G260 vs alternatives

[Aloha Joe]

After a nice long dive playing with my 109 BA and 250, I realized how much I like the variable venturi, and also how much I dislike the location of it on the 250. It's interesting that SP has concentric knobs on the A700 and the like, but not on the 260.

I saw an A700 in person (dry) and love everything but the price tag. The size is great, the purge cover is the best soft purge I've felt, etc. So the XT4 seems like it's now at the top of the list for smaller size, concentric knobs, metal skeleton, etc.

Of course, if it has a smaller diaphragm it's hard to know what to expect. I did notice I like my 250 detuned a little, and don't even like the venturi wide open. So maybe the smaller diaphragm won't be a big deal for me.

 

[stuartv]

I own a bunch of regs. In my current fleet, I have:

ScubaPro Mk 25 EVO/G260 (x2, for doubles)
Dive Rite XT1/XT4 (x2, for sidemount)
Halcyon H75P/Halo (Halo x 2, for single tank - same as G250V?)

I love my G260s. I've had them the longest of the above list. Never had them serviced, nor had a lick of trouble with them. I've never using anything that I thought breathed better.

I've had the Halcyon single tank set for about a year and a half or so. I've had nothing but trouble with the Halos. Both of them do the same thing and now another person at my shop that has them is having the same issue. They breathe fine at first. But, over time - say, after 10 dives or so - they start breathing "funny". If I inhale very, very slowly, I can get air. If I increase my inhale effort, I can feel a distinct "pop" and then they really flow a lot (like they are supposed to).

I took them directly to Halcyon HQ in High Springs and asked them to look at them. They worked on them and gave them back. Same thing. Worked okay for a short while, then back to resistance and a distinct pop. We rebuilt the 2nds at my shop. Same thing. Worked okay for a bit, then same old thing.

We talked to H and they said they had some with a bad batch of levers. They sent us new levers. We put the levers in and new service kits again. Same thing.

When they are "fresh", they breathe well. But, once they start acting up, they breathe like crap. It happens to both the Halos I have and, like I said, another instructor at the shop got a set recently and his are doing the same thing.

I got the Dive Rite XT1/XT4 set a few months ago. I've only used them in sidemount and also in sidemount with a Choptima CCR, so I haven't used them a lot. I do also have a set of XT1/XT2, which I've had the longest of all my current regs. The XT1/2 set has been great. No complaints at all.

The XT1/4 set has been great, so far. I have not breathed on them back to back with my G260s, but I have not noticed anything about the XT4 that seems "lesser" in any way. They breathe very well.

You didn't mention these, so I'll keep this part quick. I also have Atomic M1 regs (for doubles) and had Atomic Z2 regs for single tank (before the Halcyon). Both Atomics breathed the same, as far as I can tell. And, I think they breathe just as well as my G260s.

Of them all, if I were picking just one reg set to have, it would be the Atomic M1s. For single tank, and with a little bit of consideration to budget, the Atomic Z2.

As for regs being "quiet" or not, I can only say that I don't really notice any of my current regs being noisy. But, I did have a pair of SP Mk25 EVO/S620Ti regs (a pair, for doubles). Those S620Ti regs were LOUD in the water. The G260 (and the others) is SO much quieter in the water than the S620Ti was. I never realized there was really any difference in noise in the water from 2nd stages until I had those S620Ti regs.

 

[Aloha Joe]

I everyone’s input! I don’t think I can really go wrong with any of these. At the very least I feel better about wanting to try different regs. I don’t have nearly the justification as many of you, but it’s a hobby and I love it just the same. Unfortunately the "hobbiness" makes me consider the minutia more than I would otherwise. But I do notice that I relax/recover quicker and my SAC goes down much faster when my regs are comfortable and dialed in just right.

I probably wade too big of a deal about sound. It‘s not a huge difference between the 109s and 250s and I’d never have thought about it if I didn’t switch during a dive. Lately I’m doing long nature dives from shore, with the same buddy and group, so it’s just really calm and quiet diving which probably makes sounds more noticeable.

I do wonder how different the Venturi is between the 260 and the others. The 260 has the lever separate from the spring adjuster while the others are concentric. I’ll look at some schematics but I’m thinking the 260 maybe has a flat-ish "vane" like the 250, and the others have a circular section "tube." So I wonder if they all have similar amounts of variation between fully open and closed?

