Regulator Opinions

[koozemani]

i'd also look at gear reviews on scubadiving.com

 

[red_barbarian]

The guy at shop two was giving you good advice. The Apeks 50's are functionally as good as their more expensive siblings in the product line. Don't over think this one, I did, and I found out that by the time I wanted to go deep enough to care about regulator performance at this end of the regulator performance spectrum I needed more than one regulator set. I would venture any of the regulators mentioned will work perfectly well for you in warm water. If you decide you want a cold water regulator the Apeks seems to work well. If you want to go deep you'll be buying a set that accommodates manifolded doubles and you can use the set you buy now for a stage bottle. All that said I own Apeks, but I have used a fair number of different regulators sets and at recreational depths they all seem to work if they are properly serviced. Get whatever the shop you like has and build a relationship with them. Personally I'd start with the guy who tried to sell me the Apeks 50's as he could have easily pushed the 200's on you which would have made him a lot more money.

 

[UtahGetMe2]

The guy at shop two was giving you good advice. The Apeks 50's are functionally as good as their more expensive siblings in the product line. Don't over think this one, I did, and I found out that by the time I wanted to go deep enough to care about regulator performance at this end of the regulator performance spectrum I needed more than one regulator set. I would venture any of the regulators mentioned will work perfectly well for you in warm water. If you decide you want a cold water regulator the Apeks seems to work well. If you want to go deep you'll be buying a set that accommodates manifolded doubles and you can use the set you buy now for a stage bottle. All that said I own Apeks, but I have used a fair number of different regulators sets and at recreational depths they all seem to work if they are properly serviced. Get whatever the shop you like has and build a relationship with them. Personally I'd start with the guy who tried to sell me the Apeks 50's as he could have easily pushed the 200's on you which would have made him a lot more money.

I was thinking the same way. I initially was looking at much more expensive regulators, but came to the same conclusion you just said about needing/wanting 2 setups in the future.

I was reading about other first timers that were asking about getting their first BC and on several threads pretty much all responses were to get a BP/W setup. When I brought this up to the LDS guys they all said that is ridiculous and that in the future when I get into tech diving I will want another setup for rec diving. I know I said I want to get into tech diving but I'm sure that by the time I get there I'll be ready to purchase some new more expensive equipment.

I'm gonna hit up one of the LDS after work today to talk to them about package deals, servicing etc.

 

[Dr Wu]

Just curious, can you elaborate? I'm a SP guy, but a lot of people I know are pretty dogmatic about Apeks.

Probably because you live in Europe. When I dive my Apeks in the North Sea everyone says "great reg". In the North Atlantic, I get **** for it.

Same is true (but reversed) for the Scuba Pro.

The port sizes in the Apeks can be difficult to deal with but the biggest problem is the cap has a tendency to get stuck on. Requiring a trip to the factory for removal.

They are both fantastic brands but the ease of service (and included parts) on the SP puts it ahead in my opinion.

 

[Zung]

Thanks.

I fully agree on the ease of service and the availability of parts, plus the exceptional technical support form the resident gurus here.

 

[Hatul]

One thing I can guarantee: the dive shop will recommend one of the brands they sell. Many shops will also denigrate the brands they don't sell.

Adam

 

[nakatomi]

@Dr Wu
I´ve never had any problems with the environmental cap on the Apeks 1st stages not coming off easily, that is with the correct tool of course. But then since I service them myself, I make sure not to exceed the recommended torque in the first place.

@UtahGetMe2
IMHO The recommendations you got from your LDS are pretty spot-on.
You can not ever go wrong with an Apeks XTX set, be it XTX50, XTX100 or XTX200. The differences are fairly minor (and mostly cosmetic) and these regs will deliver outstanding performance and reliability even in the coldest water possible.
The Aqualung Legend LX (ACD) is very much comparable to the XTX200 (they share the basic design and a few parts) . The legend is a great regulator as well, nothing to go wrong here either, so the same praise applies here.
Can´t say much about the Mares regs. Here in Europe they are quite popular, just make sure you get a set that can handle cold water if that applies to your diving and you´ll be fine.
Oh, and don´t forget that the Apeks regs are adjustable under water, breathing resistance and Venturi flow control.

Regarding BCD´s and Backplates being for tech diving only. In my first two years of diving I owned 3 BCD´s, ending up with a Halcyon-clone backplate/wing combo.
I would never want anything else than this, and would recommend a wing/backplate style BCD for any beginner as well. And no, I do not do any technical diving.
Try one if you have the chance, and see if you like it.

 

[Dr Wu]

@Dr Wu
I´ve never had any problems with the environmental cap on the Apeks 1st stages not coming off easily, that is with the correct tool of course. But then since I service them myself, I make sure not to exceed the recommended torque in the first place.

Ok.


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[h90]

Hello everyone! After lurking in the shadows reading as much as I can before I post something its finally time for my first post. I just got my open water certification and I've been trying to decide what regulator to purchase. I've been to 3 LDS and have been told to purchase 3 different regulators that they all described as "the best" for what I need. I plan on purchasing the regulator at an LDS rather than online.

Right now my dive goals are to dive on vacations and at home in Long Island, NY. I plan on furthering my certifications and eventually would like to get into tech diving but realistic do not know how quickly that would happen.

1st Dive shop recommended Mares Abyss or Proton

2nd Dive shop recommended Apeks XTX 50 (worker said that it was much better than a Mares)

3rd Dive shop recommended Aqualung Legend ACD Supreme (worker said it was much better than the Apeks and Mares)

I'm assuming that they are trying to sell the products that they have in their store and that what they were telling me was not entirely accurate (although I could be wrong).

Money is not a big factor because I just want something that is going to perform at a high level at all times without the worry of something happening to it.

I'm pretty sure that only the Apeks and Aqualung are environmentally sealed, but am not positive. Does the environmentally sealed feature only apply to when the water is very cold or are there other benefits to having that feature?

Thanks in advance for any input!!!

Well rule #1: don't believe 1 single word a sales guy tells you. And as fresh certified you are the best food for them.
After you decide what you buy, check the prices on the internet. That a LDS is more expensive than the best offer from the other side of the world is OK, but the difference should not be too much.

I would say any modern regulator breath good. I have 2 Mares Abyss: First of all their service outside USA seem to be very bad, but the Mares guys in USA were super helpful. In the Abyss second stage is almost nothing, the most basic possible second stage. Specially in shallow water it seems the breath a bit more difficult than adjustable one. But at 47 meter it still breath exactly the same. And after 7 years without service it still breath exactly the same. It is fully metal, you can hammer in nails with it and it will still work the same. There is nothing inside that could break.
Downside: it is really heavy. Some of the modern plastic one you simply forget that you have something in your mouth....They Abyss + a stiff hose you don't forget.

I love mine.....heavy ugly but always working

 

[Zung]

Rule #2: they want you to buy at least 2 sets during your life as a diver, maybe even 3.

I had a wager with my favorite LDS to see if he could sell me 3 sets of everything. We called it even after 2 and 3/4 over 10 years