Apex v. Deep6 v. Atomic

[TheBeepBoop]

Hey Guys!

I'm looking at getting a new regulator set-up, and am debating between the Deep 6, apex xtx50, and atomic z2. I would end up getting the z2 environmentally sealed. I generally go to two different shops near me, one sells the Apeks, and one sells Atomic, so generally those guys are pretty bias. So I'm trying to find some opinions by people that have used these before. Just for information I would like to eventually move into tech cave diving. but I currently am only advanced. I dive is SoCal waters.

Thanks for any help!

 

[buddhasummer]

Does your local shop or one near you service D6 or will you get into self service? If the answer is no to either of those I'd probably not buy D6.

I'm not a piston fan.

I've owned both Atomic and Apeks. Still dive Apeks. I've used Apeks for many years, never an issue. I self service and Apeks are very simple, reliable and high performers. Not sure I'd pay US prices for them though.

Performance wise, equally tuned I'm not sure you'd be able to tell the difference between any of them.

So it comes down to piston or diaphragm, ease or servicing and price.

 

[BoltSnap]

I'd say go with the Z2 for sure. (sealed first stage of course). It is the most reliable regulator out there and best performance.

When you move to tech and cave diving, you will be buying more equipment that will be best of that type of diving. No need to worry about it now.

 

[Centrals]

Same Apeks DS4 with TX50 since 1998 for both rec and tec dive.
I also self service them because it is dead easy to do. The only special tool, not that special, requires is the C-spanner. No issue to get the spare part in our part of the world.
A lot of tec divers and SM divers love the DST(1st stage) because of the turret.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Does your local shop or one near you service D6 or will you get into self service? If the answer is no to either of those I'd probably not buy D6.

I've discovered the joy of mailing my regs (before I switched to Deep 6) as I was tired of different shops in my area not servicing my regs properly. People should consider shipping their regs to be serviced. Yes, there is a cost in mailing, but dropping off the Post Office is no big deal, and it is basically a buck a mile of wear and tear on your car. I call the cost of shipping versus driving a wash, and having the regs delivered to my doorstep is quite nice.

 

[cerich]

Does your local shop or one near you service D6 or will you get into self service? If the answer is no to either of those I'd probably not buy D6.

I'm not a piston fan.

I've owned both Atomic and Apeks. Still dive Apeks. I've used Apeks for many years, never an issue. I self service and Apeks are very simple, reliable and high performers. Not sure I'd pay US prices for them though.

Performance wise, equally tuned I'm not sure you'd be able to tell the difference between any of them.

So it comes down to piston or diaphragm, ease or servicing and price.

don't forget that drop in mail and we service first time free as well, that is often as fast or faster than local shop. Good local shop of course is the best choice

 

[lexvil]

They are all good, go with the best price.

 

[buddhasummer]

don't forget that drop in mail and we service first time free as well, that is often as fast or faster than local shop. Good local shop of course is the best choice

That I did not know. Nice.

 

[tbone1004]

Atomic=Huish=top tier pricing=terrible customer service=hard to get parts for weirdly these days *companies like Airtech are having trouble getting parts kits on time for these and when they buy parts kits, they buy several hundred at a time so it's not like a random mom and pop shop that may buy 4 a year, this is a company they want to keep on their good side, but it is a systemic problem with Huish as a corporation and applies to Hollis/Oceanic as well as Zeagle*. They're out in my book only because of their corporate overlords. No objections to their regs at all, just not one I'm going to pay 2x the cost of a Deep6 reg, not be able to buy parts for, and when I take it to my dealer have them tell me it's going to be a 6-8 week turnaround because they have to wait a month for parts, and yes that happened to a buddy of mine a few weeks ago....*

Apeks=no change in 15 years, but no price break to reflect it. Corporate overlords refuse to allow parts kits to be sold to end users and have been known to cancel dealerships when caught. They're out in my book on top tier pricing, resting on their laurels, and annoying parts availability

Deep6 is about 3 evolutions from the Apeks DST/ATX50 design, allows parts kits to be sold and courses to be taken by end users, is a familiar enough design that any tech who has ever worked on an Apeks or similar reg can rebuild it in their sleep, and has really great customer service from @LandonL and @cerich . It's a no brainer in my book. Atomic may be marginally better performance, Apeks has longer history, but due to the corporate structures of those two companies they just aren't contenders in my book.

 

[TheBeepBoop]

don't forget that drop in mail and we service first time free as well, that is often as fast or faster than local shop. Good local shop of course is the best choice

Oh thanks for popping in! I actually am interested in learning how to self service, what are my options for learning how to do that with your regs?