Security vs Cost and Bulk

[Campana]

I forgot this on my previous post. I have heard a lot of hype, or enthusiasm, or whatever, about the Apex. In your honest, non biased, and straightforward opinion, all hype aside, how do they compare to the Mk20/G500 Scubapro?

 

[Mario S Caner]

Though I haven't had my Apeks as deep as my Mk20, I still love it. It's a beautifully easy breathing regulator that I would take deep, I just haven't had a chance to yet.

 

[Iguana Don]

I currently have both, I have a Zeagle "Tech 50D", which is the same as an apex. Matter of fact in came in an Apex box. It is just as good as my scubapro MK20/G500.

 

[Mario S Caner]

Don,
Zeagle used to have distribution rights to the British company Apeks. But it was bought out by SeaQuest which is owned by Aqualung which is owned by AirLiqid (most likely mispelled) a natural gas company. Which is irrelevant.....

Just out of curiosity, have you compared them at depth?

 

[Tocantins]

I have carefully read your views and in the last few days made a few tests. Mario, your gear configuration althought certanly very safe seems a bit too much for an open water dive. I see, as you do, that two full regs are probably a must if you do not depend on a buddy. But why take two tanks? One must be careful enought to take a look at air expenditure, no? Don I see your point in the planning part, but if we din't use two full regs in OWD then what good will an octopus do if the 1st stage goes bananas? Dave, Mario and Don, I same as you share the use of the scubapro regulators, my usual setup is based on a mk16 + r380 as primary and either an octopus r190 or a mk2 + r190 as secundary reg. Dave you mentioned that the r190 needs more breading effort than the r380, until about -25 mts I have not noticed it, besides they are funcionally identical except for the housing. Again thank you all for your time

 

[HERB KING]

I dive solo on most of my dives so I generaly configure my gear as to the dive I am doing. And most of my dives are OW. When diving past the 100 foot mark which I feel, for me is past the comfort level of making a emergency accent I carry a small pony bottle and seperate reg mounted to my main tank. Deeper than 130 I carry a larger pony. Even when I dive with a "buddy" I feel I would rather put my life in my own hands. To many times I have turned around to see my "buddy" to far off the be of any real help. I try to keep my gear to a minimum so most of the time I dive with a pair of snips and a small line cutter attached to my b/c and no "giant" knives strapped to my leg as I see alot of divers with, and I use an air intergrated inflater. On my pony reg. there is attached a small pressure gauge to assure there is a full load prior to my dive.

 

[Iguana Don]

Mario,

I took them both to 130'(RD Limits), after I bought the Scubapro & could only tell a marginal difference between the 2, (the MK20/GS500 being a little smoother, not much).
Neither one of them breathed wet when inverted.
I'm not a technical diver & that's about the only info I can give you. I really liked the Zeagle & wouoldn't hesitate again on buying one. There's just not a dealer in my area.

By the way, it's "Air Liquide", they also manufacture welding regulators, (interesting isn't it) all thing come full circle.

 

[Mario S Caner]

Don,
Thanks for the French lesson.

Regarding the regulator comparison at depth, I was hoping to get some info as to the performance at a different depth range. If you would like some insight as to the performance of the Mk20/G500 at deeper depths, feel free to e-mail me so that we keep the conversation private. My e-mail address is listed below.

mario@battletop.com

 

[King_Neptune]

heya guys,

These are also PERFECT questions for "Rainreg" here on the forums. Since that is right up his alley of duties.

=-)

 

[Beck_narco_diver]

On an engineering point of view there are aspects of the M20 that beat that of the Apex regs, Apex actually tried to copy the Scubapro designs, some of the parts inside are also interchangable, not that I suggest that you try it, if anyone wants the real specs and graphs of the regs, let me know

beck