Wider bubble dispersal

[mallbritton]

Hello, everyone. I'm ready to buy my first regulator set and have been doing some research. I'd like to buy a regulator with a wider bubble dispersal than, say, the Oceanic Alpha 8 (I recently dove with a rental Alpha 7 in Belize), so I've been reading about the Aqualung Kronos.

While talking with the folks at my LDS I was recommended an Apeks Flight and Aqualung Mikron, since I would also like the regulator to be easy to travel with. All three of the regulators have good user reviews on the various sites I've found. And I've found good recommendations on this site.

What I'd like to know is if there are other regulators that I should look at that might keep the bubbles out of my face by either having baffles like the Flight and Mikron seem to have or are side exhaust like the Kronos. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Regards,
Michael

 

[mallbritton]

I forgot to add that my planned diving will be in tropical waters, with some in the Monterey Bay area.

Regards,
Michael

 

[claymore]

Look in to the AquaLung KRONOS. It has A very wide exhaust that sends all the exhaust to one side.

The KRONOS has a fairly small light 1st stage. The biggest issue with traveling with regs is not the size of the regs but the weight and space that standard hoses take up. The best thing you can do is replace all of the standard LP hoses with miflex hoses. They pack very small and very light.

 

[keyshunter]

Michael,
Did you tell your LDS that you wanted wide bubble dispersal? Both the Flight and the Mikron have very small second stages with very small exhaust tees. Thus there will be rather narrow bubble dispersal. I do not have any experience with the Flight, but I have a little with the Mikron. The Mikron is a very good breathing reg, but there is quite a bit of bubble interference. I am rather sensitive to bubbles in my vision, but many people are not. It does come standard with a braided (Miflex type) hose. The AL Legend, Titan LX and wide tee Apeks that I use have considerably less bubble interference. All are also great breathing regs. Actually, the new style Titan LX uses the Mikron's first stage (with added ACD) with the larger Titan LX (same as Legend) second stage. As with most things in life, there is no FREE lunch!

 

[knowone]

I'm not sure if it's fashionable to use older high performing second stages
with much wider Tees or fashion or modify a Tee with rubber hose or PVC.

I have an Oceanic Omega II for sale? Almost mint.

 

[noreastDIVER84]

All of the Apeks XTX regs have the option to have a small tee, or a large tee for bubble dispersion. The tee is actually user changeable too. I have the XTX 40 and have the small tee on it, and it actually isn't that bad, I have a set of the XTX 50s with the wide tees on them and it is nice, but not too much different. I was using an 1980's Sherwood Oasis some time ago and it had the huge exhaust tee on it and that was noticeably different.

 

[mallbritton]

Thanks for the feedback, everyone.

@Keyshunter Yes, I did tell the folks at the LDS I was considering the AL Kronos because of its side exhaust. The AL Mikron was suggested because, according to the owner, it has baffles that can break up the bubbles a little more. Although I admit I may have misunderstood what she said. I have decided to buy all Miflex hoses, when I do buy.

I don't have any physical difficulty or any kind of problem with bubbles, I would just like to try to keep them out of my face so I can see more.

Regards,
Michael

 

[Michael Kazma]

Apeks XTX all the way! Make sure it is rated for cold water though if you will be diving in Monterey Bay.