished" business for the first stages?

 

[Wayward Son]

Yeah, I agree. I think it's ugly. I have a Mk5/R109 that I bought new in 1978 & still dive, but this 2nd strikes me as ugly. What's with the 4 corner screws on it?

 

[NudeDiver]

What's with the 4 corner screws on it?

I think they help hold it together.

 

[Wayward Son]

why complexify it?

 

[Belce]

If you take apart most regulators and these two in particuliar you will see a very simple straight forward mechanical design. Things like spring, piston, pressure and diaphragm are mechanical concepts that are thousands of years old. The A700 needs a common tool to take it apart I don't think complicates it like trying to add new words to our language does to a conversation.

Those that dislike the appearance, its a valid point when so many manufacturers provide different looks with similiar or close to performance. And if the only thing bad you can say about something is it's appearance, for life support equipment too, then there is a whole lot of things you don't see wrong with it, like you sure wouldn't refuse it for air during your emergency at depth.

 

[NudeDiver]

But there is something to be said against spending the money to make something "pretty" when it is really supposed to be something that is functional - and prettiness should not matter in the slightest.

How much do you think that (supposed) prettiness unnecessarily adds to the cost - while adding no real functional value? It could make the difference between buying it, and not.

 

[Puffer Fish]

So divers in warm climates aren't "real" users? Interesting.

I've been offered a loaner MK25/A700 when they arrive and will post a report after diving it even though I am apparently not a "real" user.

An interesting note on it is that the tech shop I go to will not buy any because of the screws....they don't like them. Part of the reason they use 250V's, is that the second stage can be taken apart underwater.

My first question was... "you take your reg apart underwater?" and they proceeded (there were three people) to give me 5 recent examples...

If you dive in really crappy junk, stuff gets stuck in the reg...I suspect that is part of the difference.

 

[HowardE]

It sounds like the usual SP release pattern - limited testing by their sales reps in warm water pretty fish locations and media folks followed by an introduction in Britain with (maybe) a later release in the US - which is about when any bugs in the design or production processes show up.

Just once I'd love to see them send them to real users (cave divers, technical divers, cold water/ice divers etc) and SP technicians who will both use them in demanding conditions and ferret out any potential issues before they ramp up to series production. They'd get a much wider base of testing experience and a lot more input that would speed the evolution of the design without running the risk of a new design getting a black eye from minor developmental problems (like the X650 recall mess that basically eroded confidence in the reg a few months after it was introduced.)

Is California diving warm water diving?

Are recreational divers NOT real divers?

 

[letterboy]

Sorry, chip dive anything but warm water

 

[halocline]

I'm pretty sure DA meant no disrespect to warm water recreational divers. SP does have a history of new reg designs having some problems in cold water and/or demanding conditions, or just design/material problems in general. These include HP seat problems in the MK15 and 20, some freezing problems in the MK25, the yoke bolt problem with the MK20, general disappointment with the G250HP, and a variety of issues with the X650. (I'm sure there are more) Many of these problems might have been avoided with more extensive and varied testing before general market introduction.