Apek XTX50 vs. Oceanic Delta 4/FDX 10

[bluegill]

I own both of these regulators and thought I'd provide feedback. Most diving is in the northern Great Lakes (cold). I have 50+ dives on the Oceanic and added a pony bottle. Because of the conditions - cold/deep - I wanted a top notch reg for my pony. After much research, I added the Apeks XTX 50.

The LDS suggested that I move the Oceanic to the pony. They have lots of experience with Apeks and the conditions I frequent. Since the Oceanic has served me well, I decided to do my own tests and let the best performer be my primary reg and the other be my pony reg. This may surprise many of you, but side by side 100 feet down in Lake Michigan on multiple dives - as well as side by side at 15 to 30 feet - the Oceanic is substantially easier to breathe. I was expecting the Apex to outperform based on what the dive shop stated and what I've read. Goes to show that actual performance may prove otherwise.

My stats - 45 years old, 6'1", 180 lbs, diving since '76, hold various certifications/specialties from SSI, NAUI, and PADI.

 

[serrada]

Have your Apeks serviced.

 

[RAWalker]

It doesn't surprise me the Oceanic Delta 4 FDX10 is a great breathing regulator and considered a highly reliable cold water reg.

 

[John_B]

It doesn't surprise me the Oceanic Delta 4 FDX10 is a great breathing regulator and considered a highly reliable cold water reg.

It does surprise me that the OP has such a poor breathing Apeks regulator. I agree with serrada, take it back and get it serviced. If the shop that has "lots of experience with Apeks" can't fix it then maybe you need another shop or a different tech.

 

[hypertech]

I'm currently comparing these (actually the EOS).

Why is it that Apex should be considerably better? Enough so that the first reaction to a report of the Oceanic being better that there must be something wrong with the Apeks?

 

[John_B]

Why is it that Apex should be considerably better? Enough so that the first reaction to a report of the Oceanic being better that there must be something wrong with the Apeks?

Because what bluegill described doesn't match anyone else's real world experience with Apeks regs? I'm sure the newer Oceanic regs perform great, but the Apeks regs like the one he says he has have been great performers for years and years. An XTX50 that breathes like, well like an Alpha7, is a badly tuned reg. Do you think tech divers use them for no reason?

BTW, I do like how when someone said it "shouldn't be worse", you rewrote it as "should be considerably better". Nice work, that.

 

[hypertech]

I've been reading a lot of threads and very fast trying to learn. FWIW - I don't see a post that said "shouldn't be worse" so we just had different initial impressions of what was actually posted.

Anyway, I'm not convinced choosing equipment based on what tech divers use is necessarily the best idea. Tech divers may be drawn to "old moldy" designs that have proven themselves at 200'+ even if there is a reg out there that could serve them better. Also, there may be better more comfortable options for most of us who don't intend to go below 100' or so.

 

[keyshunter]

I've been reading a lot of threads and very fast trying to learn. FWIW - I don't see a post that said "shouldn't be worse" so we just had different initial impressions of what was actually posted.

Anyway, I'm not convinced choosing equipment based on what tech divers use is necessarily the best idea. Tech divers may be drawn to "old moldy" designs that have proven themselves at 200'+ even if there is a reg out there that could serve them better. Also, there may be better more comfortable options for most of us who don't intend to go below 100' or so.

There are reasons that the "old moldy" designs have endured. There have been no major advancements in reg design for at least 30 years. Most, if not all, current designs represent tweaking of the "old" designs. Any reg that breaths well at 200 feet, will breath very, very well at 100'. Do not think for a minute that tech divers who do not have immediate access to the surface because of deco obligation, or overhead environment, would not use "a reg out there that could serve them better" if they thought that that was the case.

There is an incredible amount of hype perpetuated by manufacturers, lds's and divers. They tell us that the new Scubalung Mark 236 is by far the best breathing reg at 400 feet and beyond, even with 36 divers on octos. And, of course, it is expensive, but "what's your life worth".

Any reg made by a major manufacturer will serve just fine for the average recreatonal diver. There is no well tuned reg made by a major manufacturer today that I would have the slightest qualms about taking to 150 feet. It may not be the easiest or smoothest breathing at that depth, but I know it will not kill me.

 

[cave_diver]

Personally, I like Apeks much more than I do Oceanic. Apeks is more rugged (by accident, I did put a set of doubles on an Apeks second stage and it was still fine). A piece of an older Oceanic Delta 4 broke off while unscrewing the cover. I have 8 Apeks regulators and used them during hundreds of dives and never had a problem. Rugged, reliable, and almost indestructible.

Does this mean that Oceanic regulators are bad? No, it all depends on your type of diving and what you are used too.

 

[rhys_1986]

I really dont understand this fascination with Apeks. I bought some Oceanic Delta IV's about 6 months ago and all my colleagues and fellow divers went on at me saying i should have bought Apeks or Aqualungs. I thought fine, but I liked my Oceanics, I like the swivel, I like look and above all they breath great.

About a month ago I got a chance to use a set of Apeks XTX50 for a week and, I honestly found them worse than the Oceanics, perhaps they needed servicing too (I doubt it), the breath wasnt as smooth and I found the second stage a lot more uncomfortable due to the lack of swivel.

I guess the other argument for XTX50s is ruggedness. They do feel very strong, they certainly feel more rugged than my Oceanics. That said, ive done well over 200 dives with my Oceanics in 6 months and the only thing that has deteriorated is the mouthpiece.

I think that favour towards Apeks has been born out of tech diving and reliability over the years, but this doesnt mean that newer brands arent up to the task. In my opinion the FDX10 Delta IV is a fantastic regulator that breaths brilliantly, is comfortable and is rugged enough to survive the demands of working with a PADI instructor everyday.

However the only drawback is when it comes to tech, im no tech diver (yet) so im not sure but looking at the swivel, I can imagine that fitting a longer hose could be problematic and the Apeks looked a lot more versatile, ive not really looked into it though so i dont know.