Mares Axis Second Stage - Sportdiver.com

In my teens and early 20s, I dived with a lot of hand-me-down and garage-sale scuba gear. Then came the proud day when I purchased my first brand-new regulator - a Mares MR12.In the 20 years since, I've owned, rented and borrowed any number of Mares regulators, and used them in locations from the Indian Ocean to the north Atlantic. Most coupled that same rock-solid MR12 first stage to one of several second stages. Though these second stages went by various names and changed styles over the years, most had one thing in common: a small tube that extended from the air supply chamber to the barrel of the mouthpiece.This tube, which is known as the vortex assist bypass, is a trademark of Mares second stages. While other companies have used a variety of spring-tensioning knobs and adjustable air vanes to alter and control the breathing characteristics of their second stages, Mares engineers have always preferred to let the moving air do the work.The company's proprietary Vortex Assist Design (VAD) works by allowing a portion of the air delivered from the supply hose to bypass the main air chamber and re-enter the air stream adjacent to the mouthpiece. Once the diver begins inhalation, air moving through the bypass tube creates a low-pressure effect that helps draw additional air from the main mouthpiece chamber - a sort of power assist with no moving parts.VAD technology has been a standard feature on Mares' mid- and high-end regulators for well over a decade. Now, it is available on the company's least expensive second stage, the Axis. This new technopolymer-body second stage molds both the vortex assist tube and the exhaust port into the air chamber, and also adds a molded version of the company's grid faceplate.By surrounding the central purge button with a series of small holes, the grid design allows for rapid in-and-out water movement when the diaphragm flexes. This results in a faster mechanical response to diver inhalation.I coupled the new Axis second stage to a MR12 first stage and went for a deep dive at a familiar local spring. As the depth gauge crept past 110 feet, I focused all my attention on my breathing. The Axis felt no different than the various Mares regulators I've used on hundreds of dives. Was I disappointed? Not at all. I didn't expect the Axis to set new standards for performance. Instead, I hoped it would compare favorably to the more expensive Mares second stages I was accustomed to diving. And it did.The Axis allows you to experience the low-breathing effort and high performance of the Mares VAD system in a lightweight, entry-level second stage. This second stage can be coupled with either the venerable MR12, or with the new R2, both of which offer impressive performance numbers and comfortable breathing characteristics at a very attractive price. SummaryThe same Vortex Assist Design made famous on more expensive Mares regulators is now standard on their entry-level regulator packages. There are no knobs or levers to adjust or service, and the lightweight case minimizes jaw fatigue. Suggested retail is $249 for the MR12/R2, and $229 for the R2 Axis. To learn more, visit your local Mares dealer or click onto the Mares home page below.

	Paul Humann; he'd help me ID fish
	Cathy Church; she'd help me set up the perfect shot
	Alan Rebbe; we'd have the wildest dive adventures
	Teddy Tucker; I want to find treasure!
	Richie Kohler; wrecks are where it's at.

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