Scubapro A700

At a glance

The A700 is a second stage, not a complete regulator: 180 g of technopolymer and metal, balanced pneumatically, EN250 cold-water rated, and designed to sit on a Scubapro MK25 EVO, MK21 or MK11 first stage. Its Vivo switch handles venturi override and the inhalation effort knob is adjustable mid-dive. Buy it as an upgrade to a first stage you already trust.

What the regulator actually gives you

Where it wins and where it costs you

Full review: Scubapro A700

Worth being precise about the category: the A700 is a second stage. At 180 g in a technopolymer body with metal internals it is a light one, and it is EN250 cold-water rated, which means it is certified for the conditions where cheaper second stages start to free-flow. Scubapro designs it to pair with the MK25 EVO, MK21 and MK11 first stages, and the pairing matters — the A700's flow characteristics are only as good as the intermediate pressure feeding them.

The valve is pneumatically balanced and ambient-pressure compensated, so breathing effort stays flat as tank pressure drops and depth increases. Two controls sit on the housing: a diver-adjustable inhalation effort knob for tuning cracking effort to conditions, and the Vivo switch — Venturi Initiated Vacuum Override — which manages venturi assist so the regulator does not free-flow at the surface but opens up when you need flow against current. Both are sized to be used underwater with gloves rather than only on the boat.

Practically, the A700 makes most sense as an upgrade path rather than a first purchase. If you already own an MK25 EVO or MK21, it converts that first stage into a genuinely cold-capable, low-effort setup at modest weight. If you do not, the cost of pairing it with a premium first stage is where the real spend lands. Against Scubapro's own S600 and S601, the A700's housing is slightly bulkier — a fair trade for the cold rating and the adjustability, but a real difference on the jaw over a long dive.