New Regulator Buying Advice

[eelnoraa]

.. Balanced vs unbalanced is not really noticeable until you get deeper than 100ft, at which point it's still perfectly fine to breath on an unbalanced reg. .

The "balanced" for 2nd stage is refer to balancing with respect the IP changes from first stage. It is not about depth.

 

[MichaelMc]

^^^ about balanced and depth.
On turrets, they usually go together with 5th ports which are very handy for hose routing for a primary donate hose routed under your arm. For 'streamlined open water' single tank back mount.
On balanced, I much prefer my Balanced Adjustable to my (unbalanced)109, both tuned by the same high end tech and on the same balanced 1st (Mk25) or on identical ones (Deep6). For sidemount where I use both equally and equally tuned. I've relegated my unbalanced seconds to my spare parts bin.

 

[BoltSnap]

Mostly because of the following quote from the other thread, and the fact that the Apeks kit is slightly cheaper and the 1st stage has a rotating turret for better hose management:

“In terms of build quality the Apeks are streets ahead of the Scubapro, The Apeks are also much more tolerant of heavy use and light maintenance, the Scubapro are a little more temperamental and don't like neglect.”

Not true at all on three points.

 

[eelnoraa]

In terms of build quality the Apeks are streets ahead of the Scubapro, however the Scubapro is a slightly smoother breathe. The Apeks are also much more tolerant of heavy use and light maintenance, the Scubapro are a little more temperamental and don't like neglect.”

Disagree here too. Not sure where you get this imagination

 

[ams511]

Disagree here too. Not sure where you get this imagination

He got it from a UK poster, that posted more misinformation in this thread.

 

[Centrals]

I have been using Apeks exclusively since 1998. It is robust, easy to service and use etc etc. But It does require proper maintenance as well as after dive care. I have seen so many neglected Apeks 2nd stages with the adjusting screw completely jammed and the environmental sealed diaphragm in the 1st stage bulging like someone with 9 month old pregnancy.
Look after it and Apeks will last for many many yrs. Mine is 21yrs young.

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

^^^ about balanced and depth.
On turrets, they usually go together with 5th ports which are very handy for hose routing for a primary donate hose routed under your arm. For 'streamlined open water' single tank back mount.
On balanced, I much prefer my Balanced Adjustable to my (unbalanced)109, both tuned by the same high end tech and on the same balanced 1st (Mk25) or on identical ones (Deep6). For sidemount where I use both equally and equally tuned. I've relegated my unbalanced seconds to my spare parts bin.

109 can be converted to a Balanced Adjustable.

 

[MichaelMc]

109 can be converted to a Balanced Adjustable.

I got two 109's. One became a BA with kit from VDH, then upgraded by the shop to an HP internally (though I have not re-torn it apart). I've kept the second unbalanced to play with sensing OOA in isolated doubles and to compare 109 to BA/HP. The 108 that I got with a Mk2 is in the very spare parts bin, as it is not as nice as the 109 nor upgradable.

 

[shurite7]

In terms of build quality the Apeks are streets ahead of the Scubapro,

What do you mean by this (...quality...streets ahead...)? What evidence is this based on or is it just a hearsay repeated cliche?

The Apeks are also much more tolerant of heavy use and light maintenance, the Scubapro are a little more temperamental and don't like neglect.”

This is a fallacy. I know from first had experience, both as a diver and technician, the above statement is a farce. I've gone hundreds of dives without servicing my SP reg; that same reg was buried in two feet of sand and rubble during a hurricane. When we (the staff at the operation I worked at) dug up our gear we checked it out on a shallow dive. It still worked, even though they had been jammed packed with sand. Another reg went eight years before servicing and it remained within specs. I've serviced many regs that have gone long periods with servicing and they were within specs before they were taken apart.

Both Scubapro and Apeks regs make very durable. When I starting servicing regs I mentored with an experience technician who liked tech diving. He liked Apeks over Scubapro for one reason - it was quieter. I would have to agree after diving with each; the Mk25 and Mk2 are a bit noisier. He did like the features of the Mk25 over the other regs. Nevertheless, he liked quiet. Otherwise, he stated both were reliable, easy to breathe from, easy to maintain, and easy to service; now, with experience servicing and diving with them I agree with his statement.

 

[dannysporea]

What do you mean by this (...quality...streets ahead...)? What evidence is this based on or is it just a hearsay repeated cliche?

I have no idea, I just got it from the other thread... thanks all for clarifying these statements.