Atomic vs Apeks

[GBRmedik]

Alrighty...
I am looking into a good regulator....I have it broken down to the Atomic M1 or the Apeks (a)tx 50....i dive primairly in cold water between 80 to 130 feet...i do plan on taking things farther soon getting into deco etc...

Do any of yall have any thoughts into which one i should go with...is it worth the extra ching to go with the atomic? More than ne thing i want something that i can trust in and feel comfortable in using under varying conditions.

thank you for your help

 

[pjdc1]

Hey GBR,

As a new diver I also had no Idea what regulator
to get. Living in Chicago and doing what would be
classified as mostly cold water diving, my concern
was looking into a reg that wouldn't freeflow due
to the cold water temp.

My best suggestion is to do a search on Apeks
then do a search on Atomic.

that will bring up all the threads mentioning those
Regs.

After doing that myself I decided on the Apeks ATX 50.

It will be alot of reading, but the opinions of others
do help.

 

[GBRmedik]

I live in Milwaukee...Just up the road....and am doing the same diving. I have had some problems with freeflows when wreck diving out in Lake Michigan.

I have pretty much scrubbed it down to the apeks (a)tx 50. but i am also a fan of the Atomic M1... like i posted above.....i am wondering where the extra ching goes to with the M1 and is it Worth droping an extra 100 to 150 bucks????

Has N E one had time in the drink with either (possibly both) of these regs?

Thanks soooo much for your help

 

[chris3536]

Unless you have to have new equipment all the time, and plan to keep your reg for a while, I recommend the atomic. With 2 year service requirements instead of annual, you will save enough to pay the difference on the atomic over a few years.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Mverick]

I think Apeks has a 2 year deal also.

I've had mine in 42 degre cold fresh water. No problems. Had them for 4 years and never serviced them. And I work at a shop and could at any time myself. But never had a problem with them. I have the TX50/DS4. Also the TX100. I like the larger second stage. The atx series I got a little bubble interference. But not on the TX series.

 

[frogman]

you cant go wrong with both. also depends on you're budget and type of diving. For general diving...I use my Atomics. For technical I go with my Apeks. They both breathe quite well at depth. Atomics has that kinda silky smooth inhale. For cold water diving and contaminated/silthy environments, I go for the Apeks.

 

[Corregidor]

Hello All,

I just got the Atomic B1. On checking it out at home I notice that the second stage is noisy, especially on a slow exhale. It seems to be a vibration and it happens no matter what the setting on the knob. Does anyone know if this is a problem, or does the reg just need to be in the water?

I got it at the LDS and I'm taking it in today - I just wanted to have a feel for how serious the problem is when I go in there. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Jim

 

[Charlie99]

Corregidor once bubbled...
Hello All,

I just got the Atomic B1. On checking it out at home I notice that the second stage is noisy, especially on a slow exhale. It seems to be a vibration and it happens no matter what the setting on the knob. Does anyone know if this is a problem, or does the reg just need to be in the water?

I got it at the LDS and I'm taking it in today - I just wanted to have a feel for how serious the problem is when I go in there. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Jim

This generally goes away in the water, or even just as soon as you dunk the 2nd stage in water. Since the noise is during the exhale, it's probably just the little exhaust valve that lets air out your of the mouthpiece during exhale, but keeps water from coming in during inhale.

 

[Corregidor]

I'll dunk it in water and see if it goes away. My old regs don't make noise when dry so I wasn't sure. At the end of the exhale it can get quite loud - it sounds like a kazoo.

 

[frogman]

Corregidor once bubbled...
I'll dunk it in water and see if it goes away. My old regs don't make noise when dry so I wasn't sure. At the end of the exhale it can get quite loud - it sounds like a kazoo.

Most regs, when out of the water and dry, when exhaled, would usually generate a vibrating sound...or any funny sound for that matter. Its the exhaust valve flapping around during the exhale which causes that tooting, kazoo or fart-like sound. Its just normal.