Scubapro MK20/G250 used

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I believe the UL version is black anodized ..... should be easy to spot.

My preference would be the Titan over the Scubapro for a couple of reasons......well only one really and that is to do with the 1st stage (the 2nd stages are a wash as both are balanced barrel poppet type and are much the same as any other barrel poppet 2nd stage).

The Titan is a diaphragm 1st stage. Better for cold water and better as a second hand buy.
No need to hash out the cold water stuff but why better used buy.

I buy and service a ton of used gear. Very frequently used gear bought from a private seller has sat around for years and years. Depending on how well it was rinsed and subsequently stored after its final dive will have a big effect on it's condition, much more than how old it is or how many dives it has......for piston 1st stages.
A diaphragm 1st stage can be put away wet and salty, left in the dive bag and then stored in a garden shed in the tropics without ill effect. Bit of an exaggeration, I admit, but do this to a piston reg and you are taking a crap shoot at what condition the insides will be like......that is if the tech can even crack the damn thing open and get inside!

I don't dislike piston regs.
My favorite reg to dive.......Scubapro MK5 and 10's with Balanced Adjustable or G250.
Favorite reg to throw in a boat locker and forget until the next year.....US Divers Conshelf (pretty much the same reg as the OP is considering).
 
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I believe the UL version is black anodized ..... should be easy to spot.

My preference would be the Titan over the Scubapro for a couple of reasons......well only one really and that is to do with the 1st stage (the 2nd stages are a wash as both are balanced barrel poppet type and are much the same as any other barrel poppet 2nd stage).

The Titan is a diaphragm 1st stage. Better for cold water and better as a second hand buy.
No need to hash out the cold water stuff but why better used buy.

I buy and service a ton of used gear. Very frequently used gear bought from a private seller has sat around for years and years. Depending on how well it was rinsed and subsequently stored after its final dive will have a big effect on it's condition, much more than how old it is or how many dives it has......for piston 1st stages.
A diaphragm 1st stage can be put away wet and salty, left in the dive bag and then stored in a garden shed in the tropics without ill effect. Bit of an exaggeration, I admit, but do this to a piston reg and you are taking a crap shoot at what condition the insides will be like......that is if the tech can even crack the damn thing open and get inside!

I don't dislike piston regs.
My favorite reg to dive.......Scubapro MK5 and 10's with Balanced Adjustable or G250.
Favorite reg to throw in a boat locker and forget until the next year.....US Divers Conshelf (pretty much the same reg as the OP is considering).

The one is silver, perhaps with some chrome layer? So I guess it is not the UL. As for the 1rst stage advice, thanks, I wouldn't have thought of that. The owner states that the MK20 was serviced after the last dive, so I would hope that it would be in a fair state, however, I guess there is no way to find out without some proper check, which is something I cannot manage at the buying time.

As for the cold water I am still wondering if I will need it at all, since, at the time being, the places I am planning to dive in the winter, have temperatures around 14ºC, so above the cold water limit.

Thanks for the advice!
 
If the MK20/G250 is half the price of the titan, it's a better deal, especially considering that the MK20/G250 is a more expensive reg set new.

I wouldn't worry about cold water use on either one unless you are diving with a drysuit. If not, you won't be in water cold enough to cause problems.

The only issue with buying a used MK20 is that some of them came with a brass-tipped piston that is not as good as either the earlier or later pistons. If the one you're buying has a brass-tipped piston, at some point (likely the next service) you may want to replace that piston with a new one. This will essentially make your reg a MK25 except no external IP adjustment. (That's a plus in my mind). I think the cost of the piston is about $70 in U.S.

If the reg set was competently serviced in 2014, not used since then, and has been stored in a reasonable environment, chances are very good that you will be able to get a few hundred dives out of it before needing another service.

The titan LX is also an excellent regulator, so you can't go wrong either way.
 
If the MK20/G250 is half the price of the titan, it's a better deal, especially considering that the MK20/G250 is a more expensive reg set new.

I wouldn't worry about cold water use on either one unless you are diving with a drysuit. If not, you won't be in water cold enough to cause problems.

The only issue with buying a used MK20 is that some of them came with a brass-tipped piston that is not as good as either the earlier or later pistons. If the one you're buying has a brass-tipped piston, at some point (likely the next service) you may want to replace that piston with a new one. This will essentially make your reg a MK25 except no external IP adjustment. (That's a plus in my mind). I think the cost of the piston is about $70 in U.S.

If the reg set was competently serviced in 2014, not used since then, and has been stored in a reasonable environment, chances are very good that you will be able to get a few hundred dives out of it before needing another service.

The titan LX is also an excellent regulator, so you can't go wrong either way.

Thanks! Sadly the MK20/G250 deal is gone, though there are other sets available, they are more expensive. It seems to have been a very popular set around here...

I am going to check the Titan this weekend, and will take it, if all looks good.
 
Use a magnet. You can get a brand new in box never opened Titan for 234.00
USD - why fool with a used SP?
:D good tip for the magnet. Here the Titan LX supreme 1 and 2nd stage alone cost 350, and this one I found includes also the Octopus, which should be around some 100 more. So it looks to me that 180 is not a bad price to pay for the set.
 
:D good tip for the magnet. Here the Titan LX supreme 1 and 2nd stage alone cost 350, and this one I found includes also the Octopus, which should be around some 100 more. So it looks to me that 180 is not a bad price to pay for the set.

The MK-25 and MK-20 are made out of plated brass. A magnet does not stick to brass. The MK-20 UL, I have 2, are made out of aluminum. A magnet does not stick to aluminum either or titanium for that matter. So a magnet will not prove anything.

As mentioned, I have 2 MK-20 UL. There is nothing wrong with them IF you take care of them properly. That is the price for a lower travel weight. The body of these regulators will either be black or a dark brown while a normal MK-20 is a shiny silver color.
 
If you want new then I would recommend this: Apeks ATX40 Regulator with Octopus & Console

You may be able to get the price lower if you shop around. There are some stores in Germany on eBay which are pretty aggressive on price.
 
Spend another US$40.00 on e-bay for 2 adjusting screws and a wee bit of elbow grease, you can instantly "up-grade" the ATX40 to ATX50.
 

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