Help me choose my last regulator

[vondo]

Guys,

I know you all love your thousand dollar reg sets, but that's not really in the cards for me. As I stated in my original post, I'm looking for options that come in at or under $700 that are every bit as good, if there are any.

I'd also be really interested in comment on modifying my current rig as a solution for a few years.

Thanks,

Eric

 

[dpaustex]

Wait...there is such thing as a LAST regulator???? OMG...you mean I can't longingly look at new toys?? Are you trying to spoil my fun in ogling new gear??!!!!

Just kidding. For my money, I went with the T2X Atomic. Very pricey (but bullet-proof). A lot of cave divers around here use the high-end APEX, too.

But you'll need to check specific cold-water performance for each brand, as well as your alternate.

 

[paddler3d]

Look at Apeks XTX50, XTX100, or XTX200.

If they do not come DIN, it takes a whopping 5 minutes to change them to DIN.

Most of their 1st stages are environmentally sealed balanced diaphragms.

They were designed for the cold waters of the North Atlantic.

I've never had a problem with any of my Apeks regs in our deep, dark and cold local quarries. I can't say that for my 'cold water thermally insulated' Scuba Pro's.

I send my regs off to a shop in NC. They charge $35 a stage and have a 10 day turn around time.

 

[snowflake4727]

Look at the Apeks line.

 

[vondo]

Look at Apeks XTX50, XTX100, or XTX200.

If they do not come DIN, it takes a whopping 5 minutes to change them to DIN.

Most of their 1st stages are environmentally sealed balanced diaphragms.

They were designed for the cold waters of the North Atlantic.

I've never had a problem with any of my Apeks regs in our deep, dark and cold local quarries. I can't say that for my 'cold water thermally insulated' Scuba Pro's.

I send my regs off to a shop in NC. They charge $35 a stage and have a 10 day turn around time.

I've been looking at these, mostly the ATX50. Is the conversion something you can do yourself in 5 minutes? I mean, when I travel, can I convert my own regs rather than carry an adapter? Where do you get them serviced? Couldn't find a list of US dealers, just a list of Aqualung dealers. AL bought them, I gather.

 

[leapfrog]

Where do you get them serviced? Couldn't find a list of US dealers, just a list of Aqualung dealers. AL bought them, I gather.

Yes, Apeks belongs to Aqualung. In most countries you can now have your Apeks serviced at the same place you have ALs serviced.

 

[paddler3d]

I've been looking at these, mostly the ATX50. Is the conversion something you can do yourself in 5 minutes? I mean, when I travel, can I convert my own regs rather than carry an adapter? Where do you get them serviced? Couldn't find a list of US dealers, just a list of Aqualung dealers. AL bought them, I gather.

This is my current configuration. My primary 1st stage is the FSR and my primary 2nd stage is the ATX100. My backup second stage is the XTX200. My pony bottle has the FST 1st stage with the ATX40 Octo as the second.

My pony used the have the SP MK25. It free flowed way to easily at depth in cold water. My wife doesn't dive in the cold so I stole her XTX200 stuff.

I bought all this with a yolk connection. I ordered the 300Bar DIN converter for them. The yolks simply unscrewed from the and the DIN screwed in. Simply box wrenches and allen wrenches where all that were needed. Now yolks that came came off screw onto the DIN and voila, I have a yolk adapter.

It was that easy.

I have never been able to make my Apeks anything free flow.

Yesterday I was leading some just certified divers on a tour of our quarry. The vis was crap, 5ft at the best. One of the divers was clearly stressed and went through a lot of air. He told me when he was at 1500psi. We start to make our way up shallower. A couple of minutes later he is at 1000psi. We are getting close to our exit point and SS. A couple of minutes later he is at 400psi. I mean he went through some air. I'm on an HP100 and I still have 2200psi left. I give him my primary and switch to my seconday and we do our safety stop and slowly make our way to our exit. In 4 minutes we blew through around 700psi. This boy was breathing.

Point was, the reg could supply more than enough air for the two of us in cold water.

My LDS does not service Apeks. They send my regs out to AirTech in NC. These guys only do regs. AirTech Scuba Services; Raleigh, NC Toll Free: 866-287-0850 When I get them back, they have a report for me on flow rates, IP, cracking pressure, so on so for and they clean them for O2 service (high O2 service). I don't know what they charge my LDS, but he charges me $35 a stage.

