Question Is a Mk25 overkill for recreational tropical water dives?

[KeelsonGraham]

Hi all,

I’m returning to diving after a looong time since my initial open water qualification. I have only 17 dives under my belt. Not enough to know what I’m doing, but enough to know what I do, and definitely don’t, want to do.

At age 67, I have zero interest in cold diving and I very much doubt I’ll ever want to go below 18m. My most likely scenario is wife and I doing gentle pootling around off our sailboat in the Caribbean somewhere around 10m, some shore dives in France, and the occasional trip to the Red Sea.

We’re in the lucky position of being able to afford a top notch reg set - if that’s what we need, but I'm not sure it is. Part of me thinks we should just go for the absolute bullet proof option of a Mk25 and S620 Ti. Because:

A. That set is unlikely to go wrong, reducing one potential failure point so that we can concentrate on safe diving practices.
B. It breathes easily (good for tired old farts)
C. It can be easily serviced in the Caribbean.
D. It probably has the best chance of withstanding the rigours of boat life, living 24/7 in a corrosive environment without unlimited freshwater for post-dive soaking.

But…but…..but, in all honesty a Mk2 would probably do the job. Or somewhere in the middle, perhaps a Mk11 or Mk17. We only need one HP port because we don’t have, and never will have AI capable DCs.

I’m happy to spend the cash if there’s a real benefit in doing so, but I don’t want to spend it just for the hell of it.

Help and advice would be warmly welcomed!

 

[USdiver1]

For the type of diving you are describing, I agree a Mk 2 is sufficient. I would pair it with a balanced 2nd stage, like a G250/260/500, and call it a near perfect warm water recreational rig.

 

[Lorenzoid]

As for B, for the kind of diving you do, you will almost certainly not notice a difference in so-called work-of-breathing between first stages of any major brand (and some smaller brands, too), let alone between Scubapro models. The second stage might make more of a difference, as I think @USdiver1 is getting at in his reply, but even then, the difference is probably minimal.

 

[davehicks]

Not overkill, the Mk25 is a great regulator for most use cases.

 

[johnnywulff]

As mention Mk2 with balance second stage but the new ones see Scubapro sales see attachment

 

[arkstorm]

The MK25 might be “overkill” for the type of diving you describe but regs are more about features than necessity since very few divers will ever realistically push any reg to its limits.

The MK25 is a balanced piston which means it will provide equal performance regardless of depth and tank pressure. Also, the MK25 has a swiveling turret which makes hose routing more convenient.

On the other hand, the MK2 is an unbalanced piston reg so performance (ease of breathing) may deteriorate at greater depths and/or lower tank pressure. Also, it is a fixed turret.

Regardless of the difference in features, both the MK25 and the MK2 are excellent regs, both are widely serviced, both perform well for their spec.

Other Scubapro regs you mentioned are all diaphragm first stage regs which can have certain advantages but are more complex to service because they have more moving parts.

I dive a MK25 in both rec and tec setups and I can attest that it breathes the same at 150’ as it does at 60’. I also use MK17’s (sealed diaphragm) for both rec and tec diving. There are certain advantages to sealed diaphragms, one such advantage that may pertain to your specific situation with limited rinse water availability is that with a sealed diaphragm there is no direct contact between sea water and the first stage internals. However, the main benefit of sealed diaphragm has to do with cold water diving.

What will make a more appreciable difference in performance in the sort of conditions you intend to dive is the quality of the second stage. I would definitely recommend a balanced second stage. Higher end balanced second stages from Scubapro all have dive/pre-dive switches and adjustable breathing resistance, both features are nice to have but certainly not need to have. There are some very nice breathing second stages from brands other than Scubapro that do not have those features and are still great breathers, e.g. Mares Abyss (yes, there is still life after Scubapro).

Having a high performance reg is no more overkill than driving a Ferrari on road with a 55mph speed limit. You might never appreciate the full performance potential, but it’s still a great ride.

 

[fred32176]

I am a 67 year old, relatively new Florida diver. I have a scubapro MK11, C370 an R095 for exactly the reason you state - I am not interested in cold water diving. This regulator set was recommended by my LDS and is great. It breathes very well and I don't notice any difference breathing at depth.

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

If it's not overkill it's def too heavy.

 

[davehicks]

If it's not overkill it's def too heavy.

Too heavy? Compared to what? So you can buy a regulator that is 4 ounces lighter or 4 ounces heavier. Not a serious consideration unless you are trying to save money on postage.

 

[KenE]

I have both and use both the Mk25 and Mk2. I prefer the Mk25 and S600 to the Mk2 and G250, just more comfortable. I use the Mk2 and G250 on the pony now when I need redundant gas. Both are solid and will last a lifetime, I just prefer one over the other. You may only dive warm water now, but maybe not always.