My Kirby Morgan regulator locked up on a 60 foot dive last week

I was doing hull cleaning on a barge in the Port of Seattle and my second stage started free flowing like crazy about 20 minutes in. Thought it was just ice at first since it was 45 degrees down there but it kept getting worse. Ended up having to abort the dive and swap to my backup reg which saved the job but killed my bottom time. Got back up and found a tiny piece of rubber gasket had torn off inside the regulator body. Has anyone else had issues with the newer Kirby Morgan parts failing like that? I'm thinking about switching to a different reg setup but not sure what's worth the money.

3 comments

3 Comments

jenny_lee6d ago

Not surprised. Kirby Morgan quality has gone downhill since they shifted production a few years back. That plastic gasket issue is way too common now. Time to look at Scubapro or Apeks if you want reliability.

eva_moore5d ago

Did I accidentally buy the cursed batch of gaskets?

williamhenderson6d ago

Used to swear by Kirby Morgan gear, thought it was the only way to go for commercial work. Then a buddy of mine had a second stage seat go bad on a 90 foot weld inspection in the harbor, same kind of tiny rubber piece tearing off. Switched to a Scubapro setup after that and haven't looked back, it's been three years with zero issues. That little gasket failure cost him a whole day of pay and now he gives Kirby Morgan side eye just like you do.