Apeks XTX50 for Ice Diving?

[MyronGanes]

Is the XTX 50 suitable for ice diving? What are my other options for safe and reliable second stages for very cold water?

Amazon.com : Apeks By Aqua Lung XTX50 Octo Regulator : Diving Equipment : Sports & Outdoors

 

[tbone1004]

they'll work just fine, as will any of the other sealed dipahragm regulators with metal barrels. Hog, Dive Rite, etc.

Scuba Diving Courses | Scuba Dive Gear in Ontario, Canada

Call those guys and talk to them before buying.

 

[Storker]

Which 1st stage do you have?

I've dived down to 3C water, and it has been quite straightforward until I've surfaced. Freeflowing 2nd stages after surfacing is more or less de rigeur, but during the dive an Apeks XTX reg kit is as close to a guarantee that things will work OK as you can get.

It isn't a coincidence that Apeks XTXs are extremely popular around here (decent price, generally good performance, great cold water performance). The difference between the XTXs above the 50 is negligible (says he who has a 100 set)


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[MyronGanes]

I have the scuba pro MK25 EVO first stage. I'm assuming my 1st stage and the XTX50 Octo I linked above will work well? I use a scuba pro A700 as my main reg.

 

[tbone1004]

they'll work fine, but I wouldn't recommend mixing Aqualung with Scubapro products. Both companies are rarely sold through the same shop, so service might be a bit challenging. Grab an R195, you'll be better off in the long run.

 

[MyronGanes]

So the R195 is just as good in cold water as the XTX50? I'm more concerned with cold water performance than ease of service tbh.

 

[Subcooled]

The XTX50 together with e.g. DS4 or DST first stage works well in +2C (I once dived in -1C too). If you wet it before the dive (in cold temperature)(or pour in snow) then it will freeze on the surface already and leak. So keep it dry untill you submerge. Exhaled air is moist and it will eventually make any second stage leak a bit.

Some believe in the Poseidon Xtreme.

 

[tbone1004]

they're all about equal. Advantage with the XTX50 is you get an adjustment knob, but any regulator with metal guts is going to be about the same. I'd check for a used G250V or similar online, but while I normally have no issue mixing and matching regulators, I would not recommend mixing and matching Aqualung with Scubapro because of the service issue.

My preferred regulators are Poseidons, either the Xstream or the Jetstream, but would not recommend those since you already have a primary set. They also shouldn't be used with traditional second stages on the same first stage due to difference in IP. The Poseidons breathe like crap at the high IP required for most regs on the market, the Scubapro won't breathe nearly as well on the low IP of the Poseidons, and if you get a Cyklon which is the best of all of the Poseidons in the ice, the Scubapro will freeflow uncontrollably because it can't handle the IP that the Cyklons require. Keep it in the family....

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

I purchased it for ice diving as it was highly recommended. It began to free-flow at the surface without even getting into the water. It was an unusually cold day and a whole lot of other regulators were also free-flowing so I know that XTX-50 was not the only one. I then took it for servicing had it rebuilt and will be trying it again this winter.

It comes highly recommended for ice-conditions but when crap happens ... crap happens!

 

[Storker]

As Subcooled said, don't breathe your reg above water. If you want to pre-breathe it, just inhale, never exhale into the reg. If the air is below freezing, you'll get frost inside the reg, and you've got more than a half-decent chance of a freeflow.

With a good reg, like an Apeks, it's not the reg. It's user error. You just can't fight physics.