Scubapro - They are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year so the kit junkies at Aquanauts had a chance to see the new second stage G260 and very ‘Bling’ facelift Scubapro have given the MK25 and S600 regulator set. I reckon that if Puff Daddy ever started diving I think I have the set for him!!



So what else is new with Scubapro regs?

I have been a real fan of Scubapro since I first owned my own kit, so I was really pleased to see that the Scubapro second stage regulator range has had a shake-up. The C200 is now gone and the new kid on the block is the G260. It’s a balanced second stage which means that it is better performing than an unbalanced (logical right?) and it has a smart looking metal trim. It can be configured for left or right hand side hose routing for you side mount guys, and it uses components that are optimised for cold water use such as the inlet tube, hose connector, orifice and inhalation control knob. It’s not as compact as the S600 or A700 but is good all-rounder for recreational or technical use and felt like a nice solid well-made reg and I think it’s another good sold workhorse from Scubapro.
There is also a new entry level second stage regulator, the Scubapro R195. It looks and feels like a simple and dependable second stage rather than a ‘budget’ basic model and I think perfect for divers looking to put together their first set of regulators or even for use as a backup. It can also be purchased with a yellow trim for use as an octopus.
Interestingly colours bring us onto the next change and that is with the S550 second stage. Previously only a grey and black finish was available (boring unless you are a techie!) They have now released a whole rainbow of colours for every palate. It’s actually the silicon disc behind the purge button that is coloured, and you can choose from red, blue, yellow, pink and white. These can be purchased separately as well and are pretty simple to upgrade yourself by unscrewing the face plate. Don’t forget to remove the small plastic pin that holds it in place and don’t loose it!
I will always suggest to new divers that they will benefit from a wise early investment in good quality first and second stages and to my mind Scubapro still make the some of the best quality scuba regulators around and the MK25 set the bench mark for high performance first stages. These new enhancements to the second stage family are welcome and will continue to keep Scubapro as the definitive regulator manufacturer.