I’m sure I’m way over thinking this!

And, thanks @stuartv. This probably deserves its own thread but I actually have the same "pop" on my nicest 109. I just put in a brand new, complete Balanced/Adjustable kit. After the service the pop seemed gone, but over one 80 minute dive it started to come back ever so slightly. I guess the last thing to try is a different diaphragm (this one is clear fwiw). It’s sad, the chrome is so nice on this particular reg. My other 109 and two 250s don’t have the pop. I guess this is at least helping me justify a new reg purchase .

Interestingly I just tried sucking on 3 un-pressurized regs: that same 109BA and two 250s. The pop is still noticeable and only on the one 109. One thought is it’s the diaphragm folding/creasing under pressure. it’s kind of like the pop you get when you push on a tin box top, like an Altoid tin or something. And maybe that’s why it’s less noticeable on a fresh tune - with less force needed on the diaphragm. My other thought was it’s a deformity in the square hole where the lever engages the air tube.

 

[mr_v]

After a nice long dive playing with my 109 BA and 250, I realized how much I like the variable venturi, and also how much I dislike the location of it on the 250. It's interesting that SP has concentric knobs on the A700 and the like, but not on the 260.

I saw an A700 in person (dry) and love everything but the price tag. The size is great, the purge cover is the best soft purge I've felt, etc. So the XT4 seems like it's now at the top of the list for smaller size, concentric knobs, metal skeleton, etc.

Of course, if it has a smaller diaphragm it's hard to know what to expect. I did notice I like my 250 detuned a little, and don't even like the venturi wide open. So maybe the smaller diaphragm won't be a big deal for me.

I finished testing my freshly rebuilt 250 and what you stated resonate--the venturi location could have been better and I like the regulator slightly detuned. This is my first rebuilt and I am pleased with the results. For what I paid + my labor, it is definitely a great reg. Like it better than DGX.

 

[JMJ Wetsuits]

Adding a +1 for the G260 - it's one of my favorite regulators.

 

[bipolarbear]

Another vote for the G260. I own three of them, one of which has the 'tech' carbon fiber faceplate (the marketing materials say it's lighter but honestly there's little difference).

I've a couple of hundred dives on them, including down to 90+m. No complaints here.

 

[BoltSnap]

Is there a compelling reason I shouldn’t just take a pair of pliers and get it off that way?

You can buy the SP tool but if you use pliers, make sure that the teeth on pliers fit in the hose fitting groves carefully so you don't scratch or damage anything.

 

[BoltSnap]

Aloha,

I’m considering a new reg. I’d like something like a G250 that’s quieter and a little more compact, which I imagine is a G260. I have converted BAs but like the 250 performance better. I’m curious how the offerings from DGX, Deep 6, Dive Rite and others compare. This would be a self-serviced reg for warm water usage.

Mahalo,
Joe

As @stuartv said above; M1, Z2 or G260 and never have to look back. (I have all of these plus many more )

 

[BoltSnap]

I started 3D printing a few of these tools. Designed the M25 tool myself, downloaded a shared design for the spline wrench tool. Both work great.

Spline wrench and Mk25 assembly tool:

View attachment 794898

I'd be very interested in buying the wrench too. Please let me know when you decide to make and sell it. I'll need 2 or 3 depending on price. I have a shipping address in NYC.

 

[CT-Rich]

This isn’t directly related to the thread but, hey it’s Scubaboard, where tangents are often the most interesting part of the thread.

So why did Scubapro install a ridiculous hose on my new second stages? It looks like it requires a special tool to remove. Does it work better? (Doubtful) Is it there to make sure you have to take it to your LDS to remove? (Probably) Is there a compelling reason I shouldn’t just take a pair of pliers and get it off that way? Thanks for you input!

I just replaced my G260 hose with a MiFlex hose (the old one was the rubber was cracked through. The shop had mentioned the proprietary tool for taking the hose off. I put the old hose in a vise-grip and turned the regulator and it unscrewed with no problem, didn't even leave a mark on old hose.

I think ScubaPro just wants to force their service centers to buy the proprietary tool kit.