We've had quite a few experiences with all the pumps talked about. We are the direct distributor for H20 Designs products however all these pump options have their place in the market, and we have used all three in different applications. I've tried to break down feedback from each pump design and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Solas 144 pump - This has been a great option for the last few seasons since they have been released. We've had good results over stock, most of the time the issues with the bearing tolerances have been due to installation, however there have been some we've come across that needed machine work. If you already have a pump with a good wear ring and aftermarket prop, this is the cheapest pump upgrade option.
Skat 144 Pump Setback/Non Setback - The skat pump has been tested throughout the years, many of the sames issues continue to come up with the ss parts within an aluminum housing. Over time, many pumps tend to swell and cause the aluminum housing to crack. These are the lightest options, however many riders looking for the lightest best pump have gone to much larger pumps.
Maxx 148 Pump - The 148mm pump option is quite a bit more effective then the 144 in almost all applications. We've run this pump from 701's up to large a/m motors and have had good results. We've had a few quality issues as far as the welding and veins but for the price and wait time it is a great option compared to Skat.
H20 Designs Torrent Pump - The 148mm pump offered through H20 Designs has a few differences that can only be offered through a cast pump. Due to the overall casting, the waterflow vs the Maxx comes out of the box being more efficient, no welding on veins or housings is needed. Having the one piece Stainless Steel housing, makes the issues of swelling and cracking of the housings non existent. If looking for a pump to ride in salt water applications we would advise to go with an all Stainless pump.
Overall all the pumps talked about above have had their place in the market. If you are looking at upgrading from more then just a 701 with a head, then I would suggest the 148mm pump for any application. We've seen great results with this. As far as speaking about the H20 Designs Torrent pump, the reason they decided to build a 148mm housing was so that it would be able to fit in all Superjet hulls without modification while offering a larger pump transfer the power of today's motors.
No matter which pump you decide to purchase, all of them will be quite a bit of an upgrade over a stock pump. As far as weight between all of them, I haven't spoke to anyone that could tell the difference between all the pumps while riding.
Feel free to contact us with any questions on these pumps, just shoot over a PM and we will feel free to help you with what pump will best fit your application.