Ice Diving Regulator

[cummings66]

I like my Sherwood Blizzard, I've used it in temps of 36 degree's F. with absolutely no problems. It routinely see's temps of 40 to 42 year round and does just fine. IMO it's the one to have. Breathes good as well.

 

[hamsiss]

namabiru,
That would be really great but unfortunately we are sooooo far

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I believe the MK16 design was sold to Tusa.

This is where I end up offending all the hard core Scubapro fans.

Tabata manufactuers Scubapro's designs to Scubapro's specifications. It is a common practice in the scuba industry where a relatively few companies manufacture designs for all the rest of the companies. For the relatively low volume production involved it would not be practical or economical for a company, even a large one like Scubapro, to have their own exclusive manufacturing facilities. By farming production out companies can acces state of the art facilities for a fraction of the cost rquired to build and maintain private facilities. The design work is still done by Scubapro, the patents are held by Scubapro and the contract will require the regs that are produced to meet whatever QC standards Scubapro sets, but the actual manufacter of the regulator is done by Tabata.

Tabata has a US subsidiary, Tabata USA (TUSA for short). Tabata and Scubapro normally enter into a manufacturing agreement where Tabata manufactures the regulator exclusively for Scubapro until the exclusive rights expire. At that point Tabata has the option to produce a mechanically identical but slightly cosmetically altered version that it then markets through TUSA. So...the RS460 is indeed a Mk 16 clone produced on the same tooling in the same factory to the same specifications. In the same manner, the TUSA Duo Air is a very slightly but mechanically identical Scubapro Air 2. The parts fully interchange and other than the shape of the buttons and minor styling changes on the case, they are identical.

Scubapro and Tabata have had this manufacturing arrangement at least as far back as the Scubapro MK 5 in the early 1970's so it is nothing new.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I also have used Aqualung Artics, but have had them freeflow in 38 F water when filling lift bags, although I have good luck withConshelfs Supremes not freezing when doing the same thing. I attribute that to the brass second stage.

That is, in my opinion, the acid test of a cold water first and second stage.

If I can fill a 200 lb lift bag at 100' in 35 degree water in one shot under full purge conditons without having either the first or second stage freeze up, I am a happy camper and will give my seal of approval to the reg as an ice diving reg.

It's a tough test. The Mk 17 with a D400 second stage will do it (as will the older all metal Balanced Adjustable second stage - the older all metal second stages all have superb heat transfer traits). I have also successfully done it with the Mk 17 X650, which despite it's shortcomings in not fully living up to the D400 standard is still a very solid cold water second stage.

The Mk 25 will not meet this standard without freeflowing. However the older Mk 3, Mk 10, Mk 15 or early Mk 20 with SPEC kits or boots and silicone filled ambient chambers will meet this standard as long as the silicone grease has not partially leaked out to the point where it allows significant amounts of water into the ambient chamber.

The problem however is that Scubapro no longer uses silicone filled ambient chambers and does not approve of the use of environmental silicone in any capacity due to concerns for cross contamination of tools and the potential to get silicone into what would otherwise be O2 clean Christo lubed regs. So your SP dealer will not set a MK 5, MK 10 or Mk 20 up that way for you any more and the SPEC kits and boots are no longer available.

 

[Stu S.]

My cold water diving was in Maryland. I recall diving in one quarry that was 38 degrees, and had many dives that were at 40. We would take a little thermometer along. This was in the 1970's, using a regulator called a Healthways Scuba Star. We all had them, as they cost fifty bucks at a local department store. We never heard of regulator icing, and never had a problem, either. What characteristics makes this basic regulator, or any other "ice proof"?

I still have that regulator, and it works. I stopped using it regularly a couple of years back.

Happy diving!

 

[JessH]

DA, so if an atomic 1st stage had the environmentally sealing kit do you feel that it would meet the standard without freeflowing?

What are your thoughts on the atomic regs considering they come from former SP guys? What about thoughts on the sealed atomic 1st vs. Mk17 for ice diving?

~Jess

 

[Tek Adventure Diver]

Personaly i dont think i would ever use a scubapro for ice diving. I've seen it done both good and bad. But 75% bad.. LOTS of freeflow

 

[vablackwater]

I have had a Mk 18 in about 40 ft, temps in the upper 30's with a G250HP, no issues. I am switching over to a Mk 17 with the same second stage.

 

[namabiru]

It's just really interesting how one person will say that no, Scuba Pro isn't a good choice, it free flows, while another swears by Scuba Pro. And other scenarios. (And no, I'm not knocking on anyone's personal preference)

So it must be, then, that other factors play into reg. free flow. It's just so strange, though, that the same reg. might free flow on one person, but not on the next. Even if both people meticulously follow maintenance, and take loving care of their diving gear before and after diving.

With this dilemma, how do you truly know which reg. is going to work the best? You and your buddy could get the Best Product on the Market at the same time, at the same shop. Yours could be work just fine on the 10th dive, but all of a sudden you and your buddy have a free flowing situation to work with due to her reg. suddenly free flowing.

Strange, this wacky world of diving. Maybe we should also receive exorcism training when we begin diving.

 

[Thalassamania]

If you don't mind piston regulators, ScubaPro makes great regulators, so does Atomic ... they're very similar and both attract a cult following, they have to in order to sell them at those prices with all the other equally good regulators that are out there.

My advise is to buy a regulator with an environmental kit from the top of a well known manufacturer's line. I'd find the Oceanic Delta IV or Mares Proton 42 or Ice Exteme to be great choices, or just find a used Cyclon 300 and fill the little rubber cup with good rum (I only use either the Nicaraguan Flor de Caña Especial or the Hatian Rhum Barbancourt Estate Reserve).