DGX Custom - Mares XR Sidemount Reg Package
- Assembled, tested and shipped to you ready-to-dive
- Balanced diaphragm 1st with pneumatically assisted 2nd for excellent performance
- Adjustable cracking pressure knob for diver selectable breathing comfort
- Cold Water and Nitrox Ready
DGX Custom - Mares XR Sidemount Reg Package
The Mares XR Sidemount Regulator Package contains everything you need for a high performance regulator setup in a sidemount style configuration. The package comes fully configured with DGX premium double braided flex or rubber hoses and is Nitrox Ready. Some divers prefer a shorter {60 in | 1.5 m} hose in their configuration, but some divers still prefer the {84 in | 2.1 m} hose, and our package gives you the choice. Hose materials are your choice of rubber or braided flex for the low-pressure hoses and rubber, braided flex or braided stainless-steel for the high-pressure hoses. The package using XR regulators by Mares is assembled by Dive Gear Express and includes:
- Two Mares 28XR balanced diaphragm, environmentally sealed, first stage
- Two Mares HR balanced, pneumatically assisted, second stage
- LP Hose Choice of Rubber or Braided Flex
- One { 60 in | 152 cm } or { 84 in | 213 cm } LP Reg Hose
- One { 22 in | 56 cm } LP Reg Hose
- Two Swivel Adapters for the Second Stages
- Two SPGs (Choice of Size, Face Color, PSI or BAR)
- HP Hose Choice of Rubber, Braided Flex, or Braided Stainless-Steel
- Two { 6 in | 15 cm } or { 9 in | 23 cm } HP hoses for the SPGs
- Necklace, S/S Bolt Snap, two DIN Caps, two Bungee Loops for SPGs
- Optional Inflation Hoses for BC and Drysuit - { 22 in | 56 cm } is typical
- Cold Water and Nitrox Ready
The Mares 28XR First Stage is a balanced diaphragm regulator in a rugged chrome body with four standard size low pressure 3/8-inch ports on a swivel turret with an additional fifth port on top of the turret. Two standard size symmetrically aligned high pressure 7/16-inch ports have a 10-degree angle for optimal HP hose routing. The first stage is environmentally sealed and comes standard with a 300-BAR DIN connector. The first stage includes their dynamic flow control (DFC) system to provide low-pressure ports with constant inter-stage pressure and gas flow unaffected by depth, tank pressure, or breathing rate. The Mares first stages also include their Auto Sealing Technology (AST) that stops moisture and contaminating agents from entering the interior of the first stage, as can happen during the surface interval when the regulator is being moved between tanks or post-dive when the regulator is rinsed.
The Mares HR Second Stage is a high-performance regulator with an engineered polymer body for ultra low weight. The HR second stage features a pneumatically assisted breathing design with cracking pressure adjustment knob for diver selectable breathing comfort and a large purge button. The Mares second stages also route part of the gas from the second stage valve directly to the mouthpiece through a bypass tube that creates a swirling effect or vortex movement. The core of the vortex is a low pressure area that pulls the diaphragm down during the inhalation phase, resulting in a markedly sensitive and easy breathing regulator. This Vortex Assisted Design (VAD) allows for the feel of natural breathing; you do not have the uncomfortable feeling of air being excessively “injected” into your mouth that is typical for high-performance venturi assisted second stages. The VAD also minimizes potential cold-water free-flow due to freezing because the gas expansion inside the 2nd stage occurs in the bypass tube, rather than on the mechanical parts.
| Brand | Mares Extended Range |
|---|---|
| SKU | PK-773105 |
| Weight | 9.500000 |
Customer Reviews
Rigging the SPG on Stage and Sidemount Bottles
The classic method technical divers use to rig a stage or sidemount bottle is a compact or "brass & glass" gauge assembled with a very short high-pressure hose folded back on itself against the first stage and permanently tied in place with a piece of cave line. We do NOT recommend doing this with a rubber or flex hose because the hose is also permanently stressed at the two weakest points, the fitting swages. Although not as convenient to read, allow the SPG and hose assembly to lie straight against the tank while held against the side of the cylinder under a hose retainer. Because the short hose is less able to absorb the impact of rapid pressurization, we recommend following best practice to depress and hold the second stage purge while slowly opening the cylinder valve until the regulator begins equalizing with the cylinder pressure.
If you prefer folding the hose, then use a bungee loop (about 1 foot of 3/16" with the ends tied together in a fisherman's knot or we prefer an overhand loop w/pigtail) instead of cave line because when the regulator is off the stage the bungee loop allows the hose to be unfolded. Some divers also prefer using a slightly longer hose when folding, hopefully offering a reduction in stress on the folded hose. Regardless, in our experience all short rubber or flex hoses still may fail prematurely from being folded back on themselves. Recent availability of short high-pressure hoses with a braided stainless steel jacket, together with the bungee loop rigging method, seems to be the most durable and reliable compromise.
Here is one final thought... ask yourself "Do I really need a full size SPG?" Sometimes the exact amount of the gas remaining in an off-board bottle is not being used to control the dive. The only reason for the presence of the SPG on the travel or bailout bottle is the diver just needs an indication of cylinder contents as full, partial, or empty. If your diving application doesn't need an exact reading on gas remaining in the cylinder, an inexpensive button SPG will significantly reduce the number of failure points. This is especially true of bailout bottle applications, whereupon switch to bailout also terminates the dive and knowing the exact tank pressure is unlikely to be meaningful.
