Sea Elite Tek-X

[mike_s]

He was wrong. I am 100% certain of this.

If you are 100% certain of this, perhaps you can also provide a little more information?

While I'm not doubting you, don't leave us hanging. tell us who does make it and why you are 100% of it?

 

[TheRedHead]

Several threads on TDS:

http://thedecostop.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15945
http://thedecostop.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17969

Joel at TDL assured everyone these regs are NOT made by Apeks.

 

[mike_s]

RedHead, when you say "these regs" are you talking about the Sea Elite or the Dive Rite or the Salvo? It appears that Joel's post referes to the Salvo regs vs. the Apeks.

Actually I don't know if "not made by Apeks" is 100% correct regardless of the other regulator. Apeks I don't think makes their regulators, but contracts them out just like almot every other regulator manufacturer does. What I'm getting to is that it's very possible that the same manufacturer makes regulators for several different companies.


However, Jordon from DIVERITE does confirm (in March 2006) on that post that the Sea Elite Tec X is an exact copy of the current (march 2006) Dive Rite 2nd stage and the Salvo 1st stage. (see http://thedecostop.com/forums/showpost.php?p=234736&postcount=29)

But it appears that since March 2006, this is most likely to have changed also as SEA Elite has released a new version of the Tec-X and Dive Rite intended changes in their regulator. Of course the above reports have it linked now to a "clone" of the Aqualung Legend LX.

 

[TheRedHead]

Apeks are made in England and I assume Aqualung is now made at the same factory. I'm pretty sure that the Sea Elite is made in the far east, but you could PM Joel and ask him. It could be that Aqualung and Sea Elite buy parts from the same factory, I don't know. It doesn't seem like Aqualung would OEM a regulator considering their proprietary business practices. I just found a great deal on an Apeks DS4/TX 50 DIN used for a $150 for my deco bottle from someone getting out of diving and selling their gear. I was going to buy the Dive Rite, but this deal is much better.

 

[mike_s]

Apeks are made in England and I assume Aqualung is now made at the same factory. I'm pretty sure that the Sea Elite is made in the far east, but you could PM Joel and ask him. It could be that Aqualung and Sea Elite buy parts from the same factory, I don't know. It doesn't seem like Aqualung would OEM a regulator considering their proprietary business practices.

Your post brings up another good point on where regulators are made. The real question is when they say they make their regulators in a certain country, what does that really mean?

Is it all made in that country or just "assembled" there? or are parts made there?

I doubt that Apeks makes their own parts for example... (maybe they do).

I think you're right that Sea Elite is made in the far east, but I have no clue where they are assebled. I doubt it's done in the back of their store in Maccon though.

I think Dive Rite assembles all their regulators in Florida but I doubt they make their parts there. If some of the SEA Elite regs have the exact same parts, then surely they get their parts from an "supplier".

As for Aqulung not doing OEM, heck, Aqualung is merely a 3rd party "distrubutor" (if you look at it in one way). Their offices in the US are not even big enough to handle their stock/inventory/manufacturing, etc. They are the distributor for APEKS in the US (which they own), for SUUNTO, which is a finnish company, Deep Sea, and US Divers. I'm sure they have some product engineers on staff, but I'm betting that a large percentage of their organziation in the US is comprised of management, marketing and sales people (plus bean counters). Kinda makes Aqualung look like a puppet show doesn't it?

This is not just the scuba industry that does this. About everything we buy is done this way at some p0int during its manufacturing process. The company that makes everything from scratch, sells, distributes, etc, is a dying breed.

 

[mdb]

You may wish to check with Phil Ellis at Dive Sports. He sells the Dive Rite "look alike" as "Scuba Max" brand for $170. Phil's website states that these are the not a copy, but the same thing, different label. If he says so, it is. Dive Rite, Salvo, and these others are all asian made, and are supposed to come from the same source.

I recall that there were once a lot of Porsche parts that were the exact same as Volkswagen parts, except for the packaging. Many people insisted the dealer install the "genuine" Porsche part. They paid double price for this warm feeling. These regulators may be the same kinda thing.

These regulators are "the same kinda thing".

 

[cerich]

Ya' all don't trust me? I'm hurt....

The Sea Elite are made in the far east by the same folks that make the Dive Rite and the Salvo regs. (and a couple others)

Apeks are made by Apeks

The new Sea Elite certainly "borrows" a lot of design features from Apeks but is not made by Apeks.

 

[TheRedHead]

I think the question mile_s brought up is: are the parts that comprise an Aqualung regulator the same brand of parts that comprise a Sea Elite?

 

[cerich]

I think the question mile_s brought up is: are the parts that comprise an Aqualung regulator the same brand of parts that comprise a Sea Elite?

No, definitely not from the same source, similar specs yes but not same source.

 

[mike_s]

I think the question mile_s brought up is: are the parts that comprise an Aqualung regulator the same brand of parts that comprise a Sea Elite?

or to widden that question a little, if the parts are not "exact" cosmeticly the same, are they functionally a copy of the same? (if that makes sense)