Bratface
Contributor
Switch to the S555. I have no trouble breathing in any position. I find it to be a reliable second stage. My octo second is the R295.
ScubaPro MK17 Review
- Thread starter echerk
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You can ask pretty much anyone on the board and they will confirm that I am one of the first to be critical of SP when they deserve it and they have pulled some real boners. The Mk 17 is not one of them.Scuba Tech:
SCFM figures themselves are largely meaningless in the real world as no one goes around venting gas though a first stage with a missing LP port plug. Numbers over 150 SCFM are also pretty much meaningless in themselves as they are nothing but overkill. More importantly, since SP is the only company that bothers to publish figures at all, it is pretty much impossible to make between brand comparisions. However the question should not be why SP does this but rather why other companies do not.
I have not put much effort into testing the flow rate of a reg, mostly because it is a test that can't be done by simply putting the reg on a tank and letting it rip as the reg is usually not the limiting factor in the system and the system required to provide that much gas at a constant supply pressure with no bottlenecks or restrictions in the flow path to the reg would be both very expensive and impractical to build just for the occassional reg test.
Besides, I agree with you that what is important is real world performance. I have tested several Mk 17's on the bench (including 3 of them that I own personally) as well as numerous Mk 20's and Mk 25's over the last several years, plus I dove with them on my doubles for nearly a decade before switching to MK 17's a couple years ago. IP drop in both first stages is similar and well within normal industry limits. Also, I have used both regs at depths well below recreational limits with one of each post to do side by side comparision tests. I have also done comparisons in what amounts to a blind test by having both first stages connected to a gas block feeding the same second stage without knowing which stage was connected to which port on the gas block. I could not tell one from the other in terms of performance. Through all this I have also used them with very high performance and very easy breathing second stages (D400's) and if there were a qualitative difference between them, it would show up in this combination. There isn't and it doesn't.
So in short, I do not generally bother to read evals or equipment tests, indpendent or otherwise, and I tend to base my opinons on real world tests and real world experience in deep and generally very cold water.
If you have an equally informed opinon based on an equal amount of experience, feel free to present your case. If all you have is an attitude supported by someone's potentially biased and/or subjective test report, put a cork in it and stop adding to the 95% of the BS you are complaining about.
Oh, I know, I considered special ordering the combo myself, but ultimately went with the MK25/S600 and MK25/S555.Vie:
It just seemed incongruous that the only photo in the review pictured the MK17 paired with the only second stage that is NOT mentioned anywhere in the review... take a look, the S600 is never mentioned!
I use the MK17AF(DIN) with a R395. It works and breaths very well.
ScubaPro does not recommend the MK17 to be used with it but does say the MK17AF is a good match.
Dave
ScubaPro does not recommend the MK17 to be used with it but does say the MK17AF is a good match.
Dave
squidster
Contributor
Putting An unbalanced second stage on a Mark 17 is like putting a 4Cylinder in a corvette WHY?
NorthWoodsDiver
Contributor
I ordered 2 mk17's (both DIN) the other day from my LDS and will be pairing them with an s600 for my primary and an R190 for my 19cuft pony. I had a mk25 but cant use it for ice diving. I intend to match them both with an AGA mask and using the s600 on the pony for ice diving this winter. I will keep you posted as to how they breath in comparison to my mk25.
squidster:
Because I had it and they breathe great.
I think a better analogy would be Why would you put corvette tires on an Indy car. and my reply would have been, because I only drive it on the street. :14:
Dave
DDHF
squidster
Contributor
I just dumped my R295 for an older d300 and it is great, now i have a 67 corvette with a 396 and its great! to each his own
If your happy with theR395 go for it,but if you get a chance to put at balanced second on that puppy,you will see what i am saying.
If your happy with theR395 go for it,but if you get a chance to put at balanced second on that puppy,you will see what i am saying.
Greg Barlow
Contributor
DA Aquamaster:
Actually, Mares and Oceanic both publish gas flow specifications for their regualtors. I also agree that any flow in excess of 140-150scfm is unnecessary. I personally believe that most sport divers diving in less than 130fsw would be fine with an unbalanced piston first stage and unbalanced second stage. That combination is about as reliable as it gets...
Greg Barlow
Former Science Editor for Rodale's Scuba Diving Magazine
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