still torn on reg decision...

Ok, i really want to go MK17/S555 simply because there is no end to rants on how durable and reliable they are.

But i am really sold on an environmentally sealed first stage - in particular the Zeagle DS-V/ZX because it keeps stuff out of first stage, even with cap off.

What is the deal with environment seals, how important are they? Or how much better is an S555 than the ZX.

This is warm water diving, with the option of doing colder dives in future. Anyone, please

parheric:

Ok, i really want to go MK17/S555 simply because there is no end to rants on how durable and reliable they are.

But i am really sold on an environmentally sealed first stage - in particular the Zeagle DS-V/ZX because it keeps stuff out of first stage, even with cap off.

Click to expand...

MK17 is also enviromentaly sealed 1st stage.

MK11 is it's unsealed brother in terms of performance, afaik.

Unsealed 1st stages need a bit more post-dive care, and for normal diving, that's about it. I have MK25, which is unsealed, have no plans to go diving in raw sevage, so it's fine by me.

Both of those regulators are good regulators, and either will likely work fine for you in warm water or cold. You'd need to get to freezing temperatures - both water as well as air - before needing to worry about your regulator freezing up (unless you routinely freeflow your regulators, in which case you have other issues...)

One thing you may want to contemplate...

Once you get to a certain level of product quality, a high-performance Work-Of-Breathing (WOB) standard, after that variances become more cosmetic or subjective. The real issue for many divers is maintenance. You want to be able to have your regs serviced annually and should problems arise you want to be able to conveniently consult a tech (assuming you do not work on your own regs).

So selecting a product and a service provider that is located close to where you live, is reliable, and is consistently available to you (in terms of hours of operation) means that regulator maintenance becomes more convenient...which can be worth alot if your regulator decides to get snotty just before you're off on a big trip!

FWIW. YMMV.

Doc

Thanks doc - makes alot of sense. I went into LDS yesterday to chat about regs and computers. They service oceanic and scubapro, also checked prices again, still I don't think that they can compete with online.

I've bought a fair bit with them already, so I figure if i spend a little elsewhere hopefully they won't get overly upset.

Decision is MK17/S555 with R290 octo- just looks bullet proof and has all that I need currently, and might need further down the track.

Thanks.

Great choice...I've got the MK17/S550 and love it.

Better check to see if you get your warranty with scubapro if purchased online

parheric:

Thanks doc - makes alot of sense. I went into LDS yesterday to chat about regs and computers. They service oceanic and scubapro, also checked prices again, still I don't think that they can compete with online.

I've bought a fair bit with them already, so I figure if i spend a little elsewhere hopefully they won't get overly upset.

Click to expand...

Don't want to be a wet blanket, but I figure you haven't done a real complex search on this board. So...just for your information, there are numerous threads on this board that fall generally into the "LDS versus Online" category. In these threads are several horror stories where some diver bought a reg online, took it to his LDS (who carried that brand of reg), LDS gets a case of the azz because the reg was purchased online and refuses to work on it or charges a premium to work on it, refuses to honor the warranty, or other hard luck bozonity, because it was purchased for a discount online.

I'm not suggesting for a minute that you will encounter this, merely saying that other's have.

One thing you might want to do is have a frank discussion with your LDS. If you've purchased other equipment there, etc., you may have some leverage with them. Simply tell them that price impacts your decision-making, and give them a chance to come down some on their price. If they refuse to budge, fine, buy online. You'll have to take your chances down the line. And possibly they don't care. (But I wouldn't bet on it...) BUT...if they are willing to dicker and deal with you, at least consider doing so. You may get free air fills down the line, discounts on a nitrox class, or they may make it up to you in other ways. It often pays money in the long run to develop a good working relationship with your LDS. It seldom pays to have a bad working relationship with your closest and most convenient LDS.

You really want to think about all the "value-added" things that your LDS can throw into the mix, before you go off and buy a regulator online and then walk into your LDS and ask them to set it up or perform maintenance on it.

In some cases it may not make a difference at all. But on this board you can find a number of examples where it made quite a bit of difference.

It might be good to know this sort of stuff up front, rather than find it out by surprise afterwards...

FWIW. YMMV.

Doc

Also try ScubaToys.com. They are an LDS in Texas that also has an online presence. They sell ScubaPro regulators, too. I bought one of mine (the G250) from them and the price could not be beaten by any local store. The SP warranty is good with them as well. You will get a warranty card from SP unlike online only shops that may not be able to provide the factory warranty.

I just had my regs serviced and I didn't pay anything for the parts. I don't know how much I saved on the parts because I send them out of state and forgot to ask them.

Yeh, ScubaToys don't advertise ScubaPro products since any scubapro product sold online is void of any warranty (there was a letter directed at LP). So if I buy it'll be in person or via person who can post it too me.

And Doc, yes sounds very diplomatic way to go with LDS.

I've been in south Fl for a month or so and a lot of the shops here who used to carry Scubapro don't anymore. So far, 1 out of 10 (Brownies) still carries Scubapro.