LDS sell ScubaPRO..need help choosing the right equipment

Greetings,

I recently got my OW certificate and I really want to continue diving. I leave in NY, so it is not so simple here, but I do not want to wait 4-6 month every year to get wet again. Right now, I am planning to go for a dive trips, and I want to get my own stuff. I rent the stuff for my class and for OW dives and I feel like I had better have my own. I visit a LDS here in the Brooklyn and find out that they are authorize dealers for ScubaPro, Uwatec and Cressi. I want to buy from them, rather then Internet to build relationships and have professionals who can service my equipment two blocks away from where I live. I rented Aqualung products and it was ok (it was not top of the line stuff), except BCD…I can take the Jacket-style BCD. I feel like an orange in the squeeze-machine, so I want a back inflated BCD. Now, here is the question I want to buy a good set of the hardware. I know, I know more expensive is better and you always get what you paid for. I agree with that, because IMO I am not making enough to buy a cheap stuff. However, I still want to hear about ScubaPro equipment, what would the best parts to buy? Conditions: temperature range from 20F to 110F, cold-to-freezing water temperature, I probably be doing some photography, wreck diving. May be in the future I’ll be doing ice diving. I am 6.1, 220 pounds. For now lets put price aside, I would like to get information for each peace of the equipment and most important why should I use that and not the other. Ohh, and I forgot to mention that I have Suunto D6 dive computer, so I probably just need the pressure monitor. Any comments will be greatly appreciated and thank you in advance.

ScubaPro makes excellent gear... it's hard to go wrong with it. You can spend less, but you'll be hard-pressed to find better.

For water that cold I would get the either the ScubaPro G250/MK17 regs (not normally sold together but you can request it), or the X650(or S600)/MK17 regs. All three second stage options will give great cold water performance, and will work in hot water, too, although I'd pass on scuba diving in a 110F jacuzzi, personally. (and...20F? Really? Isn't that swimming in solid ice?) The MK25 is more popular for a first stage than the MK17, but it has issues with very cold water, so the environmentally-sealed MK17 will serve you better, and as luck would have it, it's cheaper.

For buoyancy control in cold water I would seriously look at a backplate and wing (bp/w), which is similar to a back-inflate BC but even less cluttered in front, and offers a ton of other benefits. Check out DeepSeaSupply.com and give them a call to discuss your needs and they can explain some of the benefits. If you insist on ScubaPro for your BC, however, the KnightHawk is a solid choice, and back-inflate per your preference.

Scubapro is good stuff, but I would be wary of using only one brand.

I have: Hammerhead, Diverite, TUSA, Scubapro, O'Neill, Oceanic, US Divers, and Zeagle gear.

My $.02

Get what works for you, regardless of LDS sells it or not. You have to dive it, not the shop owner.

I agree with what Dave (I think thats your name, right?) said. scubapro is good quality with exceptional warranty. Free parts for life on the regs as long as they have been serviced by an authorized scubapro tech within the past 12 months. I don't have a price list here but figure $10-$20 a stage for parts kits. SP just released a new diaphram 1st stage (daiphrams are preffered in cold water diving...) MK11 ...........hmmm.... now that I think about it, I beleive the rep said that it is NOT environmentally sealed wich is quite uncommon for diaphrams......

I have a SP MK 25 1st stage which is I believe THE highest flowing regulator on the market PERIOD. so this way you can have 25 of your closest friends sucking off of one 1st stage ....It is a piston reg and I use this on my single tank setup and dive Apeks DS4 1st stages on my doubles setup. These are very simple, diaphram, enrviromentally sealed, compact, bomb proof regs, that will go anywhere.

Another reg you may take a look at is Atomics. I recently took their service class and was quite impressed with them. Their are two SMALL details I dont like about Atomics, one is it is a piston reg but can be environmentally sealed, however you pack it full of o2 grease (takes 1 oz of grease) and a 2 oz tube costs $30 wholsale. Two is their venturi adjustment...it is "automatic" there is a small diahpram in the second stage wich turns the venturi assist to full open at about 60 feet. Why? What if I want the venturi helping me breath better at 25 feet?

Ok I guess that brings me to second stages. This is where you the diver can really feel the difference in regs. Spend extra and get a "ballanced" second stage(personal oppinion of course). SP R190 is a fine classic down stream reg (read non ballanced) but I much preffer their S600 ballanced and adjustable second stage. Its small, light, looks pretty damn sexy too! Mouthpieces are personal, I prefer SP mouth pieces over the cumfo bite mouthpieces on my apeks, but I hear most people say the opposite... I recently rebuilt a Tusa (or maybe a Sherwood) reg set, I saw the second stage and noticed it had an adjustable inhalation effort screw(knob on the left side of the reg if it is in your mouth) so I just assumed that it was a nice balanced second stage. When I tore it open it was an old fashioned design with a spring stuck onto the knob. So even though you notice a reg with an adjustment knob, dont automatically think that it is a balanced second stage. All current SP regs with adjustment knobs ARE balanced.
HTH...

I think CompuDude covers pretty much.

Within SP options,

My choice is MK17/G250HP if you are a local cold water diver. Otherwise, MK25AF/G250HP or MK25AF/S600 is an excellent choice, too.

BCD: Knighthawk with Air 2 option is a darn solid choice.

Computer: Suunto or Uwatec. It is all good choice.

Sunnto: D6, Vyper 2, Vytec DS
Uwatec: Aladin Tec 2g

Hoosier,

How is the Air2 in cold water?

ams511:

Hoosier,

How is the Air2 in cold water?

Click to expand...

No problem at all.. I used to dive at 42~45 degree water almost every weekend. I didn't have any free-flow issue at all. I have read the post at TDS that someone had a free-flow at 32 degree F ONCE though. You know, it is 32 F degree...

Air 2 is very rock solid and proven design for a rec. diving range.

Caveats:

1) I haven't investigated cold water performance.
2) I'm not a huge fan of the entire concept for a variety of reasons.

Bearing those in mind, I have to say that Atomic makes the best "air2-style" BC inflator/reg combo unit on the market. Period.

Breathes better than the Air2... and most regular regs, for that matter. Handles a LOT better than the SP unit, too. The buttons are way more ergonomic and easier to activate. And finally, it's a lot less bulky and more streamlined. The oval shape lays closer to you, compared to the round SP unit.

If I was go down that path, I would spend the extra money and buy the Atomic SS1 over the ScubaPro Air2 in a heartbeat. I might buy SP regs over Atomic for pure financial reasons (in spite of a slight performance edge for the Atomics), but not for the Air2/SS1. There, the Atomic wins by a sufficient margin to make the SS1 the clear winner despite the cost.