Any happy sidemount users of Apeks Tek3 on this forum?

[bluemed]

The Tec3's are not ideal, all the ports are pointing down and you want to have your backup (on your left cylinder) coming up straight from your first stage.
on the right side you don't have that issue since the SPG and your Longhose are routed perfectly due to the position of the ports.
In my opinion the DST's are your best choice.

 

[j2s]

Despite the 'opinions', consider the HOGs w/a RT angle swivel...The D1 has two HP ports instead of just one.....I use HOG for both side and backmount......Xtra ports and placement of all the ports makes hose routing easier/cleaner......

 

[bluemed]

J2, why do you want to have 2 HP ports ? Btw the Hog seems fine to me as well..

 

[Colliam7]

Despite the 'opinions', consider the HOGs w/a RT angle swivel...The D1 has two HP ports instead of just one.....I use HOG for both side and backmount......Xtra ports and placement of all the ports makes hose routing easier/cleaner......

A good point about ports. While some regulator first stages have only one HP port, the majority of optimal ones have two. For sidemount, that allows you to adjust the orientation of your SPGs (up, or down along the cylinder body). It also allows you to add a pressure transponder if you decide to use wireless air integration.

In addition to the HOG regulators, the Apeks DST has two HP ports, as does the Zeagle 50D. The Dive Rite XT1 first stages do as well (and the DRs have a 5th LP port, like the Apeks DST).

 

[bluemed]

Than buy a regulator with the port in the right position ?
If you move on, an extra port is an extra O ring, another failure point...

 

[Colliam7]

Than buy a regulator with the port in the right position ? If you move on, an extra port is an extra O ring, another failure point...

You are kidding, right? The extra O ring is an additional theoretical failure point, but for a well-maintained regulator, an insignificant one at that. Maybe, I am misunderstanding your comment and, if so, my apologies.

Let's look at the options. For sidemount, if you are diving a turret regulator - as an example - do you want the turret 'inboard' (most do), or outboard? Assuming you want it inboard, do you want the valve aperture facing toward you, or away from you? There are fairly evenly divided sentiments on that. The same regulator with a single HP port will allow you to position the SPG (only) down in one case, but (only) up in the other. I don't see an material issue with having 2 HP ports. But, again, I may be misunderstanding the focus of your comment.

 

[bluemed]

I am just saying buy the right regulator, the one that gives you that clean configuration and not the one that has 2 ports because 2 is better than one..that is what I meant ;-)

 

[Doppler]

To answer the OP's question once again, the Tek3 is NOT an option I recommend at all for sidemount diving. I use HOG regs for several reasons the foremost of which is clean hose routing.

 

[BoltSnap]

Wouldn't SP MK25 or Atomic FS be all OK?

 

[kr2y5]

Thanks very much to all of you for offering me your advice. After ingesting all your feedback, I am leaning towards a DST-like setup, but it is good to know that I do have some options, since some of you were able to make it work either way. At the risk of derailing my own thread... do you believe that for all-around cold water technical sidemount and backmount diving, there is any meaningful difference between Apeks DST with 5th port, HOG D1, and HOG D3 (and, for the benefit of other readers, MK25, even though I am definitely not considering ScubaPro at this point)?