First regs for sidemount

[adimi24]

Hi guys, I am diving an Xdeep Stealth 2.0 and would now like to purchase my regs.

my instructor said after i sent him this link, https://www.divegearexpress.com/sidemount/regs.shtml:

Apeks is expensive but I own mine since 10 years...so they are definitly worth it
our hog rentals are already breaking and dive rite has some issues with second stages. not sure on hollis but generaly dont like them


u need:
2x dst first stage
2x xtx 50 2nd stage
1x 7ft long hose
2x 6inch hp hose
2x compact spg
1x 28inch lp hose (short hose)
1x 90° adabtor between lp hose and 2nd stage
1x 15inch lpi hose (better a bit too long (can wrap it around corrugated hose) then too short as too short forces the tank to be too low) - in reply to my concern that the hose i was training with was bending out a little bit from my chest because it was too long

I am new to diving and new to sidemount and am interested in tec and cave diving but am not 100% that I will pursue either.

Now to my mass of annoying questions....
Do you guys also recommend DST and XTX50 as the best?

Cheapest I've found them is on Dirdirect. com for 694 pounds or $1050 (includes tax) - any way I can get them cheaper in the US? Not many places are selling them online..

Then I've got the hoses and SPG's ( PSI, black face - any concerns with that?) for $285 of Divegearexpress.com

I am also unsure of whether I need to spend this much money.. I can get a HOG D1 setup for $660 for everything

Any thoughts about the first and second stages, hose lengths, etc are appreciated!

 

[gekodivebali]

The Apeks is what I would go for. Proven track record over the years. Not sure that you need 2 DST first stages if concerned by price. 1 DST on left post and 1 DS4 on right post works well enough.
The Hogs haven't reached Asia yet, so I cannot comment on them.

 

[rongoodman]

Not sure that you need 2 DST first stages if concerned by price. 1 DST on left post and 1 DS4 on right post works well enough.

He's looking at sidemount and each first stage will be used equally, so why make them different?

 

[JamesK]

Apeks are great, but i take issue with his comments about other regs. I bought two DR regs in 2002. I have TONS of dives on them. They have operated flawlessly even though the first rebuild was in 2012. DR said they still looked good inside. I am about to turn these regs in to safe reg duty and replace them with the new DR regs.

I would match regs on each bottle like suggested right above me, no matter what you get.

 

[decompression]

Keep it consistant for a few dollars, I've used Apeks for years (BM and SM), I would choose the DST first stages over the DS4. Also, I find 6" HP hoses pretty kinked (even using Miflex or phantom), I've tried both a longer hose (8"-10") as well as a gauge right on the first stage. If you can, see some options (I can email pics) and see what you like/don't like before buying. I do like HOG regs and many do, dollar for dollar they are hard to beat. Be prepared for a bit of a learning process as most Sidemounters have gone through several evolutions of set up. Cheers.

 

[Sevenrider860]

I have the Apeks Sidemount kit which is essentially has everything listed except the two LPI hoses are shorter than 15 inches and the DST has the 5 port turret. Most Internet shops advertise the Apeks kit at the list price $1,450 in the US. I suspect that is a requirement for authorized dealers. I purchased mine from my LDS for about $1,100 total cost.

Can't comment on the HOG regulators, however I am a big fan of the HOG black SPGs and replaced the ones included in the Apeks kit with thin blackface HOG SPGs.

 

[kotik]

I own a couple of HOG regs and dive them regularly in circumstances where I can't just immediately surface if there's a failure. I have no sense that they're any less reliable or lower performance than other regulators. I know a number of people diving either HOG or Dive Rite regs for very advanced cave dives-- deep, long penetrations, long decompression requirements, etc.

Talk of these being less reliable than some of the bigger guys is mostly FUD spreading, IMHO.

 

[tomfcrist]

I would be interested in getting more info on why the hog rentals have been "breaking". My guess would be that rental gear in general gets abused pretty bad, thus negligent care being the cause of failure.

 

[flots am]

Hi guys, I am diving an Xdeep Stealth 2.0 and would now like to purchase my regs.

my instructor said after i sent him this link, https://www.divegearexpress.com/sidemount/regs.shtml:

Apeks is expensive but I own mine since 10 years...so they are definitly worth it
our hog rentals are already breaking and dive rite has some issues with second stages. not sure on hollis but generaly dont like them
. . .

Any thoughts about the first and second stages, hose lengths, etc are appreciated!

No popular reg should be "breaking" significantly more than any other. I'm guessing poor/improper or no maintenance.

I'd recommend getting something that has good parts availability and a good long history. If I was starting over, I'd probably be trolling eBay for older, metal SCUBAPro regs, or used Atomic M1s because I like them and can get very good local service.

If you're not planning on servicing your own, I'd find out what your local SCUBA shops sell/service a lot of and buy that.

Hose lengths depend on routeing and how big you are and what kind of diving you plan on doing.

flots.

 

[MSargeant]

Apeks sidemount kit, works perfectly. The pre 2013 XTX50 sets are quite cheap nowadays.