Scubapro S620ti, "super-flow" hoses & swivels

[SpyrosDives]

Hi All,

My end goal is to build a travel set with quality equipment. I may brave colder waters someday, but diving in waters under 5 degrees or anything that extreme is not in my immediate plans. I am interested in recreational diving of up to 40m and have around 100 dives. Some questions for whoever can help:

I am thinking of buying a scubapro MK17 and S620ti and swapping the hose for a 1m or 1.5m one, since I'm using an Air2. This way, I'd donate the primary. I currently have a Mares Instinct 12S, and I don't find it great (neither in terms of breathing performance, nor in terms of durability).

a. Do you know if there is a practical difference in using a "super-flow" hose advertised by scubapro?

b. Also, does anybody know what the difference is between the S620ti and the S600ti?

c. Finally, does using a swivel severely degrade the performance of the second stage?

Thanks!!
-Spyros

 

[tbone1004]

a. I doubt it....

b. I think they just made some case tweaks

c. it shouldn't degrade performance at all

the question I have for you, is why scubapro, and why titanium? Do you really need to shave ounces? You should realistically be putting regs in carryon not checked baggage anyway. That said the weight savings of a titanium second stage is negligible compared to a first stage and it offers no performance advantages.

The Mk17 is a great regulator, but if you're going with diaphragm regulators, which I am a personal fan of, there are better ones out there, particularly for hose routing if you are going to a primary donate method of air sharing. Something with a swivel turret and 5th port will benefit you greatly in that

 

[BoltSnap]

a. Do you know if there is a practical difference in using a "super-flow" hose advertised by scubapro?

Why don't you buy the SP hose with the length you want/need?

b. Also, does anybody know what the difference is between the S620ti and the S600ti?

I don't see the S600ti on SP's website. The S620ti second stage in general is an enhanced version of the S600 with almost 40% better WOB specs and easier to adjust the VIVA/Venturi lever. Here is a complete enhancement list from SP's website:

"The new S620 Ti embraces the best features of SCUBAPRO's renowned S600 in an upgraded, state-of-the-art design. Smaller and lighter than the S600 but using the same-sized diaphragm, the S620 Ti delivers excellent performance; work of breathing has been reduced by 37% over the S600, providing effortless airflow under all dive conditions. The full titanium inlet tube is ultra-light, the large purge button improves water circulation, and the new exhaust tee increases performance while directing bubbles out of the field of view. In all water temperatures, in all dive conditions, this new reg system is a winner."

http://www.scubapro.com/en-GB/FRA/regulators/products/mk25-evos620t.aspx

the question I have for you, is why scubapro, and why titanium? Do you really need to shave ounces? You should realistically be putting regs in carryon not checked baggage anyway. That said the weight savings of a titanium second stage is negligible compared to a first stage and it offers no performance advantages.

This isn't accurate at all. The titanium air barrel will be much more resistant to corrosion offering much better reliability in the long term in addition to the weight savings. This upgraded version of the S600, the S620ti second stage has substantially improved performance specifications over the already great legendary S600 second stage.

The Mk17 is a great regulator, but if you're going with diaphragm regulators, which I am a personal fan of, there are better ones out there, particularly for hose routing if you are going to a primary donate method of air sharing. Something with a swivel turret and 5th port will benefit you greatly in that

Not quite accurate either.

Although I prefer the MK25 with swivel turret for several reasons including the convenience of the swivel turret, the MK17 first stage has revised port design that makes the routing much easier and comfortable for the recreational and technical diver. This first stage is one of the best performing diaphragm first stages out there especially in the latest version of the case.

 

[SpyrosDives]

a. I doubt it....

b. I think they just made some case tweaks

c. it shouldn't degrade performance at all

the question I have for you, is why scubapro, and why titanium? Do you really need to shave ounces? You should realistically be putting regs in carryon not checked baggage anyway. That said the weight savings of a titanium second stage is negligible compared to a first stage and it offers no performance advantages.

The Mk17 is a great regulator, but if you're going with diaphragm regulators, which I am a personal fan of, there are better ones out there, particularly for hose routing if you are going to a primary donate method of air sharing. Something with a swivel turret and 5th port will benefit you greatly in that

Thanks for the input!
Scubapro is because I would like to keep servicing easy, so I would want a common brand.
Titanium because I have read that the second stage is smaller (don't really much about lighter, since as you've mentioned it's going in the carry-on). Price difference is not that high (50 euros difference with a S600). The titanium first stage is very expensive.
I also have a choice of a Mk25 that has a swivel turret, but this is 100 euros more expensive. Perhaps naively looking at the output of the first stage and the second stage, I don't understand what the benefit of the larger capacity of the Mk25 is (since the limitation would be the second stage anyway). The Mk25 also looks bigger in the photos.

