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Excellent performance without a high price, incorporating all the features that make Mares regulators stand out from the rest. Mares Prestige is a mid-size regulator with stylish design, strengthened by the ultimate technologies to provide steady, natural and effortless breathing.
The first stage is a diaphragm design with the Tri-material Valve. The "Tri-material" valve is a patented innovation, conceived and created to optimize performance, safety, and reliability over time for Mares MRT first stages. During operation, the high-pressure valve is subjected to various stresses. In traditional valves, these stresses, combined with extreme usage conditions, can cause premature wear of the valve with a consequent drop in reliability, performance, and safety. After careful study of the forces involved, the pressures that act on the surfaces of the valve, and the usage conditions to which it is subjected, Mares has created the new "Tri-material" valve (brass, soft polyurethane, and "heavy duty" polyurethane), found today on all Mares MRT first stages. This innovative technical solution guarantees maximum performance, safety, and durability for Mares first stages. The exclusive MARES DFC system featured minimizes the intermediate pressure drop which occurs in all regulators during the inhalation phase. This pressure drop is greater when higher airflow is demanded of the regulator. The DFC system substantially reduces breathing effort and inhalation resistance, especially during deep dives and under high air flow conditions.
The second stage Vortex Assist Design (V.A.D.) system: all Mares second stages offer the unique patented VAD system. The air bypass tube conveys air to the mouthpiece creating a swirling vortex with a low pressure area in the center this keeps the diaphragm down during inhalation, giving very sensitive and easy breathing at all depths. The second stage cover features the new "mesh-grid" system for water inflow and outflow, which provides a further performance improvement. Furthermore, the compact and ergonomic exhaust tee ensures superior hydrodynamic performance and reduced exhalation resistance.
Customers most agreed on the following attributes:
from Gainesville, FL on 8/6/2008
Comments about Mares Mares Prestige 12 Regulator:
I have used several other brand of regulators before and I find this one breathes easier. Also the reg is not sticking out far from your face like the proton 12 from mares. The only thing I would have liked to see on it is ajustable capabilities.
from Ravenswood, WV on 6/10/2008
Comments about Mares Mares Prestige 12 Regulator:
Seems to work just fine. Put it this way I trust my life with it. I changed out the mouthpiece first thing. I go a boil and bite custom mouthpiece which fixes that issue. No flow issues with it at all. It doesn't free flow so it is set well from the factory. Have used it in 54 degree water at 60 feet. No problems other than I was cold but it worked fine. It is my first reg I have purchased. It beats renting one that you don't maintain youself.
from Chicago, IL on 5/29/2008
Comments about Mares Mares Prestige 12 Regulator:
the only bad thing i noticed about it was that it was really really short, but its not terribly irriating