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Sogod bay in Southern Leyte for diving.

I always introduce myself as AOW, vacation diver, lazy diver or any combination of the above. :wink:

I have one. I used it in the beginning. Once I got my rig dialed-in, I just marked the webbing and switched to tri-glides.

Consult local tide tables and ask the locals about what sort of current to expect. There is a tendency to just gloss over dive planning.

That would be my first choice. :) But I also love big stuff and they are usually found in areas with ripping currents. Drifting would be another option.

Proper trim and streamlining makes a ton of difference when fighting current. Paddle fins (Jetfins and the like) which are stiff are good but it takes some leg power and better suited for frog kicking. But I'd concentrate on trim and streamlining first.

Roughly 120 USD when I built it. The bulk of the cost is the O2 sensor @82 USD during the time of the build.

None. I own 8 Apeks 1st stages in total in various flavors. I service them myself and no blown seats so far. But I have encountered 2nd stage soft seats being chewed up prematurely.

Aside from the cosmetic changes, does anybody have any info on the changes under the hood? Shearwater is now owned by an investment firm so I am not sure if it is now on the regular new product release/update treadmill. New Shearwater Computers

Go for the 200 if it is cheaper. Very compact and "tidy". No issues for twinsets whatsoever. Get a 5th port (circled in red), it makes a hell lot of a difference in making the house routing cleaner.

You can always change the 2nd stage in the future. But you may be limited to the "octo" variant of the 2nd stage with the yellow faceplate. I can't seem to find Apeks 2nd stages with the black faceplate, at least for a reasonable price. Look at my avatar, one is an XTX 50 and the other is an ATX 50.

The micro adjuster is inside the cracking effort knob and separate from it. It allows the technician to adjust the cracking effort independent of the lever height. It is more for the technician allowing them to control WHEN (lever height) the 2nd stage starts to deliver gas and HOW HARD...

Whitetip (Philippines official distributor) prices are actually reasonable, call them up before you buy online. Also check if they have stocks as they may give you a quote even for out of stock items. The 2nd hand market (via Facebook) is also good, just keep your wits about you as scammers are...

A note on the special edition XTX 200s. I got a good online deal on a Black Sapphire XTX 200 from a liquidation sale. The 2nd stage is unbearably heavy and gave me jaw fatigue so I switched to an XTX 50 for the 2nd stage.

All Apeks 1st and 2nd stages are compatible with each other. Hell, any 1st and 2nd stage combination will work as long as their working intermediate pressures (IP) are reasonably the same (9-10 bar/135-145 psi for Apeks). It is always a good idea to stick to one brand/type of regulator in case...

Yep, the DST will get you the most bang for your buck. But if you have that extra cash burning a hole in your pocket and just buying one set, you can go for the 200. The 200 is also lighter and smaller if you do a lot of traveling.

I own a few of both kinds. The XTX50 (DST) is the "sweet spot" in terms of price vs. performance for Apeks 1st stages. The 50 comes with a swivel which is mandatory if you are planning to do sidemount. The swivel also makes cleaner routing for back mount. Both will work well for twins but you do...

Yes. I used it once or twice only. That is for the factory spec setting but you might want to adjust it. That is my starting point (flush with rim) and adjust it to my preference.

Why is the Etherfill 2000 no longer available? When will it be back in stock?

I do not live in the state of California, or the US for that matter. So I probably wont get cancer from exposure. 🤣