Good choice for spare reg

I was replying on some thread about backup equipment and it made me think about something. We have no backup regs and I might get one. All our diving now is travel several times a year to warm water. I've had the occasional problem (usually in places with no SP service of course) and it would have been very nice to just whip out the backup reg. Currently we both use SP MK10/200. I'm inclined to continue using those, and just buy one decent reg for a backup. Ideally something not too expensive that will be cheap to service and is happy sitting around, less likely to creep, perhaps one that only recommends service every other year? But something I won't hate using if I need to. (Maybe even buy something and ignore the whole warrenty and service routine - just service when it needs it as I know some people do, though I don't know if I'm comfortable with that.) Good chance it wouldn't get used except to check on it once in awhile. Any suggestions on a good choice?

The other thing I could do would be demote our MK10s to backup service and buy some new toys, now if I went the toy route mostly likely I would go to the other extreme and get some nice Apeks or SP on the higher end. But that would probably be a silly thing for me to do on all fronts. (Cost a whole bunch more up front and in service, and would I be any happier with one of those than my trusty MK10?)

I was just looking at the ScubaPro MK2+ 1st stage Scubatoys is selling for $94. Would that be a good option for tossing in my bag?

Damselfish:

I was just looking at the ScubaPro MK2+ 1st stage Scubatoys is selling for $94. Would that be a good option for tossing in my bag?

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I use MK2+/R380 as my octo system, for backup. It does not breathe as nice as my MK25 (the problem is that I first got the MK25, then the MK2+ so I went from top to bottom of the line ), but it works ok and should serve you for many years to come due to it's simplicity.

If you want to stick with SP, you can't go wrong with that one.

If you are in love with Scubapro, then a Mk 2 would be the way to go. But, I would buy the entire reg (1st and 2nd stage) rather than a first stage alone. That way, you have a second stage to change onto your Mk 10's to replace either a malfunctioning second or octo. LP price is $149.95. Warranty and free parts, in this case, would probably be lost quickly anyway, as it would not be cost effective to do a $50 annual service on a backup reg that seldom, if ever, gets used. The Mk 2 is a rugged and very simple reg, and an inexpensive annual check by any local LDS should suffice.

Since I spend about 8 weeks a year at various places in the Caribbean, I carry a Sherwood Oasis as backup. Very popular in the Caribbean, Sherwoods are rugged, simple and the average 12 year old could rebuild one is he had access to an adjustable wrench, screw driver, and a paper clip (and parts, of course).

At normal recreational depths in warm water, it is highly unlikely that you would be able to discern much difference between a properly adjusted Mk 10 and the latest and greatest of any brand.

What occasional problems did you have with your SP? Personally, I would do a basic service prior to any big trips, especially you only go warm water vacation diving.

keyshunter:

If you are in love with Scubapro, then a Mk 2 would be the way to go. But, I would buy the entire reg (1st and 2nd stage) rather than a first stage alone. That way, you have a second stage to change onto your Mk 10's to replace either a malfunctioning second or octo. LP price is $149.95. Warranty and free parts, in this case, would probably be lost quickly anyway, as it would not be cost effective to do a $50 annual service on a backup reg that seldom, if ever, gets used. The Mk 2 is a rugged and very simple reg, and an inexpensive annual check by any local LDS should suffice.

Since I spend about 8 weeks a year at various places in the Caribbean, I carry a Sherwood Oasis as backup. Very popular in the Caribbean, Sherwoods are rugged, simple and the average 12 year old could rebuild one is he had access to an adjustable wrench, screw driver, and a paper clip (and parts, of course).

At normal recreational depths in warm water, it is highly unlikely that you would be able to discern much difference between a properly adjusted Mk 10 and the latest and greatest of any brand.

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Thanks. I wouldn't say I'm in love with SP I could argue it makes sense to get something different for this. But I figured may as well stick with it and thought the MK2 should be relatively bulletproof. I was considering just the 1st stage because I do already have a couple spare seconds lying around. But given the price and what I want to do with it going the LP route might make sense in this case.

divnamite:

What occasional problems did you have with your SP? Personally, I would do a basic service prior to any big trips, especially you only go warm water vacation diving.

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Actually, I've always heard after service is the most likely time for stuff to go wrong and that's been my experience. We get our regs serviced annually and average 3 trips a year so they're actually not lying around that long. (I don't think of it as "only". )

Last trip both my second and octo were freeflowing and stuffing air in my mouth. That was like 8mo after it had been serviced and it had been fine on a trip in between. I assume the IP had crept way high, though I never got a good answer when I got them serviced after. Another time was because I had gotten them serviced right before a trip (at a new & incompetant shop that didn't stay in business for long) and they had screwed up several things on 2 regs, including (yikes!) leaving an O-ring out of my 1st stage. Amazing the thing worked at all. There was the time I had a badly tuned second honking like a goose driving me and everyone else nuts in the water, which the shop swears was fine when it left. May be others but those are the memorable ones.

I've always heard after service is the most likely time for stuff to go wrong and that's been my experience.

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I assume you didn't test the reg in a pool or home water before you go on the trip? I have a good LDS, so I don't worry too much about bad services. As for backup, a simple MK2+ with R390 will do the job, but again, after you get the reg, I would test it in the pool. I seriously doubt LP will test the reg before sending it out to you. The reg prolly been sitting in the box since it got to LP.

nope, I gave up local diving. Sold the suits and tanks and my weights are holding down the tarp on my woodpile. I could rent but I just have no desire to get in the water here anymore. One of these days I'm going to have to look harder for a friendly pool. A backup is really partly a compensation for not having a good way to test before I go.

My back up reg is the MK2/R190 and I think it's pretty ideal for that role, plus it makes a great stage reg if you (or me for that matter) ever get into deco diving. Maybe you could see what scubatoys would charge for the MK2 with a 2nd stage, or you could buy the 1st stage and get an old SP metal 2nd like the R109 for next to nothing, then get it rebuilt. The advantage to this is that the 2nd stage will then perform just like a G250 and it's indestructable. I'm not sure which 2nd stage is on your MK10 (is it G200?) which I assume is a precursor to the G250. If that's the case, and it performs like a G250, I think it's doubtful you could buy a better breathing reg, based on what I've read. The MK10/G250 combo is a real classic.