I've asked
@lowwall the same question, but if you had your pick of
any Mares reg, AND you wanted to include a TBP add-on just to compare the technology against the diaphragm, which model would you pick?
If I had to choose Mares, and from their current lineup, I guess I would go with the 62X or the 28XR for the following reasons and with the following caveats:
The 62X is nearly identical internally to the 15X, which is nearly identical internally to the discontinued 22X; this makes the 62X a progression of the 22x,
BUT despite the 200gram weight savings the 62X has on the 22x, I prefer the form factor of the 22X. I specifically prefer the steeper angle of the HP ports, not that it matters all that much, especially since I have long been diving with an AI transmitter on a short hose.
I like the satin finish of the 62X more than I like the pebbled-like finish of the 15X. To be honest, if money was tight, I would go with the 15X as it cost about $60 to $80 less and shares so many parts with the 62X that I believe the only thing one really gets by going with the 62X is a lighter 1st stage coupled with a lighter wallet. The TBP is available for both the 62X and the 15X.
My preference is for Mares to dump the 15X and bring back the 22X but with the satin like finish of the rest of their line up.
I am not sold on the TBP. I am concerned about the TBP system compared to the older cold water dry kit.
If the TBP diaphragm fails, won't water enter the vital areas of the 1st stage? With the older dry kit, the environmental seal and the main diaphragm would have to fail for the ingress of water. The main diaphragm of non-TBP regs are buried in the spring chamber....the TBP puts the only diaphram in the same position as other environmentally sealed 1st stages, where it is exposed which I am not sure is a good idea.
Are these a valid concerns of the TBP?
If I was looking for a 1st stage with a rotating turret, I would choose the 28XR. I think it is more compact than the 82X which just looks massive and is aesthetically hiddeous.
I would couple either of the above choices with a pair of XR DR 2nd stages, which we have previously investigated and discussed is just a rebadged Abyss. The Abyss, and its iterations, is tried and true workhorse of a simple and reliable design.
Most of the other stuff in the Mares lineup is just gimmicky to me, such as the dedicated left and right 25XR, the hideous design of the 82X, and the 72x with its ridiculous amount of LP ports that would make anyone concerned with "failure points" cringe.
The main issue that I have with Mares is the availability of service kits to the DIYer in North America. Due to this, I would probably not choose Mares at all if I was starting over....I would lean towards the Deep 6 signature, or the HOG D3 (or HOG D1 if money was tight and a turreted 1st stage was not needed). Currently parts kits for both Deep 6 and HOG are much easier for the DIYer to purchase. I lean a bit more towards Deep 6 than I do towards HOG because the Deep 6 service manual is readily available, and although I have acquired the HOG service manual, it was through an unofficial source and a huge pain in the arse to obtain.
-Z