Mares 75XRs?

[gerj]

I'm building out a twinset rig for deep, cold and dirty on a modest budget and my LDS has offered me a very good price on a pair of Mares 75XR first stages. Does anyone have any experience with these? I know they're a tried and true design just with extra ports but I can't find any reviews or chat about them and it's making me hesitate. Is there going to be any issue getting parts now they're discontinued?
My other options for around the same money are a buddy's lightly used tek 3s (apeks parts seem to be slow and expensive in my area so not my first choice, and I know people complain about tek 3 hose routing) or the Dive Rite XT package (would rather have something my LDS carries). DSTs or mk25s are out of my budget.
I'm located in Ontario, diving mostly very cold freshwater and looking to start tech training for deep wrecks next season. I'm not interested on sidemount right now.

 

[Zef]

The Mares 75XR is a solid 1st stage both literally and figuratively. From those I know who dive with it, it performs very well. It has multiple setup configuration possibilities, facilitated by the abundance of ports situated around the heavy chrome plated brass body. Did I mention it is heavy?....don't drop it on your foot (not that you would want to drop any regulator).

If you want a 1st hand account for how this regulator performs, I suggest sending a direct message through the board to divezonescuba (Chris) or call him at his shop in Houston Texas: 832-444-5063

-Z

 

[divezonescuba]

I have a total of 4 75x's set up to use, but they are too pretty to actually use on real dives. They are discontinued in the U.S. There is no issue getting the service kits.

So, I normally use 72x regulators with the environmentally seal modification with Atomic Z2 second stages The 72x's have also been discontinued in the U.S.

The 75x is a very similar design with respect to the port layout. The 75x's are also designed to be environmentally sealed without any additional modification. There are other few very minor internal differences that seem to be mostly dimensional. They use different service kits because of that. As Zef mentioned they are very heavy.

I have taken the 72xs below 300 feet a couple of times and below 200 feet many times without any difficulties.

Both the 72x and the 75x are great regulators from the port layout alone. The fundamental design is of course well developed. For backmount doubles diving no other regulator design can compare.

 

[gerj]

Thanks so much for your input guys, I've pulled the trigger!

 

[divezonescuba]

I forgot to mention. Here is my video on the subject. If you find it helpful, please subscribe.