What regulator do you guys recommend for deep water?

[ShakaZulu]

I like the black ones, they work well. Apeks bro............5 million DIR divers can't be wrong.

 

[David Evans]

Well, I'm a DIR diver and I *adore* my MK25/G250 combos... just FWIW. I also have a DS4/TX50 for my stage reg, but don't have much experience with it.

I really like the hose routing my MK25s give me, and I love the way they breathe.

Of course, the fact that I have different regs for my back gas vs. my stages may tell you that I'm not all that DIR... but it's all I got, so it's what I dive.

-d

 

[KidK9]

I've use my Aqualung Micra ADJ, but only for the reef diving. The coldest I've had it down to was 46 degrees at 96 feet. Since I'm now moving into my technical training and plan to use a new regulator first deep and warm, then deep and cold....I need it to last me awhile. So I at first was advised of SP. SO I thought I would ask you guys. The shop I dive out of and get all my gear serviced at services/sells ScubaPro, Apeks, Aqualung, Oceanic. Keep them coming guys, thanks for all the help.

So if I compare the ScubaPro MK25/G250, what line of Apeks should I compare it to?

 

[matt_unique]

I just purchased this reg about two months ago. I have the cold water design but she still free flowed on me in 46 degree water at 118'. I had the 2nd stage tuned down and another o-ring was added to the first stage. I used this adjusted reg last week and it breathed like sh*t so I am going to have it adjusted back to where it was on the 2nd stage. I practiced buddy breathing and my buddy commented right away that the reg breaths hard. He did not know I had it adjusted at the time. I have friends that use these regs for ice diving with no problems but I have not tried their regs/settings. If it has to be adjusted down to poor breathing to avoid free flow I will be disappointed with the purchase. I read about others with free flow problems before my purchase. None of my buddies have had trouble with them. We'll see what happens....

--Matt

I used the reg today after the adjustment and it breathed like a champ in 42 degree water with no free flowing. The SP's really breath nice when adjusted properly.

--Matt

 

[WarmWaterDiver]

Scubapro has a new "classic" S600, replacing some of the "technopolymer" (whatever grade of plastic that is) with metal, aimed at the colder water crowd. Has anyone tried this yet? (just curious). I'd like to see DA Aquamaster's comments on the "retro" approach to marketing here.

http://www.scubapro.co.uk/whatsnew.asp#whatsnew57

Also, having properly dry compressed breathing gas supply is one big factor for avoiding first stage internal icing (see DA Aquamater's point on tank pressures). The second stage is a subcooled moist environment as soon as the first breath is exhaled, so the more heat transfer the better there too. Does anyone sell add-on heat exhangers to screw in between the end of the second stage hose and the second stage? I see these incorporated in the design of say the Aqua lung Glacia, but it looks like something simple enough to machine to be an "accessory" market item.

 

[DEEPLOU]

Going cold and deep..... Poseiden Odin (Jetstream) or the new Extreme.

 

[BubbaFetta]

Poseidon Xtreme.

The Jetstream is good too.

Nothing quite delivers gas like they do at depth.

A word of advice:
Use the purge on the Xtreme with caution. They don't call them "tonsil dusters" for nothing.


-BubbaFetta

 

[MAK52580]

Poseidon's are OK, but they require an environmental seal on them. I dive a SP MK25/S600 and have never had any problems with it. I dove it to 34 degrees and it breathed like a charm. Just make sure not to breathe it on the surface before you descend to avoid possible condensation build-up and you will be fine. Although this is not just a SP recommendation. You shouldn't breathe ANY reg on the surface prior to a cold water dive.

I love my reg, and just bought an identical second for my doubles.

 

[dwright]

I love my s600 with mk25 first stage. The mk25 is designed with the little...watch out here comes technical jargon....fin thingies to keep it from freezing in cold water as the water doesn't have to be freezing for the reg to freeze. As for the X-650 there was somewhat of a recall on the first run of these due to a burr left on a piece of metal, that ended up wearing on a nylon bushing. I want one of the s600 classics but they're not available stateside except for commercial diving operations or something like that. The metal bodies keep the air a little moister preventing dry mouth.

It's funny how regional some things are...I've heard really bad things in this area about poseiden regulators, but nobody around here sells them..but IMHO if any regulator was really bad we would hear about a lot more diving accidents or the company would go under or something....

 

[MAK52580]

Myself and 4 of my dive buddies tried the MK25/X650 combo on a trip to the Bahamas in January. It breathed wet for every one of us. Although I am a fan of SP, until the refine the X650 and work out all the kinks, I would not recommend it.