Mares Adds Lighter Planet 62X Regulator for North America

Mares has added a lighter configuration to its Planet regulator family for North American divers, pairing the Planet second stage with the company’s compact 62X first stage.

The Planet 62X is listed at US$898.95 in the United States with DIN and INT connection options. It sits alongside, rather than replaces, the Planet 88X. The practical difference is primarily at the first stage: Mares lists the 62X at 464 grams in DIN form and 638 grams with an INT yoke, compared with 786 and 954 grams respectively for the 88X. Depending on the connection, the company says the complete system can be up to 29% lighter.

The second stage retains the defining Planet features: an all-metal body, Mares’ Vortex Assisted Design and the company’s Airmatic pneumatic valve. Unlike a conventional downstream second stage with a mechanical spring, Airmatic uses an upstream pneumatic valve and routes excess intermediate-pressure gas through an over-pressure valve at the first stage. Mares also includes a manual override intended to stop a free-flow.

For traveling divers, the appeal is straightforward: a substantial reduction in baggage weight without moving to a plastic second stage. The trade-off is that all-metal second stages can still feel heavier in the mouth than lightweight alternatives, and the actual travel benefit depends on hose, gauge and alternate-air-source choices.

The new model is currently positioned as a North America-specific product. Divers considering it should compare service availability, first-stage port layout, hose routing, cold-water suitability and total configured weight rather than focusing only on the headline percentage.

All breathing-performance, reliability and weight-reduction statements are manufacturer claims. Independent bench tests and in-water reviews will be needed to show how the Planet 62X performs across depth, temperature, supply pressure and realistic maintenance intervals.