Do you get what you pay for - Kit?

[JamieG]

Just been looking about at potential future purchases on the web and as you know you can find a variety of prices for kit.

I found the following:

Mares Abyss 22 - £250
Mares Abyss 42 - £320
Apeks ATX40 DS4 - £99
Poseidon XStream - £150

Now there are a big difference in these prices - is there a big difference in performance? I've had a Mares Abyss and it was superb but you can get a ATX40 for £150/£220 cheaper!

Are we sometimes sucked in on paying top dollar for dive kit - because "How much is your life worth?"

Obviously its not just regs, there are many other instances of a massive price difference but it has got me wondering if dive kit can be equated to cars?

Is a Abyss a Merc and a ATX40 a Ford?

Is an OThree a BMW and a Predator a VW?

Makes you think eh..........................Or well at least it does me!

[londonsean69]

Apeks ATX40 DS4 - £99

That's probably just for the DS4 first stage, if it's for both, I'll take 5!!

[Woz]

The inside of one Apeks reg is identical to the inside of another apart from the 200 1st stage has a replaceable seat. Apart from that there's sod all difference apart from the FS ones are forged and the DS ones are machined from bar.

The 2nd stages are identical inside. The 40 just lacks the twiddly knob.

I've got a TX40 that breathes better than my ATX100. It's all marketing cobblers- do you think a 200 version costs £200 more to make than a 40? Does it bollox.

[Woz]

That's probably just for the DS4 first stage, if it's for both, I'll take 5!!

Nope it's for the complete set. £109 delivered.

[dry suit diver]

the examples of comparisons are not that good really.

mercs are as likely to break down as a ford and the VW Phaeton is far better than anything BMW can offer.


in reality yes price does make a difference, my beaver teabag has expired early and was only £400. an othree was dearer than this and would probably still be going strong.

is the fact apeks regs are cheap due to not changing a good design for a long time so no increased R&D costs???

[Woz]

Now I can believe that a Scubapro mk25 costs £100 more to make than a mk2. There's nowt in a mk2. I have more complicated underpants.

[Gary K]

That's probably just for the DS4 first stage, if it's for both, I'll take 5!!

it is and I have

[Gary K]

is the fact apeks regs are cheap due to not changing a good design for a long time so no increased R&D costs???

I havent noticed 911's getting any cheaper

[neilh]

Obviously its not just regs, there are many other instances of a massive price difference but it has got me wondering if dive kit can be equated to cars?

Is a Abyss a Merc and a ATX40 a Ford?

You can probably draw parallels to cars, yep. If you need a solid, reliable, easy to run and service car to get from A to B does the extra you spend on the Merc actually make any material difference - or is it just the satisfaction that when people see you going from A to B they see you in a Merc and not a Ford

The trick, as with anything, is to find out which bits of kit are the best value for money. Cheapest won't necessarily mean usable (Buddy pocket reel anyone? ) and most expensive won't necessarily mean best.

[Gary K]

Nope it's for the complete set. £109 delivered.

or at least they were Woz, they are now £149 +P&P, must have been some serious interest