Several Reg Questions

[jedidiver]

Hello all!
I would like some feedback and opinions on several questions.First is,the inly reg I ever used was my ProSub Command Air.I rarely see ProSub gear in diveshops or on the big name online dive equipment sellers.Can anyone let me know thier experiences with these regs?My BC is a Prosub DCV Dominator.Second ...I want to upgrade reg.I am looking at Posiedon Jetstream or Xstream,or an Apex.Third...I want to eventually learn some Tech diving.Try the depths,try some caving,wreck penetrations,now,I heard from a Tech instructor he prefers Apex because it is balanced and Poseidon is not.Can anyone tell me difference between balance and unbalanced?Fourth..If I go with XStream,Should it be the Deep or the Duration?By the way,the vast majority of dive environments I dive are the beautiful,seductive wrecks of the Great Lakes.Please try to make feedback and opinions as unbiased as possible,Thanks everyone!

 

[brssmnky]

Hello all!
I would like some feedback and opinions on several questions.First is,the inly reg I ever used was my ProSub Command Air.I rarely see ProSub gear in diveshops or on the big name online dive equipment sellers.Can anyone let me know thier experiences with these regs?My BC is a Prosub DCV Dominator.Second ...I want to upgrade reg.I am looking at Posiedon Jetstream or Xstream,or an Apex.Third...I want to eventually learn some Tech diving.Try the depths,try some caving,wreck penetrations,now,I heard from a Tech instructor he prefers Apex because it is balanced and Poseidon is not.Can anyone tell me difference between balance and unbalanced?Fourth..If I go with XStream,Should it be the Deep or the Duration?By the way,the vast majority of dive environments I dive are the beautiful,seductive wrecks of the Great Lakes.Please try to make feedback and opinions as unbiased as possible,Thanks everyone!

Many people on this board will tell you "go with Apex... I would make love to my Apex regulator if state laws would let me...etc." The truth is, high end is high end. You buy a BMW or a Benz, you get quality. Apex, Scubapro (which I use... Mark 10 / G250), Aqualung, Oceanic, Poseidon, they're all quality regs and you won't go too wrong. You should concentrate more on type of reg... If you're diving the great lakes, you probably want a balanced diaphram 1st and 2nd stage regulator because of the cold water (I don't know how late/early in the season you're diving, but sealed balanced diaphram is best for cold water). A good reg should perform well deep and last you (or at least have a warranty to last you). I hope this helps... P.S. I like the "JediDiver"

 

[jedidiver]

Thanks!! I forgot to add I will be going for my Ice Diving cert. this winter.What is difference between balanced and unbalanced? Is that the environmental seal for cold water diving? Thanks again!

 

[NINman]

I have a Poseidon Jetstream and I love it. The coldest I have been with this reg has been 48 degrees so I am not sure as to the performace of this reg under cold conditions.

 

[scubatoys]

Thanks!! I forgot to add I will be going for my Ice Diving cert. this winter.What is difference between balanced and unbalanced? Is that the environmental seal for cold water diving? Thanks again!

Most regs... other than the very cheapest like a scubapro mk2 1st stage are balanced. They are referring to the first stage, and a balanced reg does not get harder to breathe when tank pressure gets low - while an unbalanced reg will get harder below 500 psi.

There are also pneumatically balanced 2nd stages that breathe great - like the ScubaPro 600, or the Aeris Atmos Pro regulator.

For a little more info - and some drawings, check out this link:

http://www.scubatoys.com/store/joelarry/jlpneumatically.asp

 

[SDAnderson]

I would like some feedback and opinions on several questions.

You and me, both. Why are we here? When disaster strikes, why do things always land jelly side down? Where did my wife learn to do that? :11:​

First is,the inly reg I ever used was my ProSub Command Air.I rarely see ProSub gear in diveshops or on the big name online dive equipment sellers.Can anyone let me know thier experiences with these regs?My BC is a Prosub DCV Dominator.

No personal experience with ProSub. I don't think of them in the same breath as I do Apeks, ScubaPro or even Poseiden.​

Second ...I want to upgrade reg.I am looking at Posiedon Jetstream or Xstream,or an Apex.

For those limiting their diving to "normal" recreational demands, almost any high end regulator is going to be more than sufficient. Pick one with the features you like and that you can get serviced in your area and you'll be happy. Beyond recreational, and especially if you're planning on diving deep or cold, the demands change. The concensus among technical divers seems to be that Apeks and ScubaPro and a couple of others are the answer. You'll want a regulator that is (in no particular order)

• easily serviced (including the ability to tear the second stage apart underwater for field repairs).
• readily serviced by technicians anywhere I might be diving.
• balanced for ease of breathing at depth.
• environmentally sealed to keep junk and water out of the innards.
• easy to breath - the deeper you go the more air (well, trimix, actually) starts to resemble soup.
• simple in design - the less complex a design is the fewer things there are to go wrong.

Third...I want to eventually learn some Tech diving.Try the depths,try some caving,wreck penetrations,now,I heard from a Tech instructor he prefers Apex because it is balanced and Poseidon is not.Can anyone tell me difference between balance and unbalanced?

A better explanation than I could ever give you is here.​

Fourth..If I go with XStream,Should it be the Deep or the Duration?By the way,the vast majority of dive environments I dive are the beautiful,seductive wrecks of the Great Lakes.

Personally, I don't dive them and I don't know enough about them to offer a critique. The XStream line, that is - almost all of my diving is on the wrecks in the Great Lakes.​

Please try to make feedback and opinions as unbiased as possible.

Okay, you should put down the bong and step away from the keyboard - you're being silly. Asking for unbiased responses on an internet bulletin board.

A final note:
Your questions are all good ones. At the risk of sounding like a viking, however, most of them have been asked (and extensively answered) many times before on this board. If you're serious about learning about these issues, you'll take advantage of the search functions and explore some of the other threads on these subjects. Happy hunting.​

 

[LUBOLD8431]

First of all, its APEKS!!!!!!!!!!!! Not Apex.

Secondly, if you are going to be doing ice diving, get an environmentally sealed reg, with a heat exchanger on the second stage. In other words, yes, get an Apeks.

Also, as has already been mentioned, the Poseidon first stages (current models) are balanced. The Xstream Dive would be a good choice for single tank diving in cold water as well.

 

[jedidiver]

Thank you all for the information.I learned alot.Now,I am fairly familiar with the Poseidon names,but,can someone shoot me some Scubapro and ApeKs model names so I can do some price researches? thanks again!!!! Eric P.S. Are these regs you mentioned good up to nitrox 40? thanks

 

[LUBOLD8431]

Scubapro MK16 or MK18 or MK20 or MK25 (I would stay away from the piston designs if you are doing ice diving), those are first stages, second stages are X650, G500, 600, etc. Apeks would be ATX or TX 50 with DS4 first stage, or ATX-200, ATX-100. Check out the websites, all the current models will be listed there...

 

[SDAnderson]

Thank you all for the information.I learned alot.Now,I am fairly familiar with the Poseidon names,but,can someone shoot me some Scubapro and ApeKs model names so I can do some price researches? thanks again!!!! Eric P.S. Are these regs you mentioned good up to nitrox 40? thanks

For more information about these regulators, you might consult these websites:

http://www.apeks.co.uk/
http://www.scubapro.com/
http://www.poseidon.sageweb.co.uk/default.htm

Why wouldn't any of these regulators be able to handle nitrox up to a 40% mix? If you aren't sure, check with your local dive shop or the manufacturer before buying.