What metal regs are available?

[johnnyscience]

I was always told that metal regulators allow a bit of condensation and help rid of the cotton mouth you get while diving.

I had a pair of Mares Prestige metal regulators, but sold them on the advice of a friend who worked in a dive shop for a while when she told me Mares support sucks and they're going out of business or something and maintaining them would be a nightmare.

Anyways now I'm looking to replace the metal regulators, what other options are out there? I liked the Mares because they were at least affordable, I know some can jump up over $500-$800 really easy

 

[Srose22]

Scubapro A700 , Kirby Morgan Metal Superlow
Only ones I know that come to mind off hand

 

[runsongas]

aqualung glacia and apeks mtx-r are metal cover 2nds. mares abyss navy 22 and prestige 52x are metal 2nds. poseidon might still sell metal cyklons.

aqualung conshelf 14 is hard to source but theoretically available.

you can always go vintage and get a conshelf xiv/calypso or scubapro 109/156/108/pilot.

 

[johnnyscience]

Hmm yeah all of those seem to be around that $900 mark. I may have to add the metal regulator down the line.

Was I right to move away from the Mares regulators based on my friends suggestion?

 

[Ghetto Diver]

Bad advice about Mares.
Sherwood offered(s?) plastic 2nd with metal veins that help with this issue.
Buy Sherwood or get older set of US Divers metal 2nds.
I still dive both.

 

[kelemvor]

Hmm yeah all of those seem to be around that $900 mark. I may have to add the metal regulator down the line.

Was I right to move away from the Mares regulators based on my friends suggestion?

Yeah I don't think mares is going anywhere anytime soon. There seemed to be a lot of dive shops bent out of shape when Mares bought SSI. Maybe the comment was due to some hard feelings related to the SSI buyout.

Maybe your friend meant that the local shop was going out of business rather than Mares?

 

[Addicted2H2O]

Why not buy a standard reg and add an in-line Apollo bio filter to moisturize your air? Would be much easier than trying to source a reg that has that feature built in. DIRS has the bio filter for $199 and it can be added to pretty much any reg.

Bio Filter

Little cheaper @ Scuba Toys

Apollo Bio Filter - Reg Accessories - Scuba Equipment Dive Gear Best Prices

 

[lexvil]

While I’ve never seen any less dry mouth with metal there are a lot of vintage US Divers(Aqualung) 1085 type Regs out there for crazy low prices and the scubapro 109 can be made into a balance adjustable with G250 parts, mate these to a good first stage and dive.

 

[txgoose]

While I’ve never seen any less dry mouth with metal there are a lot of vintage US Divers(Aqualung) 1085 type Regs out there for crazy low prices and the scubapro 109 can be made into a balance adjustable with G250 parts, mate these to a good first stage and dive.

Agree, with this. I have limited experience, but have used metal conshelfs for my last 50-ish dives. On longer ones, it is not uncommon for me to take my reg out, sip a bit of water and swish it around. I do enjoy my regs, but not sure that I would use less dry mouth as a selling point.

 

[northernone]

Dry mouth I find is more a thing of partial dehydration and a 1/4 gallon of water in the hours before a dive fixes me up way more than metal vs plastic regs. Longer dives, I carry water.

Conshelf 14 is available new. If you enter the used market, there are many options. Including just rebuying the regs you just sold.

Cameron