I'm going to get lite up for this. I only get them serviced every other year.

A lot of technical folks love the ATX50 with the DST(?) 1st stage.

In fact I now think that Apeks offers an XTX50 package for doubles with these tiny little 1st stages. Anyway, I digress.

Good luck on your decision.

 

[Scared Silly]

I've been looking at these, mostly the ATX50. Is the conversion something you can do yourself in 5 minutes? I mean, when I travel, can I convert my own regs rather than carry an adapter? Where do you get them serviced? Couldn't find a list of US dealers, just a list of Aqualung dealers. AL bought them, I gather.

Many regulators now can be switched between DIN and Yoke very easily. Many people who have DIN regs also carry a DIN-to-Yoke adapter. This technical is the simplest but adds about 1" to the valve which some people complain about it then hitting their head. We have two of them for our regs.

At the same time the DIN fitting can be fully removed, typically with a hex head wrench and then replaced with a yoke fitting. One wants to use a thinned walled socket as using an adjustable wrench is not advisable as they often slip on the nut and marring it. This is a 5 minute job and we also have two of them for our regs.

So for instance when traveling to certain areas were I know will only have yoke I make the reg truly yoke. Otherwise it stays as DIN and I take a converter.

Also for the regs we have, Atomic, you can buy a din reg and a din to yoke adaptor plus then get the Yoke retainer. If you can then take the yoke nut and adapter off the Din-to-yoke adapter leaving just the yoke and use it with the yoke retainer to make the reg truly yoke. This procedure probably sounds confusing but the point to take away it that if your reg is din and you have a din to yoke adapter and want to make your reg truly yoke you do not need to buy the complete yoke assembly just one part. But do this only if you have everything from the same mfg. This can be done with other regs from other mfg as well.

Oh and as for the $700 are you talking reg with secondary and octo or sans octo? You can buy a lot of reg of $700.

 

[vondo]

Many regulators now can be switched between DIN and Yoke very easily. Many people who have DIN regs also carry a DIN-to-Yoke adapter. This technical is the simplest but adds about 1" to the valve which some people complain about it then hitting their head. We have two of them for our regs.

At the same time the DIN fitting can be fully removed, typically with a hex head wrench and then replaced with a yoke fitting. One wants to use a thinned walled socket as using an adjustable wrench is not advisable as they often slip on the nut and marring it. This is a 5 minute job and we also have two of them for our regs.

So for instance when traveling to certain areas were I know will only have yoke I make the reg truly yoke. Otherwise it stays as DIN and I take a converter.

Also for the regs we have, Atomic, you can buy a din reg and a din to yoke adaptor plus then get the Yoke retainer. If you can then take the yoke nut and adapter off the Din-to-yoke adapter leaving just the yoke and use it with the yoke retainer to make the reg truly yoke. This procedure probably sounds confusing but the point to take away it that if your reg is din and you have a din to yoke adapter and want to make your reg truly yoke you do not need to buy the complete yoke assembly just one part. But do this only if you have everything from the same mfg. This can be done with other regs from other mfg as well.

Oh and as for the $700 are you talking reg with secondary and octo or sans octo? You can buy a lot of reg of $700.

Thanks. Confusing, but helpful. Guess I'd have to see it.

$700 is for 1st stage and two 2nds. Looks like the Apex setup is $600 in this configuration for the ATX 50.

 

[vondo]

My LDS does not service Apeks. They send my regs out to AirTech in NC. These guys only do regs. AirTech Scuba Services; Raleigh, NC Toll Free: 866-287-0850 When I get them back, they have a report for me on flow rates, IP, cracking pressure, so on so for and they clean them for O2 service (high O2 service). I don't know what they charge my LDS, but he charges me $35 a stage.

I'm going to get lite up for this. I only get them serviced every other year.

A lot of technical folks love the ATX50 with the DST(?) 1st stage.

I've dealt with AirTech before, so good to know they do Apex. (Not listed on their site.)

When I said I didn't care about free parts, what I should have also said is that it's because I don't intend to adhere rigorously to a service schedule either.

The ATX50 is really looking like a good option.