Questions Regarding Regulator Selection

[OctoHelm]

Hello ScubaBoard!

I hope this finds you all safe and healthy at home during this crisis.

I am looking into my first Regulator System, as I plan on doing a fair amount of dives this summer, and am hoping to take the TDI Intro to Tec course soon as well as the PADI Rescue Diver course. I already have a mask, fins, snorkel, and exposure protection. I am also probably going to order the Zoop Novo as my first comp. I was looking into Apeks regs as I have heard good things about them. I am leaning towards the XTX 200 over the XTX Tungsten. I do not see an increase in 200 or more dollars for a relatively inexpensive metal finish. I do understand the positives from having PVD Finish on the first and second stages, however 200 dollars is too steep in my mind. PVD finishes are comparable to anodization, and my robotics team was able to get about 60 parts at 20 pounds anodized in two colors for 200 dollars. I think that I will stay with the XTX 200. Other than the surface treatment on the XTX Tungsten, from what I have researched, they are identical. I was also considering Atomic Aquatics, but a lack of a Quality Management System or pictures of their manufacturing facility alongside Atomic being owned by a conglomerate have dissuaded me from looking into their products. That combined with their hose issue, also conveys a lack of a well developed and implemented QMS. I have watched videos on how Apeks manufactures their regulators, and they seem to create a great product. With service, does anyone have any experience with Apeks? Considering Apeks is in Blackburn in the United Kingdom, how would service work? Does Apeks have facilities in the United States? I'm also considering ScubaPro, but they seem like pretty standard regulators, and there is nothing bad about that. I have heard that parts are easy to source for ScubaPro regs. ScubaPro seems to put out a good product, and if any of you wonderful people think that I should consider them, please let me know. If anyone else thinks there is something that I should know, please let me know.

Thank you so much, and please stay safe and healthy! Take good care!

Respectfully,

Charlie

 

[tbone1004]

In order.

If you're going into Intro to Tec, I would recommend not getting a Zoop as it is basically a waste of money if you're going any real tech diving. Get a used Petrel, bit more money, but you at least won't be wasting money.

I would not recommend anything from Atomic due to their new Huish overlords, so that's out, plus you have to be extra careful with rinsing/flushing the salt out.
XTX200 is too expensive for what it is, and the XTX50/DST is the best Apeks reg they make anyway, so I'd get that over the 200.
Apeks is also owned by a conglomerate FWIW, part of the Aqualung family which is owned now by a private equity firm. Arguably marginally less bad than Huish, but only marginally.

Plenty of experience with them on this board, including personally myself, however their asinine restrictions on parts kits have most of the technical divers avoiding them because self service is impossible in this country without going to the grey market for parts. Service with them is with any Apeks dealer, or you can send to places like @Dive Right In Scuba , Air Tech, Scubatoys, Northeast Scuba Supply, etc etc.

Scubapro is fine, but same restrictions as Apeks, and you have to pay attention when rinsing the piston models.

I'd look at @Deep Six who are designing tremendous products at great prices, and will let you take a course to learn to service yourself which is really important if your'e getting into technical diving.

 

[Marie13]

XTX50 as tbone recommended. I see a lot of tech divers with them. Use them myself on my doubles.

 

[GJC]

If you think you might ever get into servicing your own regulators, get Deep6 or Hog. Otherwise, make sure your local dive shop services what you buy.

Apeks, Atomic, and Scubapro all make good regulators that you can use for tech.

 

[saxman242]

I'm very happy with my atomic regs. With that said, there is absolutely no reason to buy the z3. The z2 is the same reg but with atomic's proprietary swivel hose. Get the z2 and your own swivel so you can use whatever hoses you want.

I second what's said above about the zoop. Don't bother.

If you want to get a new computer and don't want to spend the money right now on a shearwater, consider either an Atmos mission one or the deep 6 computer so it'll at least be useful as a back up in the future.

 

[runsongas]

if you are going with a name brand reg and don't mind paying the markup, atomic b2/m1 or apeks xtx50/dst (with 5th port option). both will work well with doubles.

bang for the buck, deep 6 or hog

as far as service options, deep 6 or hog you would have to mail out for service. apeks and atomic you can get serviced locally at a few shops, but most don't have dedicated full-time staff for it, so can take a while. mostly a wash on speed after considering priority mail.

 

[ToneNQ]

I was on a boat with six of us diving doubles, apart from a set of Tec 3, everyone was running 5th port sidemount regs on a backmount. Two divers with DST and XTX50, a set of Hollis DCX with 500SE side exhaust, a set of Hollis DCX with 200LX, the Tec 3, and Scubaforce BlackDevil SM. I have dived all those regs, the 500SE are strange but perform fine, otherwise they all breathe the same. And appearance wise, exclude the colours and very subtle tapers or temp fins, the first stages look identical. Apeks are great regs, but they cost notably more and they aren't really any better IMHO. My deco regs are DS4s and XTX40s, I love them, but I also bought them second hand and saved a packet.

Honestly, don't split hairs on this one, you'll tie yourself in knots and the difference between them all is not noticeable. Look for 5th port regs and find the clearance sale. Deep6 are well worth a look, I just couldn't find how to get them in Australia in the time I had.

As with Tbone, look for a used Shearwater, Petrel2 or find someone with a Perdix that is desperate for a Perdix AI. The Shearwater will serve you well into Tech, use the money you saved from buying a cheaper set of regs.

 

[Angelo Farina]

If planning to going tech, I would get Scubapro MK17evo+G260. Two of them, of course...
An octopus is not safe enough for tech diving. And it is always better to have two identical regs, so you can share the parts to carry in your "save the dive" kit.
Finding parts for Scubapro regs is easy all around the world, albeit Scubapro does not endorse servicing by final users. If you want good regs which are supported to be user-serviceable, then go for Deep6. A service kit is included with any new reg...

 

[runsongas]

mk17 doesn't have the 5th port option and you can't seal the mk25. this is where the atomics have the edge that you can get both. the 500se just doesn't have the reliability for tech diving in my experience. if you want a side exhaust servo reg, poseidon is a better choice.

 

[Angelo Farina]

mk17 doesn't have the 5th port option and you can't seal the mk25. this is where the atomics have the edge that you can get both. the 500se just doesn't have the reliability for tech diving in my experience. if you want a side exhaust servo reg, poseidon is a better choice.

The SP model with swivel turret and 5th LP port is the MK19...