Mares 52X for technical diving?

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What nonsense. We aren't talking about eighteenth century frigates or twentieth century dive computers here. Scuba demand regulators are fully worked out mechanical devices. A better metaphor would be a block plane or, if you want a a more complex mechanical system, a carburetor. These things were all perfected decades ago.

Basic reliability and decent performance was readily available as early as the 1950s. Modest improvements in performance continued in uneven bursts over the next few decades as gas flow dynamics became easier to model. By the 90s, regulators had reached their performance limits and we've basically been coasting since then. When a new model of regulator is introduced today, nearly all of the "improvements" are either marketing gimmicks or changes made to lower manufacturing costs.

For example, we've been talking about the original Abyss. It is highly doubtful that anyone has produced a superior reg for extreme deep dives. Mark Ellyatt used a stock MR22 with Abyss second when he set the then depth record (and still 3rd deepest OC dive) at 313m in 2003.

The regulators were chosen for there heavyweight all metal construction helping to maximise internal temperatures. The DFC system is great at managing high gas flows with its smooth operation as opposed to Venturi flow support, Finally no environmental seal means less Intermediate pressure amplification with the ensuing high pressure seat instability etc The water temp was 3-4 c at depth, the gas flows were enormous but all resulted in zero free flow or stutter. - Mark Ellyatt Scuba Depth Record

The pre-2008 Abyss first stage is a giant hunk of metal which helps prevent internal icing and the oversize (1/2") primary LP port flows a vast amount of gas. Some Apeks regs had this feature as well, including the regs used on the deepest and 4th deepest dives. This feature has been value engineered out of current regs. Which is sensible since it only becomes an advantage below 150m, but suggests that newer regs aren't necessarily better for "extremely difficult and demanding dives".

The second stage is also all metal which again is more resistant to freeze ups than thermoplastics, gas flow is unobstructed as it enters the main chamber through its own tube rather than threading through all the valve hardware (which also makes internal icing less likely) and the parts count is much lower so there's less to go wrong. The same second stage is still the flagship of their XR line.

mares-75xr-dr-full-tek-set.jpg

BTW, Ellyatt's record was broken by Nuno Gomes who used a Poseidon Cyklon 5000, a reg that was introduced a decade before the Abyss.

Most BS loaded self-contradictory post so far. Pure Mares marketing misleading promo disguised as informational post.
 
You know, I do wonder about that IP amplification statement. Seems to me the silicone oil filled chamber would be the most smooth, spreading out the pressure differential over the full surface area, unlike the Apeks/Aqualung piston design.
Ellyatt goes into more detail on this here: deep diving regulators

He's basically concerned about the secondary chamber on environmentally sealed regs correctly transmitting the external pressure to the primary diaphragm at great depth as he had experienced freeflows with multiple types of sealed regs. But note that it appears this page was written in 2004 so may or may not reflect his later thinking.

I did find a discussion where someone remembers that John Bennett, who held the depth record before Ellyatt, filled the secondary chamber of his Apeks TX100 with oil to avoid freeflows. But no one could verify it - https://www.thediveforum.com/showthread.php?13214-Apeks-Reg-Depth-Ratings/page3
 
...and the 52X is the MR22 that had brass removed aswell.
In the mean time I found out that Mark Ellyatt dove his world record to 313 m with the MR22 and an Abyss second. So if this iconic diver can do it on the predecessor, why should my 52X not be good enough for a TEC 50 course?! :acclaim: I'm going to have a word with my Instructor/LDS sales clerk...

Knowing the history of the time tested 22 it's kind of funny that Mares' marketing people rate the current Abyss Navy 2 not(!) capable for technical diving... (see page 15)

Why do they even print such a matrix. I wonder what's their definition of technical diving?


I got a really good deal on two XR DR and one X25 (the second one was apparently dropped into the deep blue in a strange scenario...) Anyway, I screwed on a Dual Adj and now have a fancy stage reg and use the two XR DR as primary and safe second for the next 20 years.


Thank you guys for all the information your providing!

Maybe I'm going to ask you about the potential upgrade with a Twin Balances System...
But thats for another time.
good choice. The X25 is a very good technical 1stage even if limited to doubles and backmount.

I have been using the 28XR with doubles for a long time and Im more than satisfied.

Mares has historically made very good 1'stage, some good 2' stage and other less good (mainly because of wrong materials choice).
The mares 1st stage are not very known within the tech community for a very simple reason: their main market has always been the recreational one where it has been very strong for years...simple market choice, not a quality one.
Then the XR line came in: some very good stuff (the 28xr and the 25), some ok stuff (neoprene drysuit, primary toarch and wings) and some bad stuff (tri-laminate drysuit).
As for the scuba pro MK line, they are super well known in the tech community and the TECH/DIR schools (UTD, GUE, ISE etc) have been using them for a long time.

As someone said, a lot of hype for a specific brand for historical and marketing reasons, and often the local scuba shop tends to sell you what they have...so its good to double check with other dive shops.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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