 

[SpyrosDives]

Why don't you buy the SP hose with the length you want/need?

SP do not sell braided hoses AFAIK. They ones they use are bulky and rigid. I was planning to maul the light and flexible braided hose of the Mares octopus.

 

[tbone1004]

@BurhanMuntasser yes it will be more corrosion resistant, but I wouldn't say it offers better reliability. I own some scubapro second stages from the 60's that are still working just peachy and man have they been abused in their 60 years. At 50E price increase I could never see anyone justifying titanium but if you can't get the new case without titanium, then I would imagine the updated case may be worth the price increase

Regarding the MK17, no amount of port placement can change the lack of swivel or fifth port, so my point stands on that one. A swivel turret with a 5th port, especially when using an air 2 will allow a lot better hose routing. You can put the regulator at a 45* angle with the primary coming out of the bottom and have a much more streamlined hose routing with a lot less bending going on than the mk17 can achieve, even if it is rotated horizontally.

Consider looking at the Apeks DST/XTX50 as well if you want one from a common brand. I wouldn't personally buy either of those brands for various reasons right now *nothing to do with the products themselves, everything to do with ridiculous company policies that I refuse to support*, but you can't beat them if you want something that is everywhere in the world

 

[BoltSnap]

SP do not sell braided hoses AFAIK. They ones they use are bulky and rigid. I was planning to maul the light and flexible braided hose of the Mares octopus.

I use the myflex 40" hose in my regulator and I am going to replace it with the regular rubber hose. The rubber hose lasts longer and isn't any worse in comfort. You will need to use a swivel with either type of hoses anyways.

 

[BoltSnap]

yes it will be more corrosion resistant, but I wouldn't say it offers better reliability. I own some scubapro second stages from the 60's that are still working just peachy and man have they been abused in their 60 years. At 50E price increase I could never see anyone justifying titanium but if you can't get the new case without titanium, then I would imagine the updated case may be worth the price increase

The extra money for the S620ti isn't just for the titanium barrel, it is for the overall design improvement and the substantial improvement in the WOB for the S620ti over the S600 (and the S600 is a fantastic breather to begin with anyways).

Regarding the MK17, no amount of port placement can change the lack of swivel or fifth port, so my point stands on that one. A swivel turret with a 5th port, especially when using an air 2 will allow a lot better hose routing. You can put the regulator at a 45* angle with the primary coming out of the bottom and have a much more streamlined hose routing with a lot less bending going on than the mk17 can achieve, even if it is rotated horizontally.

The MK25 first stage with its swivel turret is more convenient for sure but the redesigned MK17 and angled ports is certainly a vast improvement. For the average recreational diver, it won't make a big difference.

 

[SpyrosDives]

Does anybody know if the port placement in the Mk17 allows using a transmitter without a (short) hose?

 

[tbone1004]

The extra money for the S620ti isn't just for the titanium barrel, it is for the overall design improvement and the substantial improvement in the WOB for the S620ti over the S600 (and the S600 is a fantastic breather to begin with anyways).



The MK25 first stage with its swivel turret is more convenient for sure but the redesigned MK17 and angled ports is a vast improvement for sure. For the average recreational diver, it won't make a big difference.

that's why I said I'd probably pony up for the upgraded case design. I wish they'd offer it in brass, but it's a marketing thing, so I can't blame them. I don't really like the S600 and much prefer the G250 series, but that's personal preference

We'll have to agree to disagree on that. For anyone curious, I've linked one of the hose routings in the video below, skip to 2:14. This is basically the left post of a set of doubles with the long hose put on the swivel turret. This is by far one of if not the most streamlined single tank regulator configuration for those with a standard two second stage setup, and the most convenient if you go back and forth between singles and doubles. The change over is two turns of an adjustable wrench and the removal of one port plug.
The alternate way which is ideal if you only ever dive single tanks and/or use an AirII is to put the primary on the bottom port and have the first stage at a ~45* angle. This puts everything going in basically the right direction for where they need to end up