Anti ScubaPro bias?

[scubafanatic]

You'll also be known for not diving EANX greater than 40% - No thanks and at $1700, there's no wonder there's no stock at my usual UK suppliers!

No recreational diver is ever likely to use anything beyond EAN40 anyway.

 

[scubafanatic]

My dream come true! Where do I sign up?

It's very true, I did a night dive with a T2 and was greatly respected the next morning.

 

[CavernFrog]

@scubafanatic Glad that T2 respected you in the morning.

 

[AFdivedoc]

I'm going to echo some of the above sentiments here. I have a number of scubapro regs--Mk 2's, Mk 3's, Mk 5's, Mk 7's, Mk 10's and a lone Mk-10+. All are excellent regs and easy to work on. Like others on this site, I do most of my own reg maintenance. I had a couple of Mk-25's until recently, electing to swap them out for a pair of Apeks regs. I did this because the Mk-25 is more difficult to service (many fiddly small parts), and more difficult to find kits for here in the US. Parts for the older regs are readily available and inexpensive (check out Store | Vintage Double Hose). The Mk-25 is a very nice breather, but really no better in a practical sense than my Mk-5's or Mk-10's. I can easily get kits from NESS for the Apeks.

I also have numerous regs from Dive Rite, USD, Aqua Lung, etc, all of which are excellent breathers and easy to service.

Scubapro makes some great regs, and many of the old ones are still my favorites, but I'm like many others who won't be buying any more new ones in the future. With the new crop of high quality, less expensive regs from other manufacturers and the old crop of still-serviceable older Scubapro models, I see it not so much as anti-Scubapro bias. I see it more as moving on.

 

[halocline]

The old SP regs are super practical because they're available for very low prices and there's a great network of parts and info available for the DIYer, despite the best efforts of the company.

They really did come up with some great designs; MK5, 109 2nd stage, D series. These are excellent performing regs that have been greatly influential in regulator design throughout the last few decades. But since then, they've basically gone the marketing hype-fleece-the-new-diver route. That Galileo computer is a complete joke.

But SP is hardly alone in terrible policies and marketing hype. They're just emblematic of the larger recreational dive gear industry.

 

[Bryan@Vintage Double Hose]

MK 10 / G250.....From a business standpoint they couldn't stop there....From the needs of 95% of diver in the world they could have. In my opinion and experience most everything they have done since has been 10000000 spent on marketing 1000 spent on Engineering.

 

[StefinSB]

Deepstop-Scubapro Sidemount-Kit - Deepstop GmbH

The prices in Europe are much better.

Wayyyy better.

 

[runsongas]

Price is really the issue. SP generally has decent gear, just with a lot of markup at their msrp. If they were selling mk25 Evo/g260s for 450 USD, you would see a lot more people recommending them.

 

[drrich2]

I keep seeing people mention pricing in Europe is much better on Scuba Pro gear; why is it so? Is this an issue with many other brands?

Richard.

 

[lowviz]

Price is really the issue. SP generally has decent gear, ...//...

IMHO, price matters most on your first set of kit. After that, you have something well worn as a basis for comparison and come to realize just how much you are paying to keep your initial investment properly maintained. SP indeed sells, again IMHO, top quality gear.

So now for the problem. I use SP primaries and secondaries exclusively (mostly because I was forced into starting that way) in spite of the fact that their direct customer service is absolutely nonexistant. Their brand always has been to browbeat LDS' into fronting them. Nothing moves unless you go through a shop.

For the new diver, "Deep down, you don't have a clue". (But damn near any manufacturer will keep you alive.)