Apeks xperts --> What's a CT20?

[mmakay]

My fiance and I are about to finish our OW course, and are looking to buy regs. (We've been using a Dacor Pacer and US Divers Micra ADJ that family lent to us.) We are going to be strictly warm-water, recreational divers, but want something that's an easy breath and very dry. We will probably not push the envelope too much on depth, but may get our advanced certs and do some wreck diving in the future.

In my search I see that LP has Apeks CT20's on sale right now for $139. I've heard that the AT20 is almost the equivelent of the ATX40 minus the heat exchanger, but what's a CT20? I can't find anything about it on the web. If it's like the AT20, then this seams like a great deal!

I've also looked at Alpha 7's, Delta 3's, r380's and s550's. Any recommendations are welcome.

 

[chris_b]

I believe that the CT20 is a German market AT20; the picture at LP looks exactly like an AT20 second stage with at US4 yoke first (the US4 is the non-environmentally-sealed version of the DS4). For confirmation you could just call LP and ask them. I remember someone doing this for the CTX?? and reporting that LP told him that the "C" is a German market designation.

 

[chris_b]

I just went and took a look at LP's Apeks lineup, and noticed that they list a "nitrox" TX40/DS4 that has a blue cover on the 2nd stage. AFAIK, the Germans are the only ones who use blue to mean "nitrox equipment" (a marketing phrase-- never mind that Apeks' own homepage states that all of their equipment is compatible with up to EAN40), which suggests that LP is sourcing their Apeks products from Germany.

 

[Cherry]

Thats right they get them from Europe and they are not covered by warranty as a result but rather by LP with the same warranty supposedly.

Good regs still the same

 

[mmakay]

So is this a good deal for a recreational reg, or am I better off spending a little more? (Remember my criteria is 1) dry breath 2) easy breath ... not concerned with extreme depth or cold water ability.)

 

[chris_b]

Yeah, it looks like a good deal. I'm a pretty new diver and recently went through the process of buying my first set of gear. I originally thought that I would only dive in warm water, but now I'm considering getting a drysuit so that I can dive in the winter here, rather than having to travel to warmer climes for my "fix." I'm glad that I got a reg set that I'll be able to use in cold water (I bought a TX40/DS4 combo with an ATX50 2nd for my primary).

For not a whole lot more than the AT20 from LP, you can get a TX40 w/its environmentally sealed 1st stage from Dive Inn, they are having one of their occasional "closeout" sales on this combo, it looks like they are $174 while they last.