Scubapro vs Dive-rite

[pescador775]

Scubapro has always been high and mighty selling over priced stuff under cover of (now illegal) "fair trade" laws and strong arm tactics of various kinds. They subverted the competitive process by using "instructors" as shills (NASDS). Their service is OK including annual service for a price but with an overlay of processes involving "rules", secret handshakes, crypto service advisories and the like. Originally, it was setup that way because the simple piston regulators would leak or creep unless inspected and maintained frequently, and to cycle customers through the retail shops. The adjustable second stages would freeze due to corrosion. First stages like the MK20 are still subject to creep and the newer, complicated, second stages are subject to fluctuations in tune. Scubapro could not accept that their piston regulators would freeze up and continue to claim that they can be safe to use in freezing water which is ridiculous. The company's attitude about parts availability is similar to govt control of stategic weapons, unusual in a free market, and designed to maximize profits and minimize liability with little regard for the customer's wishes.

 

[Richard Paul Halstead]

From my point of view when you can get parts on the gray market and then something goes wrong and SP hasn't gotten any waiver from end users it seems to open them up to liability. Also just the fact that many people are rebuilding there own SP regs because they trust them selfs more than the SP tech. I can see a argument being made.

 

[squidster]

Scubapro has always been high and mighty selling over priced stuff under cover of (now illegal) "fair trade" laws and strong arm tactics of various kinds. They subverted the competitive process by using "instructors" as shills (NASDS). Their service is OK including annual service for a price but with an overlay of processes involving "rules", secret handshakes, crypto service advisories and the like. Originally, it was setup that way because the simple piston regulators would leak or creep unless inspected and maintained frequently, and to cycle customers through the retail shops. The adjustable second stages would freeze due to corrosion. First stages like the MK20 are still subject to creep and the newer, complicated, second stages are subject to fluctuations in tune. Scubapro could not accept that their piston regulators would freeze up and continue to claim that they can be safe to use in freezing water which is ridiculous. The company's attitude about parts availability is similar to govt control of stategic weapons, unusual in a free market, and designed to maximize profits and minimize liability with little regard for the customer's wishes.

It sounds to me like you have a hatred for scubaPro,
To be fare i think that there are alot of regs out there that is just as good as scubapro or maybe a little better,but i dont think every thing you have said gives a accurate view of there product or company.
People like you would like to see scuba equipment sold at wallmart and to have a pimple face teen who went through a 5 day course service Them.
If we want an accurate view of scubaPro we need a true expert.
DA Aquamaster where are youuuuuuuuuuuuu:mooner::mooner::mooner:
I would put the SP MK17/G250V up against any regulator out there.

 

[pescador775]

Sorry Squidster, everything I said is true and that is not the half of it. Scubapro products are generally well made but the fact that they stuck with those touchy piston designs is more an extension of corporate identity, hard headedness and product placement than engineering sense. Their advertising in the 1970's and on was so misleading as to be laffable. I mean, fins that "compress" and "jet" water and second stages that could purge (blast) louder than the competition. Admit it, it's crap. Even today, they talk about balanced this and that with little regard for facts. It's always been about the suits whether bad or to the good. Bonin was a jerk, God rest his soul.

Who the heck is talking about Walmart and pimples? Get a brain.

 

[squidster]

Sorry Squidster, everything I said is true and that is not the half of it. Scubapro products are generally well made but the fact that they stuck with those touchy piston designs is more an extension of corporate identity, hard headedness and product placement than engineering sense. Their advertising in the 1970's and on was so misleading as to be laffable. I mean, fins that "compress" and "jet" water and second stages that could purge (blast) louder than the competition. Admit it, it's crap. Even today, they talk about balanced this and that with little regard for facts. It's always been about the suits whether bad or to the good. Bonin was a jerk, God rest his soul.

Who the heck is talking about Walmart and pimples? Get a brain.

There are many on this board that have used scuba pro for years,and far as piston type you cant find a smoother breathing reg then MK 25,Atomic regs
are all piston type.
I personally have a ScubaPro diaphram type and have had no problems with it and it breathes great.
The problem with brand x users is that they have to justify there purchases they make by putting down a good Scuba company.
If you got a good deal on your reg and its dependable you should talk about those things, and quit pooping out your mouth.
I will let you have the last word,your a wast of time!

