REg Purchase

[Scubasteve78_old]

I just bought my 1 st BC <Oceanic Flex> and now am looking for a good set of Regulators to go along with it...What can yall recommend for around 350-400 dollars?...ps i dive in warm water 99.9 percent of the time the coldest i might dive is 70 degrees...thanks your replys

 

[TexasMike]

The consensus on this board leans towards the Apeks TX50/TX40 octo setup or the equivalent Zeagle Tech 50D.

I have the Tech 50D and find it to be a very capable reg, as near bulletproof as they get, very easy breather, does not flood if you're in strange orientations (I do my safety stops stretched out on my back), and will take you through all recreational diving all the way to moderate tech diving.

There are others who will chime in with their favorites, so listen closely since this group does a good job presenting good facts on gear.

 

[Scubasteve78_old]

Thanks for the reply texasmike I too have read alot of good things about the apek50's ....what would you consider a good price for one minus the octo i am going to be using a air sx to lessen clutter when diving .......also what part of texas do you dive i live in south east texas myself...thanks again

 

[Warhammer]

The Apeks TX50 3-stage set(TX50, TX40 octo, & 1st stage) is going run you around $500 retail in a shop. You might find a shop willing to bargin somewhat though. It can be had for as little as $320 or so online, at places like Diveinn.com.

A year ago, you could get good deals on the old Zeagle/Apeks Tech 50D. But Zeagle has severed ties with Apeks and are now making their own regs. Finding the old ones might be a problem now, I don't know.

 

[Scubasteve78_old]

Thanks i'll check that online sight at and see what they have ....

 

[TexasMike]

If you think you might ever do any diving other than pure open water recreational (in otherwords, penetrate wrecks or caverns or other overhead environments), nix the idea on the BC integrated octo.

The integrated octo's do work as advertised, but I found it's actual use to be a bit too complicated. And by having the TX40 octo, you will have a secondary air source that has the performance characteristics very very similar to the TX50 primary.

And the additional hose/clutter on your BC argument is not really valid until you start getting into the serious technical diving where entaglement is the main concern. Having the "typical" octo with hose does not significantly increase your drag through the water.

The choice to use an integrated octo boils down to a personal preference. But you will see many divers, like me, don't prefer them.

Do a search on this board for topics and keywords such as "integrated octo" and "air2" and you will see what our recent discussion was on these.

 

[Scubasteve78_old]

Hmmm I can see your point about the intergrated BC and i will read more post on the subect.. my primary concern with hose clutter is the fact that 99 percent of the diving i do involves spear fishing the oil rigs in the gulf of mexico ..and in that sense entaglement would be my primary concern as opposed to drag ....that seems to be the reason most of the folks i dive with like the intergrated Octo so much its just one less hose for your stringer or spear gun cable to get wrapped around i should have mentioned this from the get go but your replys's are still appreciated....and as far as the tx50 vs. the tx100 what do you think ???

 

[Frog]

Apeks are brilliant regulators and they can take a hell of a beating. TX50 or TX100 with TX40 backup/octo

 

[Lost Yooper]

Don't spend more than $350 for any reg because you can get the Apex regs for under that and no other regs can beat it's performance. Match -- yes, beat -- no.

Mike

 

[Scubasteve78_old]

ok welp thanks to the stuff ive read online and to yalls opinions apeks seems to be the way to go ....on the online order form from divers inn it has a choice for size one says din and one says yoke?? which do i need??