Suggestions for cold water regulators?

[Marie13]

My Apeks XTX50/DST has been down to 38F/3X without issue. I vote for Apeks. Which one did your LDS recommend?

 

[Erik H]

My Apeks XTX50/DST has been down to 38F/3X without issue. I vote for Apeks. Which one did your LDS recommend?

He didn't have any personal experience with Apeks, just from what "colleagues and tech divers" have said. But Apeks definitely keeps popping up in conversations so there must be something there.

 

[Diverspoint]

A little update. I just came back from my LDS after having a chat about regulators and which ones they carry and recommend. He himself seemed to be partial towards Aqua Lung saying that he himself uses them but also suggested Scubapro and Apeks due to their performance and ease of getting them repaired/serviced anywhere. He didn't recommend Poseidon or Mares due to Poseidon being more expensive to service and both brands being more difficult to have serviced (especially Poseidon outside of Sweden). Still having trouble choosing due to the VAST array of different brands and models, but I seam to be leaning towards Apeks, Scubapro or Aqua Lung.

I just saw his thread and here you mention something really important.

If you have the best reg for it but are unable to get good service for it they are useless, especially in severe weather.

Make sure you are able to get them serviced.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

On trips to Neah Bay, WA we would routinely stop at Crescent Lake on the return home for a fresh water "rinse" dive.. On one of these trips back in 2001, we decided to look for an old Chevy that ran off the road and sunk back in the late 20's and supposedly is resting in about 170ft .... Vis in that lake is pristine and can easily exceed 100ft. Thermoclines are pronounced and like stepping through a trap door. I was with a good buddy and currently diving a Sherwood Oasis as my primary and a SP Mark VII on my 19 pony. We both had steel HP 120's as main tanks. At 160ft, my Sherwood totally froze up and it was instant bubble city. Swapped to my Mark VII / Pony, buddied up with my pal and we slowly headed up as he turned off my main valve to stop the primary gas loss. Once we got past the initial tasks and were now passing slowly through 110, we checked his gas and were fine with 2k plus so I switched from my pony to his safe 2nd since at that time I only used a button gauge on my pony rig and wanted to preserve any pony gas remaining. Did a normal controlled ascent, leveled off at 20 for a stop and buddy turned my primary back on and all was well so back onto my primary for the 5 minute stop..

So...what's the point.... In the freeze conditions my buddy's Poseidon Odin performed flawlessly as did my good old Mark VII. My Oasis got retired. The shop I taught for insisted on us using gear that they sold when teaching (plus cost plus 10%) so I bought the Apeks ATX200 and it's been my primary for the past 20 years... Love this reg.

PS..... Never found that car and never looked for it again. PSPS....Checked my Pony after the dive and still had 2200 psi so in that minute between 160 and 110 I sucked down about 800 psi. I'm sure that half of that was my first 5 or 6 hooves while figuring out where all the flipping lost gas was coming from. I initially thought it had to be a blown hose.

Conclusion: I would recommend Apeks or Poseidon.

 

[buddhasummer]

If you go down the Apeks route, FSR 1st stage, matching XTX50 2nds.

Scubapro, MK17 while you still can and matching G260s.

 

[Erik H]

I find it interesting that there are so few recommendations for SP and Apeks "flagship" models (MTX series and SP MK25 with an A700 or S620). What is it about the suggested models that make them better or more suggested? Are the flagship models "over priced", overkill or just not as good?

So far, suggestions have been for the XTX50 or XTX200 with FSR or DST 1st stage, or the SP MK17 or MK19 with G260 2nd stage. What makes those models better than the others?

At the moment, I am interested in the Apeks MTX-RC, Aqua Lung Leg3nd Elite and (SP MK17 or MK19 because they are so suggested), although with SP I am a little confused due to their assortment of different 2nd stages. What makes the G260 the go-to reg over the A700 and S620? And what is the difference between the MK17 and MK19, other than the swivel turret?

And why no mentions of the Leg3nd? Not as good as Apeks and SP?

 

[formernuke]

I like the xtx50 personally. The legend is a great reg but in my opinion the xtx50 is just as good functionality, the legend just has more cosmetic bling.

 

[davehicks]

I find it interesting that there are so few recommendations for SP and Apeks "flagship" models (MTX series and SP MK25 with an A700 or S620). What is it about the suggested models that make them better or more suggested? Are the flagship models "over priced", overkill or just not as good?

So far, suggestions have been for the XTX50 or XTX200 with FSR or DST 1st stage, or the SP MK17 or MK19 with G260 2nd stage. What makes those models better than the others?

At the moment, I am interested in the Apeks MTX-RC, Aqua Lung Leg3nd Elite and (SP MK17 or MK19 because they are so suggested), although with SP I am a little confused due to their assortment of different 2nd stages. What makes the G260 the go-to reg over the A700 and S620? And what is the difference between the MK17 and MK19, other than the swivel turret?

And why no mentions of the Leg3nd? Not as good as Apeks and SP?

You might want to check out this article I wrote about Regulator features and how to make a choice. It might provide some context.

Info - How to Choose a Regulator

How to Choose a Regulator (an overview of features and their value) One of the first pieces of equipment that every diver will acquire is a set of Regulators. This is one of the most critical pieces of your gear as it enables you to breathe underwater and are considered to be life safety...

scubaboard.com

 

[rhwestfall]

Mk-17 is being discontinued (many of us are not overly happy with that)... that leaves the MK-19, which has a turret... The only environmentally sealed SP product.

A700 isn't cost justified in many minds. G260 is a very capable regulator built on the legendary 109->G history with even more refinement.

Can't say much on the S series. I have an S600, and it isn't anything special or magical. The smaller size IMHO would make a nice necklaced octo, but I'm in no hurry to change from my more than adequate G-series (and earlier) regs...

It really is a question of "what do you gain by spending more?". Many of us feel there isn't a justification. Guess that is why there are so many choices as each of us wants what we want....

 

[jborg]

I find it interesting that there are so few recommendations for SP and Apeks "flagship" models (MTX series and SP MK25 with an A700 or S620). What is it about the suggested models that make them better or more suggested? Are the flagship models "over priced", overkill or just not as good?

I suspect all three. I have the MTX-R (my wife, too) and it's a great regulator, never given me any trouble even in sub zero water. But the same can be said for lots of "regular" XTXwhatever regulators, and they have a much longer track record, plus are cheaper and potentially better (or just less overkill) in warm water. So, yeah.