Mares quality

[Thomthumb]

Mares quattro fins, excellant My pair has lasted over 140 dives in the oceans.
Proton Metal Reg and octo excellant,
Viper octo great,
don't know about the other parts of Mares gear.

 

[Ltstanfo]

I regularly use (just over 2 years now) the Mares Nemo Wide computer(s) for both rec and tec diving. The Nemo Wide has a firmware upgrade that allows for a 3 gas profile (EAN). It does not have a transmitter (nor do I want such a feature in tec diving). I would put it on par with the Dive Rite Nitek Trio.

I have yet to have any problems with the Nemo Wide but its usefullness in tech diving might end when you go trimix or possibly rebreather.

To each their own.

Regards,
Ltstanfo

 

[Mattleycrue76]

Personally I've owned and used Mares masks and fins and the're ok although better suited to warm water recreational applications.

Several of my dive buddies have had Mares regs, including the metal ones and I've watched them have so many problems with them that I wouldn't touch one with a ten foot pole.

BCDs I don't like at all no matter who makes them.

 

[FireDiver443]

I'll have to second Georoc01's comments on the Mares Alikai: My wife loved her's in the store, but the 1st one we purchased required replacement after 4 dives because the integrated weight system (not just the pouch) fell apart. She's had a few other small failures on the replacement (she'll tell you Mares succeeded in designing the 1st disposable BCD!) and is ready to put it up for sale on ebay and start using the Zeagle Ranger I mothballed when I went to a BP/W.

My back-up mask is an X-vision that's ok, and my sister in-law loves her Proton Ice reg and M1 wrist computer (although I found it to be very user unfriendly, even with the user manual right in front of me).

I noticed last month while in Florida that a rather large dive retail chain (hint: they have a store on Northlakes in WPB) had discontinued offering a lot of the Mares products they used to have. The sales associate I spoke to cited quality concerns.

My best advice is first, figure out what kind of diving you plan to do and then look around and then research which gear will best get you there. Remember too that your gear selection choices may well be a work-in-progress as you continue diving.

See you down there!