Which Aqualung Legend to Choose

[uncfnp]

Hi @Jeannie Knierim!

Regulator (and dive computer) threads can become overwhelming with all the choices and options and I understand your desire for the best.

For recreational diving depths, if well tuned, all the AL Legends well perform well, as will the Core or Mikron. So then it comes down to minor differences/features between the sets.

The Mikron is the smallest and lightest. It is what I and my husband dive. It has a fixed venturi but an adjustment knob for work of breathing. The modern models have ACD as standard (I think all AL regs may come with this as standard now but not certain). Because the second stage is small it tends to be popular with women but some find that is causes more bubbles in the divers face.

The AL Core I have never dove but it comes well recommended on SB. It also has the auto closure feature. The venturi is adjustable but it does not have the adjustment for work of breathing.

All the Legends are excellent regs and also come with the ACD. If you like I can take a look and compare features too.

 

[Sevenrider860]

I want to make sure that I select a regulator that breathes easy. That is most important to me! I want it to breathe easy at the surface as well as below the surface. Of course quality is also important as I want one that will last a long time. Do I need to purchase a Legend or would the Core work for what I am wanting?

I think you will find that about any of the AL regulators will breathe easy above and below the surface. Maybe avoid the Calypso as it is an unbalanced piston 1st stage. If I remember correctly the Titan second stage is also unbalanced, but the first stage is basically identical to the Mikron and Core. The only item I personally dislike in the AL line is the ABS Octopus. That AL LX Supreme set looks to be a bargain. When you get it serviced they could convert from DIN to Yoke as it looks like the kit is included.

 

[Jeannie Knierim]

Thanks everyone for your feedback! I am going to purchase the AL LX Supreme set from Maria. I am so glad I found this board!

 

[formernuke]

Thanks everyone for your feedback! I am going to purchase the AL LX Supreme set from Maria. I am so glad I found this board!

Great reg, enjoy it. I was going to say get a environmentally sealed one, but you already did.

 

[Jake 10]

good choice Jeannie

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Good choice. It is an awesome regulator. I've been diving Legends for 15 years. I own three of them ... two older Legend LXs and one new Legend Elite I bought in 2020. All have performed flawlessly.

 

[rsingler]

Key question: can you get Aqualung serviced locally near you? Actually, it doesn't even need to be near you. There a several very excellent mail order repair shops.
Virtually all modern regs will breathe more easily than what you rented, but the key is reliable service. Ease of breathing is a tuning issue, not a design issue. Other things become important as design factors, as you'll learn over time. Me, I'm not a fan of how easily Aqualung's reg controls get gritty feeling due to embedded floating sand and their tight design tolerances. But that's an easy fix.
But be prepared to walk away if your shop can't give you reassuring answers to your service questions.

 

[Marie13]

Key question: can you get Aqualung serviced locally near you? Actually, it doesn't even need to be near you. There a several very excellent mail order repair shops.
Virtually all modern regs will breathe more easily than what you rented, but the key is reliable service. Ease of breathing is a tuning issue, not a design issue. Other things become important as design factors, as you'll learn over time. Me, I'm not a fan of how easily Aqualung's reg controls get gritty feeling due to embedded floating sand, and their tight design tolerances. But that's an easy fix.
But be prepared to walk away if your shop can't give you reassuring answers to your service questions.

She told me her local shop does service and sell AL.

 

[buddhasummer]

At one time I was an Apeks zealot...I think I had a total of 9 or 10 Apeks and I would enthusiastically recommend them to anybody. I loved the fact of identical service kits, common parts across models, etc. I am now down to three...my XTX50 sidemount set and a DS4. I would never consider the Flight or XL4 because of the proprietary parts (primarily just the second stage with the XL4).

The issue that caused me to move away is how easy it is to rotate the lever feet on the second stages when tightening the heat exchanger. Too few technicians use the correct torque nor verify that they did not turn the lever away from vertical. The average consumer would not realize that only one lever foot is touching the diaphragm when they pick up their regulator from service. I no longer recommend Apeks for this reason.

I used to dive an Atomic ST1 and had zero issues but I have not used or looked at an Atomic regulator since 2012...so I can't comment.

Here here on the lever, bothered me so much in the end I swapped to SP G260/G250/G250Vs, still use Apeks FSR as my first stages of choice. I bother easily.

 

[Joris Vd]

I would get a previous generation legend, to save some euros. The new legend got a huuuge price bump for no significant reason. They made a super freeze resistant first more freeze resistant (yay....). Sadly the problem in diving icey waters with legends is the tiny plastic second stage that builds up ice like a slushy machine.


The core is solid as Well. Apeks xl4 is also a solid choice, the atomics, scubapro, etc.

Honestly you could dive any regulator for recreational diving from the early 70s up to now without any issues if properly tuned...

Go for a brand that's widely available where you live. I would never buy beuchat for example, except if I was living in France.

Out of the box I feel apeks and aqualung are tuned a bit stiff to me. If you are sensitive to wob issues, just know that after 2 dives you might think 'this is a bad reg'? Which it's not. Just ask your lds to tune it a bit more sensitive.

On a budget i would also go the aqualung core.

If you have a bit more cash to spend go for the legends, maybe atomic or scubapro mk19-d420/g260.

But know that in theory every modern reg should suffice.