Scubapro Mk25/S600... Or wait?

[J_Gig89]

So I'm new to scuba diving but since I took my first breathe underwater I've been hooked!!! I really want to start buying my own equipment and build my own kit. I think I am leaning towards the mk25/s600 as I like all the features and it seems to get great reviews as I was reading about them, my only dilemma is I've noticed there hasn't been any reason updates to the s600 line. So my question to all of you is should I go for it or wait to see if a new model or a update to the s600 series to come out. I don't know how often scubapro puts out new equipment.

 

[tbone1004]

regulators don't get updated all that often because there isn't that much to update. If that is what you want, then get it. I wouldn't buy it if you are diving locally as a sealed diaphragm would be much better imho, but search through here as there are many threads about regulators and pros and cons of each of them. It will all come back to what you ultimately want to do in your diving career and purchasing appropriate equipment for that type of diving now to prevent having to buy twice

 

[fmerkel]

Why does every new diver think they need a SP mk25/s_something? It's just about the most expensive reg you can buy. It's pretty much the equivalent of thinking you need a top end BMW to commute to work, in traffic, at 45mph.

FWIW there have been almost NO real changes of substance in the SP line since the mk20/G250 which are like 15 years old. You could buy a mk2/R190 and be perfectly happy. There's a reason those products have endured so long. SP does a very good job with marketing and convincing people that you will somehow have a lousy and possibly unsafe experience unless you go Scubapro.

Disclaimer - I do dive Scubapro, mk14/G250. They are 15+ years old. But my 1st reg was a Mares MR12/Navy 2nd, and for practical purposes it's just as good, and a whole lot cheaper. I've dove Aqualung, Oceanic, and even an out of date Dacor. They are all fine, in fact I was surprised how well the Dacor breathed.

 

[CptTightPants21]

Lots of things already posted online and lots of opinions.

I'm an apeks guy, but like Scubapro as well. Any updates to the S600 at this point would probably be cosmetic. They could take the guts of a S600, throw it in a new case, and make an "upgrade", but then it would be called a completely different reg for marketing purposes.

The only thing I will note is that I prefer the MK25/G260. I like the slightly larger sized G260 over the smaller s600.

Take your time, look around, at this price range you would be hard pressed to find a reg with bad reviews.

 

[kelemvor]

There are a few minor improvements to other brands. Unfortunately, each one is specific to a single brand and no reg has it all.

Atomic (the guys who design atomic regs used to design scubapro, their absence is part of the reason scubapro became stagnant) have the safest swivel system you can get.

Aqua Lung has a device built into the first stage that will prevent water entering the regulator if it's not screwed onto a tank. I've only been diving 4 years, and I've already had my mk25 serviced one extra time because I got water in the first stage. I wished I had one of these on that day!
Poseidon uses a very different design on their second stages. Desirable if you're diving against a lot of water flow as opposing flow can push the purge on other regs, wasting gas. The only time I've encountered this is in caves. In open water, you generally drift with the flow.

Scubapro also does not stand by their parts for life program. I speak from experience here. I had the local scubapro dealer tell me on the fourth service, that they would no longer honor the program because I had not purchased a full scubapro kit. At the time I purchased my regulators that was not a requirement. The dealer told me it didn't matter, and if I wanted my regs back I had to pay.

I've dove Scubapro Mk25/s600, Aqualung Legend, Poseidon (unknown model) and a few others. For the most part, they all breathed about the same in my opinion. Keep in mind I have never been deeper than 120', so I don't really stress regulators anyway.

So... Mk25/S600 is a good high end reg. It's not suitable (without modification) for cold water where the regulator might freeze. There are lots of similarly priced equally performing regulators out there. Some of which do have a feature or two that is a nice improvement. If you end up diving in cold water, you would probably want to go with a diaphragm regulator (mk25 is piston). Scubapro mk17 is diaphragm I think.

 

[rhwestfall]

I own an S600 (actually an S555 converted to a S600) and it's "okay". To me, there are unnecessary "extra parts" in the balance chamber adjustment. The simplicity of the 156/G250/G250v which was replaced by the G260 is just a better regulator...

 

[DiverDownD3]

I originally got an S600. It's ok. I later bought a used G250V from the classified sections on here. The S600 got moved to a backup. Most of these regs are pretty comparable. A lot of it is how your tech tunes them.

But like others have said if you are going to be cold water diving the MK25 first stage might not be your best choice.

 

[halocline]

Why does every new diver think they need a SP mk25/s_something? It's just about the most expensive reg you can buy. It's pretty much the equivalent of thinking you need a top end BMW to commute to work, in traffic, at 45mph.

I suspect it has something to do with the fact that divers are often trained at dive shops that make more money on high end regs than they do on less expensive models.

 

[J_Gig89]

Thanks for all the help! I will have to read into it a little more. I will note I most likely will only do local dives in warmer weather as I'm a whimp when it comes to the cold and arthritis holds me back. Would the mk25 evo be a better fit for a first stage? But it seems as I will have to really think and hopefully be able to try out the s600 and G260 and see what one I prefer better

 

[scubadada]

Even if you dive locally, the water will not be that cold, maybe mid-high 40s. I don't think the piston-sealed diaphragm 1st stage argument is all that important to you. I've always been a Scubapro guy, I'm still diving my first regulator from 1972, a MK5/R109, and it works very well. I have a G250, now paired with a MK25 that is very good. I currently dive a MK25/S600 and think it is the best of the bunch.

I agree with others, you don't necessarily need the best regulator out there, but if you have it, you'll likely keep it and dive it for a long time.