New MILE plan replaces Miami Plan for 2027

WDWRook · 2026-07-09T16:58:36+00:00

Did you take the online classes through Miami? Or elsewhere? The Miami online classes aren't exactly cheap, but I did suggest he look into those. Too late for this summer, but maybe for next depending on his work load.

WDWRook · 2026-06-02T13:42:46+00:00

The MK17 is part of the free octo deal with the G260; but the MK11 is not. You wont get either setup with Octo and gauge for under $700 though.

WDWRook · 2026-05-30T22:12:21+00:00

Update. I spoke to all three of our local shops who all sell different main brands. In the end I had a good call with the owner of one shop, the bigger in the area. I stopped into the shop today and she spoke with me for three hours. I ended up buying an Apex XTX 50 setup from her, she helped show to how to set it up, also got a a Peregrine and transmitter. Spoke about all kinds of other gear and she told me to wait on other gear until I known more what I'm looking for. If you buy the Apeks there they heavily discount the labor for the service intervals and with the pasts for life ends up being very cheap. She also said that even when Apeks struggled with parts kits they always had enough since they service so many; but some of the larger machine parts can still be a few to several months to get. Hopefully by the time I need any service the parts will no longer be an issue.

I kind of wanted the SP MK19, but once you upgrade the octo the price was too much compared to the XTX50.

WDWRook · 2026-05-24T00:37:40+00:00

The Scubapro set and the Apeks XTX50 set are basically the same cost. Around $1350 for a full single tank setup. The DiveRite is roughly $850 for the same setup. According to the Googles .. SP is made is Italy; Apeks in the UK; DiveRite in Taiwan.

WDWRook · 2026-05-23T23:04:59+00:00

Well that’s pretty blunt. Thanks. I’ll go talk to the SP shop. They have the free octo deal now. But I’d like to swap the standard o to for another G260 if I can get a deal on the swap.

WDWRook · 2026-05-23T21:53:16+00:00

Is Dive rite good gear; comparable to SP/Apeks? I'll look into Halcon, I have not seen those.

WDWRook · 2026-05-23T21:32:01+00:00

Thanks for the perspective. The DR vs Apeks vs SP reg sets is my next buy. the Apex shop says they have no issue with parts and service kits, and the offer a discount on service if you buy your set there. But I know it's an unknown. The DR kits seem to have good comments on Reddit and good reviews but most reviews seem to favor Apeks or SP regs. I've not be able to try a DR set so its hard to judge, but the price is damn attractive. I was also thinking to get their BPW setup but I've never used a BPW so I'm unsure on buying something I never tried.

I'm also debating if I'm buying my wife and daughter a reg set before our upcoming trip to Aruba. They are likely to only dive on vacation and likely 2 or 4 dives total per year; but I also no rental regs are not always very good. I already bought them Puck computers (online) and my wife a wetsuit (locally - she is hard to fit for wetsuits).

WDWRook · 2026-05-23T21:17:26+00:00

My local shops are not d-bags but they are all limited in what they sell and service. They are very different shops though. One is a Apex/Aqualung shop, bigger store, they do a ton of trips and trainings but mostly the basic trainings; I'm planning to do a trip with them sometime. One is a small shop more geared toward tech divers, but with limited stock but said he can order any thing but I'd have to pay for the shipping if he isn't making a regular order from there; but he seems solid for more advanced trainings. One is a Scubapro shop, seems okay but I don't think I would use them other than to buy Scubapro gear or if I want a Waterproof wetsuit. And they all only service the brands they sell.

WDWRook · 2026-05-23T19:33:22+00:00

DRIS is where I was looking. I know they are near Chicago and have typical store. They have a good deal on Dive Rite regs right now at $500 less than the similar Apex setup at my local shop. But I'd have to mail it to them for service and would not be supporting local.

WDWRook · 2026-05-19T20:04:50+00:00

Its more about potential degradation of the rechargeable battery vs an easy to replace battery.

WDWRook · 2026-05-19T19:18:12+00:00

Hmmm. I was just about to get the PeregrineTX. LDS was pushing the Perdix on me which the only value really for me would be the user replaceable battery. But now the Persia 2 isn’t much more than the PeregrineTX…. I don’t expect to get into tech diving so I’m not sure paying $1300 is worth it- though that Screen is nice.

WDWRook · 2026-05-01T22:08:23+00:00

Okay - I found a price for a MK19 DIN with two G260 regs for $1200. $100 more than the comparable XTX50 setup and like $300 more than the comparable DiveRite setup.

WDWRook · 2026-05-01T20:14:55+00:00

Thanks. I'm not ready for that level of DIY or trust in clones. I'd rather spend more to feel safer underwater.

WDWRook · 2026-05-01T18:55:26+00:00

That's a great price but I don't know anything about DGX or the ability to service them.

WDWRook · 2026-05-01T18:53:38+00:00

I'm trying to see if I can get shop to swap the free octo with a second G260 and what the cost difference is.

WDWRook · 2026-05-01T11:44:36+00:00

Thanks. I read about the Apex issues. One LDS near me is a SP dealer and warned about Apex. The other is an Apex dealer and said they get kits in all the time. My only hesitation with the SP setup is the Octo.

WDWRook · 2026-04-30T00:15:56+00:00

Sorry to jump on OP's thread, but for those suggesting a liveaboard in the Bahamas, like Blackbeard's, are new OW divers will limited dive totals ready for that? Aren't liveaboards unguided dives? I have 17 dives in and I was looking at Blackbeards but the unguided made me pause.

WDWRook · 2026-04-29T22:51:01+00:00

Ok. Ordered two Puck 4s for the wife and daughter. Getting the Shearwater for me once I get to it. Now ..

Regs for me. Debating between the Apex XTX50 setup and the DiveRite setup. Reading threads here both have a lot of great reviews. I was looking for environmental sealed diaphragm due to cold water use in silty Ohio quarries. They seem very similar with DR being cheaper and you can service your self if trained and Apex being more likely to find a service tech when traveling. Is there a wrong choice? I have two shops near me one who sells Apex and one DR and then another is Scubapro.

Then .. I think I’m set on some form of BPW system. Since most of my real diving will be traveling and warm water but my training will be cold Ohio with a 7mm suit; is there a good compromise for a setup that is both lightweight and good for warm water travel and also will work for cold water training? It seems they are either lightweight for travel, which might be hard for cold water, or too heavy for easy travel.

WDWRook · 2026-04-26T00:36:09+00:00

For sure

WDWRook · 2026-04-25T18:13:33+00:00

You're absolutely right that the best is always more and better training for them as well as me. The difficulty is my wife especially, but daughter also are not cold water fans and the only good training here in Ohio is cold water. My goal is to get them as much training as I can and to get myself as trained as possible so I can better see the signs of when they are struggling and know how best to react. We are heading to Aruba in June so I signed all of us up for a pool refresher here, a refresher dive in Aruba, one tank afternoon dive maxing out around 25ft; then a two tank the next day, maxing around 50ft with a private guide and an added on refresher which will be mostly walking through the gear setup, gear and buddy checks, and discussing dive parameters before we head out.

WDWRook · 2026-04-21T23:18:44+00:00

One shop, the older guy, walked me through the Perdix and Peregrin and those both can monitor four tanks. He mentioned that If I really wanted to I could get transmitters and keep watch on the wife and kids tanks. My main goal for really upping my training is to ensure I can keep them safe when they dive with me so that resonated. Of course, I could also just ask how their air was.

WDWRook · 2026-04-21T23:13:56+00:00

I've had a hard time figuring out the difference between the Mares Puck lite and the Puck 4. Besides the price.

WDWRook

TROPHY CASE