Hello,
I'm a first time poster and starting to feel really out of my "depth" sorting out which regulator to buy. I think I have narrowed it down to an Atomic B2 or ScubaPro Mk25/A700. My dives will be warm water in Central Texas, the Gulf, and the Caribbean. Hopefully Overseas (SE Asia, South America) at least once a year. I have some questions that would help me narrow down my choice though any advice would be appreciated.
1. I've read on the SB that Scubapro has a worldwide network for service, does that provide an advantage to the vacationing diver who is there only for a week or two? (Quality of Service and quick turn around)
2. I have also read because of some feature on the Atomic rinsing the 2nd stage can be difficult, could you elaborate?
3. To any beach divers or central Texas divers should I be concerned about buying an piston first stage and "gunking" it up?
4. I have trouble with dry mouth and have heard that a metal barrel in the A700 alleviates this, does anyone agree and does the Atomic exhibit similar qualities?
Thanks in advance,
David
1. Don't be too concerned with the world wide service, but, yes, if you are in a foreign country and you happen to need a part, the SP reg will be easier to find parts for. I have been in that situation once on a long trip to Roatan, but it's fairly unlikely that it would happen on a week-or-two trip.
2. The atomics have a "seat saver" which separates the orifice from the seat in the 2nd stage while the reg is not pressurized. I think this is a major flaw, and would not buy an atomic reg for that reason. You can't soak your reg unpressurized, to me that would be a deal killer. However, it wouldn't surprise me if SP was starting the same sort of thing on the A700. It is a nice sales gimmick....
3. Do not worry about a piston 1st stage "gunking" up. Many of the most successful 1st stages in history are piston designs, with literally millions of dives over decades. I routinely see MK 5/10 1st stages over 20 years old that look new. The bit about pistons being hard to rinse is not true. Besides, I think you can get the atomic with an environmental seal kit if you want, although it's totally unnecessary except for very cold water. ANY regulator used in salt water should be soaked-not rinsed- in fresh water after use.
4. It is true that metal 2nd stages, at least the old SP ones, help considerably with dry mouth. But it's not the air barrel; both the atomic and A700 have metal air barrels, as do many barrel poppet (i.e. apeks) 2nd stages. The old SP 109 was a full metal case with a moderate venturi effect, which allowed the expanding air to get somewhat warmed (and added some condensation) so the dry-mouth effect is lessened. I'm not at all sure the A700 would be effective in that way; it has a shorter path for the expanding air, it's smaller, and probably has a very pronounced venturi effect. That's another one of the 'selling point' as a strong venturi effect results in overall lower WOB numbers on a testing machine, but does not translate into a nice natural feeling in use by an actual human. The old D series 2nds somewhat suffered from this; they scored higher on the WOB tests (higher is worse) than the newer smaller venturi-heavy 2nd stages, but anyone who's used the D series knows how pleasant and natural the breathing sensation is.
The point is, higher venturi effect tends to make regulators look like better breathers on sales literature, but the added venturi (often in combination with a smaller case, another "benefit") means faster moving air closer to your mouth, which means colder and dryer air.
As to your regulator dilemma, personally I would not buy either. Assuming you're a new, recreational diver, either one of those is WAY more than you need, or even would be able to distinguish, under water. I'd get a MK11/G250V if I were buying new, but first I'd try to find a good used Mk10/15/20 with a D300/350/400 2nd stage. I think I saw a MK20/D400 on ebay a little while ago for about $120. Dry mouth is a common concern to new divers, and you can mitigate it by making sure you're well hydrated when diving. But if you really want a reg that will feel less dry, get a used SP 109 or balanced/adjustable 2nd stage and have it rebuilt using current parts. I don't know where you are in central tx, but a certified (well, maybe certifiable) regulator guru lives about an hour north of Austin. His username is awap and his wife would be thrilled to see him loan or sell one of his many old metal 2nds. If you're into a bit of bling, there's another guy, also very knowledgeable, in Houston named couv who has been restoring and re-chroming these old metal case 2nds, and when he's finished they look WAY better than the new A700s.
However, it's your money, and if you don't mind dropping $800 or so on a regulator (don't forget you have to get an alternate 2nd stage and a computer or SPG console), then either the top-of-the-line SP or atomic will certainly work well!
Sorry for the long missive....
