The New Atomic TFX

[OMyMyOHellYes]

As I've been following this lengthy thread since day 1, I wanted to share two divers' subjective assessments after 40 dives with the TFX (unadjusted from factory tuning). For reference, our previous second stages were lightly-tuned Atomic ST1, but we've also used a variety of other regs over the years.

Whereas I'm a dive gear nerd, my wife is on the opposite end of the spectrum and has no idea what brand/model of regulator she's using. When I mentioned that she'll be using a new second stage, she shrugged with disinterest. In some ways, she was the perfect evaluator.

I immediately fell in love with the TFX... it was so smooth that I could breathe more naturally. After the first day of diving, I asked my wife if she noticed anything different with the new regulator. I expected another shrug, but she perked up and said its the first regulator she's ever used where she didn't have to think about breathing. She also said there was no going back to our previous regulators. So two enthusiastic thumbs up!

Do you have the ST1s listed in Classifieds yet? How much?

 

[AKPDB]

She didn't fret over the odd way of flooding it? Did you have to teach her? Or hasn't it arisen as an issue yet?

Good questions. I showed my wife the unique way of flooding the TFX, but it turned out to be a nonissue. The only time we had any free flows was when we took our regulators out while bobbing at the surface post dive, but those were quickly stopped by inverting the reg. I don't think either one of us paid much attention as to how we inverted the reg and it didn't seem to matter as they stopped free flowing quickly.

I should also mention that I had an additional TFX second stage that I carried as my backup breather (just to drive Scubaboarders nuts! ) and never had any issues with freeflow. Caveats - we did not do any giant stride entries, just back rolls, and kept the venture assist lever to the minimum setting (two boxes).

One other note... I appreciated the angled and more streamlined position of the diaphragm on the TFX when we were hooked in on high current sites like Blue Corner in Palau. On previous trips with other regs in Palau and Indonesia, there were times when we were hooked in and the current was really ripping and I had to use my hand to block the current to prevent free flow and keep the regulator from getting pulled out of my mouth. The profile of the TFX is advantageous in these situations.

[SIZE=3]OMyMyOHellYes[/SIZE], sorry, I already sold my old regs!​

 

[Pressurehead]

I should also mention that I had an additional TFX second stage that I carried as my backup breather

I would have to sell a kidney to buy 2 here.
Enjoy.