 

[Luis H]

Scubapro has always been high and mighty selling over priced stuff under cover of (now illegal) "fair trade" laws and strong arm tactics of various kinds. They subverted the competitive process by using "instructors" as shills (NASDS). Their service is OK including annual service for a price but with an overlay of processes involving "rules", secret handshakes, crypto service advisories and the like. Originally, it was setup that way because the simple piston regulators would leak or creep unless inspected and maintained frequently, and to cycle customers through the retail shops. The adjustable second stages would freeze due to corrosion. First stages like the MK20 are still subject to creep and the newer, complicated, second stages are subject to fluctuations in tune. Scubapro could not accept that their piston regulators would freeze up and continue to claim that they can be safe to use in freezing water which is ridiculous. The company's attitude about parts availability is similar to govt control of stategic weapons, unusual in a free market, and designed to maximize profits and minimize liability with little regard for the customer's wishes.

Well, Pescador, my personal experience of selling and servicing Scubapro and several other brands from 1971 to about 1980 is the complete opposite to the two statements above (I highlighted it in bold).

I agree that the flow through piston regulator is not the easiest geometry to environmentally seal, but in the warm waters of the Caribbean it worked great and it was easy to service. When they needed service, which was rare. My experience with the Mk-5 first stage is that it held great solid IP and they could handle any abuse.

We never pushed a yearly service and I am not even sure when that was introduced.

To this day I have not found a second stage that I prefer to the adjustable metal second stages (109). I am converting all of mine to pneumatically balance adjustable, but they did work great even as simple down stream demand valves.

I really like my Poseidon Cyklon second stages and my wife loves her D400s, but the metal balanced adjustable (109 / 156) work flawlessly for many years without needing service.

I have standardized all mine and my wife regulators to use Titan or Conshelf first stages, since it helps me keep down the parts inventory and they are also compatible with my Royal Aqua Master (and Phoenix RAM), but I still use some Mk-5 for our work regulators in our lake's Milfoil (invasive aquatic plants) work.

There are things I don’t like about Scubapro, but many of them have been since Dick Bonin left the company. I only met him once very briefly, so I can’t say much about him.

I have some real mix feelings about the control they imposed (and still have) on dive shops. The internet is a force they and all companies are going to have to deal with.

I have no comments about the advertising (exaggerations, etc. I think are common to all), but the Jet Fins are still one of my favorite fins. I have tried other fins and always return to one of my Jets.

It is kind of too bad that Scubapro was a new kid on the block and they never made a double hose regulator. It would have been interesting. In the 70’s they were by far the most innovative diving company around. Then again back then is when companies were not afraid to experiment with new things. Have you ever dived a Scubapro Visionaire Mask? That is a weird second stage/ mask, but it works great.

 

[redacted]

The minute scubapro starts letting there dealers pursue internet sells thats the minute bad service will start.

Scubapro is better compared with Apex and Atomic then DiveRite.

Why do you believe internet sales result in bad service. Perhaps you have never delt with Scubatoys or Divesports.

I dive all scubapro regs, mostly older models. If I were starting out today shopping for a new reg with the knowledge I now have, I'd probably go with DiveRite due to their service support policies. Why do you think scubapro is better?

 

[squidster]

Why do you believe internet sales result in bad service. Perhaps you have never delt with Scubatoys or Divesports.

I dive all scubapro regs, mostly older models. If I were starting out today shopping for a new reg with the knowledge I now have, I'd probably go with DiveRite due to their service support policies. Why do you think scubapro is better?

I am tired of people slamming ScubaPro Product just because they cant buy it on the net.

They act like the product they buy on the net is superior because they got a deal on it , then put down other companys that dont deal on the net ,thats why a perfectly good thread turns into argument.
All i said was that no matter where you travel you will find a service center for scubapro.

Now i have been out side US and i have seen first hand that there are more service centers for Scuba pro Then most other scuba lines.
i did not say Diverite is crap like are friend above said about SP.

I have purchased a computer from Scuba Toys,the reason i did is they were dealers and they had a fair price.
I like Scubapro,Aqualung, Oceanic and i have regs from all these Companys.
I never said diverite is bad.
If you have a dealer close by or can service it yourself and like the way it performs ,Buy it!
Why i think the service would be better is you could most likely find a dive center For SP easier then Diverite , not that you will always need one.