Trying to decide on a good cold water regulator.

[Major_rage]

I've been doing lots of research about good cold water regulator. Been looking at a few of the Apex regulators. Also looking at the Oceanic Delta 5 or Zeo. And suggestions? The temps only drop to low 40's so im open to other options that won't freeze.

 

[formernuke]

At those temps any cold water rated should work.

Look at what you can get serviced locally and your budget. Honestly its mostly personal preference.

What other features do you want?

With that said I'm really liking my Apeks xtx50's

 

[napDiver]

I've been doing lots of research about good cold water regulator. Been looking at a few of the Apex regulators. Also looking at the Oceanic Delta 5 or Zeo. And suggestions? The temps only drop to low 40's so im open to other options that won't freeze.

I've been looking at Deep6 Signature. People seem to really like them and they never had issues with them freezing in cold water.

Also heard Poseidon is godlike in cold water.

 

[Bigbella]

There is a fairly similar thread, posted over the last couple of days.

I have used Poseidon regulators since the 1970s -- the Odin (Jetstream); the Cyklons; and the XStreams (that fully-functional ice block, seen above), at temperatures well below forty degrees; and, in fact, have gone ice diving with all of them, at one to time or another.

On the XStream, which is about the simplest to service:

The first stages are designed to essentially turn into an ice block and still function.

This is a Poseidon MK3 after an ANSTI test and may well have been the Norsok test. The ports that aren't frozen are exposed to ambient water and won't freeze since the cooling occurs on the main body.

In the second stages, the key is keeping the ice out of the barrel if it's a "normal" design, and with Poseidon, the gas doesn't really come out near the one moving part, so the odds of it freezing are pretty negligible. The servo valve only bleeds a very small out of gas and the big diaphragm in the middle releases the rest. The ice can't form there for a myriad of reasons.

The Swedes do know something about cold water; though, it must be made clear, that any regulator can freeze if utilized improperly, under frigid conditions . . .

 

[Major_rage]

I've been looking at Deep6 Signature. People seem to really like them and they never had issues with them freezing in cold water.

Also heard Poseidon is godlike in cold water.

I've been looking at Deep6 Signature. People seem to really like them and they never had issues with them freezing in cold water.

Also heard Poseidon is godlike in cold water.

Yeah I've seen deep6 come up a good bit

 

[Major_rage]

At those temps any cold water rated should work.

Look at what you can get serviced locally and your budget. Honestly its mostly personal preference.

What other features do you want?

With that said I'm really liking my Apeks xtx50's

Thats the one that keeps catching my attention. My lds servies apex. The owner loves both apex and oceanic.

 

[napDiver]

Thats the one that keeps catching my attention. My lds servies apex. The owner loves both apex and oceanic.

I used the xtx50s when I did my tec courses in Thailand. I can't say nothing bad about them, they worked great! Being able to switch them from Left / Right is a pro, if you ever decide to go sidemount.

 

[shurite7]

Formernuke's first two comments ring true. You'll hear and read lots of opinions on forums or when speaking with other divers.

I've seen people diving Scubpro Mk17 or Mk25EVOs with G260s or A700s, Apeks FSR with XTX200s, or the Poseidon XStream with great success during the cold winter months in mountain lakes.

Years ago, a friend of mine, who serviced all brands of regs took a group of people to a mountain lake that still had some ice floating on it. Each person brought several different brands so that each could be tried. To make a long story short all of the regs eventually free flowed. The one that was the hardest to freeze up was the Oceanic Delta 4, the one reg my friend disliked the most when it came to servicing. What was learned is, if one knows or doesn't know what he/she is doing a reg can be made to fail in cold water.

Again, Formernuke's first two comments that are more significant factors you need to consider.

 

[Cdncoldwater]

Really any cold water / environmentally sealed would be good. I dive an Apeks DS4 and ATX40 for BM and Dive Rite XT for SM in the North Atlantic; other sealed diaphragm and both excellent regs.

 

[runsongas]

apeks is the most popular choice if you account for the EU area due to a good mix of reliability, performance, and ease of service. only downside is they are a bit more expensive in the US and Canada. deep 6 is mentioned a lot on this sub mainly due to being cheaper.