AL Legend vs. Legend LX (vs. XTX50) - adjustable inhalation feature...

[andrethediver]

How important is adjustable inhalation feature in real life (on an over-balanced reg)? I am trying to select between Aqualung Legend (no inhalation adjustment) and Legend LX (+$100 but has that feature). Also looking at Apeks XTX50 - same price as regular Legend, all the same features and has inhalation adjustment... If I go with bare-bones Legend ($450), should I go for Titan LX ($400) as they go for roughtly the same price at the moment?

Basically I want a bullet-proof environmentally sealed first stage and easy breathing reg at any depth/remaining air in the tank. Mostly warm tropical locations and lots of travel. Thanks.

 

[dori fish]

if you dive in the northeast apex is an all around good reg i dive mares mr22 abyss but it doesn't have inhalation adjustment, the aqualung are good, but apex is a safer more technical choice aqualung is more recreational

 

[mike_s]

How important is adjustable inhalation feature in real life (on an over-balanced 2nd stage)? I am trying to select between Aqualung Legend (no inhalation adjustment) and Legend LX (+$100 but has that feature).

I've got the Legend LX and I will say that I rarely touch my adjustment knob.

the reg breathes so good that you don't really need to adjust it.

so I don't think it's worth the extra $100. (my opinion).

If I go with bare-bones Legend ($450), should I go for Titan LX ($400) as they go for roughtly the same price at the moment?
.

I'd go with the Legend over the Titan LX for the same price.

The Legend has a better first stage and breaths better than the Titan. so it would be a simple choice.


The Titan 2nd stage and the Legend 2nd stage are the same besides cosmetic differences. (they even use the same rebuild kit because of it). The only difference is the LX model has the knobs....



See if your dive shop has any of these models in "demo units" or rentals and then try them in the pool or local quarry. I think you'll like the Legend over the Titan, although the Titan is a good reg also.

 

[piikki]

All the options you mention would be fine. I have Legend LX:s and Apeks XTX50:s myself and do use the knob. I could do without it but find it useful. I probably fiddle with it unnecessarily when it comes to adjusting it at depth and in relation to temp (I dive in fairly cold waters) but I do notice difference. Mostly I have used it in heavy currents to tune down and in situations when the regulator is starting to lose its tune (as a first self-help step to tone down). I am at least imagining I am helping the situation!

Mostly these have no been dive-saving situations, and during most dives I open up the adjustment a bit after I hit some depth and that is all. My regs would breathe great even at the tightest setting the way they are tuned.

The downside to having the knob is that some shops take extra for servicing regs that have 'more nippets and gadgets'. This also means they have more parts for wear and tear and break during your precious holiday. (My tech says some people are constantly playing with their knobs and breaking them up without any clue what the thing actually does). Seen a lot of frozen adjustment knobs on people - mostly with divers who don't really know what the knob even does.

P.S. Not true about Aqualung being for rec diving. They have a range of regulators used by tech divers even though Apeks are no doubt more widely used in tech circles.

 

[rab1412000]

i use my lx knobs especially when i am upside down or dive a little deeper (100 plus fsw).
i do notice a difference in the knob settings and they are important to me in the above mentioned situations

my 2 cents

 

[inka]

P.S. Not true about Aqualung being for rec diving. They have a range of regulators used by tech divers even though Apeks are no doubt more widely used in tech circles.

Apeks is part of the Aqualung group ( Aql, Apeks, Suunto) The Legend is assembled in the Apeks factory in England


How important is adjustable inhalation feature in real life (on an over-balanced 2nd stage)

The first stage is over balanced, the second is balanced like the Titan LX
Some divers using DPV (SeeDoo, etc) prefer not to have the ajustable knob because of the current and risk of free flow i heard.

 

[mike_s]

P.S. Not true about Aqualung being for rec diving. They have a range of regulators used by tech divers even though Apeks are no doubt more widely used in tech circles.

Apeks is part of the Aqualung group ( Aql, Apeks, Suunto) The Legend is assembled in the Apeks factory in England

wrong.... the Legend is built in France.

(unless they've changed something in recent months.)

 

[andrethediver]

I've got the Legend LX and I will say that I rarely touch my adjustment knob.

the reg breathes so good that you don't really need to adjust it.

so I don't think it's worth the extra $100. (my opinion).

Thanks, this information is very useful. My LDS also says air adjustment is not really as important on Legend. On the other hand, this is one feature I would like to have just in case - Apeks XTX50 seems to offer all the same features + breathing adjustment for the same cost as Legend...and is considered a more 'technical' brand. Is XTX50 a low end Apeks reg? Thanks.

 

[andrethediver]

All the options you mention would be fine. I have Legend LX:s and Apeks XTX50:s myself and do use the knob.

How would you compare the two regs? I read somewhere that Legend and Legend LX have the same exact design and Legend is just missing the actual knob - but you can still remove the plug (or whatever) and adjust the breathing using an allen wrench...Is there any truth to that?

 

[andrethediver]

Some divers using DPV (SeeDoo, etc) prefer not to have the ajustable knob because of the current and risk of free flow i heard.

Can you elaborate on the correlation of the current and breathing adjustment knob? Thanks.