Apeks FSR vs. DS4/DST for twin tanks

[Umuntu]

so? You don't know why he was using that reg. Sponsored, borrowed, already happened to own? All much more likely reasons than choosing that specific one for that dive....

Apeks is one of the few manufacturers who have heavier duty ANSTI equipment to test the performance of their regulators to very high depths and extreme cold water temperatures. That follows through into the performance of their products at depth and in cold water environments.

From that perspective, if I was silly enough to try going very deep, I would choose an Apeks regulator.

 

[tbone1004]

Apeks is one of the few manufacturers who have heavier duty ANSTI equipment to test the performance of their regulators to very high depths and extreme cold water temperatures. That follows through into the performance of their products at depth and in cold water environments.

From that perspective, if I was silly enough to try going very deep, I would choose an Apeks regulator.

If you went that deep you'd have to remove the sealing diaphragm otherwise the second stage would freeflow because they over-compensate for depth. If I was going that deep and/or cold, I would take a Poseidon Xstream before I'd take an Apeks....

 

[Umuntu]

If you went that deep you'd have to remove the sealing diaphragm otherwise the second stage would freeflow because they over-compensate for depth. If I was going that deep and/or cold, I would take a Poseidon Xstream before I'd take an Apeks....

The overcompensation is minimal. More a marketing issue. They have been successfully independently tested to 200 metres.

Apeks News Desk

 

[tbone1004]

The overcompensation is minimal. More a marketing issue. They have been successfully independently tested to 200 metres.

Apeks News Desk

that does not mean that they weren't tweaked prior to going into that test. They gain about 3psi of IP per atmosphere, so at 200m or 21ata, there is a 60psi IP boost which will certainly cause the regulators to freeflow. The adjustment knob may be enough to keep it from freeflowing, but I know several divers that regularly go below 100m with them and they have all removed the diaphragms to keep them from doing that...

 

[Umuntu]

that does not mean that they weren't tweaked prior to going into that test. They gain about 3psi of IP per atmosphere, so at 200m or 21ata, there is a 60psi IP boost which will certainly cause the regulators to freeflow. The adjustment knob may be enough to keep it from freeflowing, but I know several divers that regularly go below 100m with them and they have all removed the diaphragms to keep them from doing that...

Apeks do sell unsealed versions of their 1st stages: the UST, US4 and US1 come to mind. But that's not what was tested and certified.

We all know someone who knows someone …

 

[tbone1004]

Apeks do sell unsealed versions of their 1st stages: the UST, US4 and US1 come to mind. But that's not what was tested and certified.

We all know someone who knows someone …

fair enough, but the Poseidon passed Norsok as well and is the only other one to do it, and there is no concerns about the potential to freeflow, so I'll stick to those. I like Apeks, just not the first reg that comes to mind in the US and not one that I would ever recommend to a technical diver specially in North America because they are horrifically expensive and you can't DIY service them because you can't get kits. They get priced reasonably and allow kits to be sold, then sure they're back on the table, but Aqualung won't let that happen

 

[Typhon]

So what do you recommend to your technical divers (am not one, still interested in the answer) ? Poseidon it seems ?

 

[tbone1004]

@Typhon nope, rarely recommend those because of the cost and a lot of people don't like the way they breathe. Most of them I recommend to buy used, but HOG, Deep6, and Dive Rite are usually at the top of the list because of cost and diy serviceability. They also have 5 port turrets for better routing and are all about half the price of the "premium" brands.

 

[Umuntu]

I like Apeks, just not the first reg that comes to mind in the US and not one that I would ever recommend to a technical diver specially in North America because they are horrifically expensive and you can't DIY service them because you can't get kits.

The opposite is true in Europe. Outside Scandinavia, Apeks is the preferred brand. And service kits are available in the EU because there is a legal requirement to make them available.

I would still rather buy a second-hand Apeks than a look-alike Taiwanese (or other) made regulator with a US label on it. All of my Apeks regulators were bought second-hand.

 

[Centrals]

so? You don't know why he was using that reg. Sponsored, borrowed, already happened to own? All much more likely reasons than choosing that specific one for that dive....

Only the man himself could answer your speculation. Unfortunately it is not possible.