Fits in the palm of your hand
I like big trucks; I like big boats; and I love big fish, so when the Mares 62X arrived, my first thought was that there was no way something so small would be able to handle the punishment I was about to lay on it. I wish I had somewhere tropical to test out the traveling capabilities, but alas, my local quarry and the Florida coast would have to do.
The Mares 62X has a balanced diaphragm, which is my personal preference in regulators, so I took it deep on my first dive to see what it could deliver. It breathed great at all levels of the water column, regardless of whether I was shallow or at the edge of recreational limits, how much air I had left in my tank, or if I was working hard fighting the current.
Next, I wanted to see how well the 62X held up in cold water, so I took it to my local quarry where temperatures had been in the lower to mid-50s. Besides being cold, the quarry is full of silt, tannins, and particulates, so it gave me a chance to see how clean the regulator would stay.
First, I couldn’t tell any difference in the performance of the 62x due to the cold. It breathed exactly the same even though I was breathing a bit faster to stay warm. Also, all it took was a quick rinse in fresh water to remove all the dirt and mud.
The one thing I noticed—and it may be a personal gripe due to my positioning underwater— is that the second stage is so small and the exhaust ports are so drawn in, I ended up with bubbles in my face. Not a huge deal, and it performed and breathed great as well as being fairly comfortable.
Spec Breakdowns & Features
At only 27.5 ounces, the Mares 62X is the lightest first stage on the market. It is also the smallest dimension-wise. Because it’s a balanced diaphragm, you won’t feel any difference in breathing regardless of how deep you dive, how much air you have left in your tank, or how hard you are working.
Coming in either DIN or yoke, the 62X gives divers options. Being environmentally sealed means corrosive salt water and pool water won’t enter the internal body where the delicate machined parts are housed.
Standard with four low-pressure and two high-pressure ports, hose routing is easy. A lightweight second stage, using a downstream demand valve, delivers effortless breathability.
Accessories
I don’t personally own a lot of Mares equipment—call it a casualty of living in the Southern U.S. But I do absolutely love the Cruise mesh backpack. It is honestly one of my favorite boat accessories.
The Mares Puck Pro is one of the best entry-level dive computers on the market. It doesn’t have A.I. and it won’t set the world on fire with its performance, but it will meet the need of most recreational divers looking for a basic computer to keep them safe while diving.
Do we recommend the Mares Dual ADJ 62X?
The Mares 62X ranks quite high in the price-to-quality ratio. While not the least-expensive regulator on the market, it falls into our “mid-range” category yet delivers great performance. Because it is balanced, environmentally sealed, and the lightest regulator on the market, it’s more than worth the price you’ll pay.
A lightweight, comfortable, great-breathing second stage adds to the value of the 62X first stage. While you might get a handful of bubbles in your face due to the small stature of the regulator, you’ll also get a downstream demand valve that delivers effortless breathability.
We do recommend the Mares 62X. Not only is it the lightest and smallest regulator on the market, it is also balanced and breathes great. You can take the 62X to the depths of recreational diving and feel no difference in breathability regardless of depth, air volume remaining, or how hard you are working.
While not specifically designed for it, the 62X is also a great cold-water regulator because it’s environmentally sealed. The second stage is one of the smallest and lightest around. Just be aware that because it is so small, you may end up with bubbles in your face.
Specs & Features
| Valve | DIN or yoke |
|---|---|
| First stage | Balanced diaphragm |
| Second stage | Downstream demand valve |
| Ports | Two high-pressure; four low-pressure |
| Max working pressure | 300 bar/4350 psi (DIN); 232 bar/3365 psi (yoke) |
| Weight | 27.5 oz./779g (DIN), 33.6 oz./953g (yoke) |
