XTX200 Tungsten vs SP MK25/S600

[GreatBruce]

Hello everyone,
New to the board. I'm resuming diving after a 10 year break (my golfing partners will never forgive me for this.. ).
I have been looking around to be sure not to open a thread already exixting...I hope this is not a re-post.
I'm looking at a 1st/2nd stage for, say 4 to 6 dives a month for the next..10 years :blinking:, and would be really interested to hear what you guys, from all over the planet think :
Apeks XTX200 Tungsten or ScubaPro MK25/S600 assy ?
Thanks a lot.

ps : Great site, great forum, great people here ..thanks

 

[evil_xander]

Hello everyone,
I'm looking at a 1st/2nd stage for, say 4 to 6 dives a month for the next..10 years :blinking:, and would be really interested to hear what you guys, from all over the planet think :
Apeks XTX200 Tungsten or ScubaPro MK25/S600 assy ?

If you have the money for either of them, then just pick the one you like best in terms of looks, as you cant go wrong with either.

Though, I hear that for ice diving that there are better first stages then the MK25, perhaps that might create a difference...

 

[BarryNL]

Apeks XTX200 Tungsten or ScubaPro MK25/S600 assy ?

Personally, I'd go for the Apeks (but probably a non-tungsten version) simply because of the ease of servicing, but then I don't trust dive shops to work on my regulators.

 

[jlgrimes]

Personally, I'd go for the Apeks (but a non-tungsten version) simply because of the ease of servicing...

I agree, go with the an Apeks XTX 200 (non-Tungsten) they are (in my opinion), the best all around regs on the market.

 

[John_B]

Don't overlook the hose routing options you can get with an XTX100, either.

John

 

[jlgrimes]

Really any Apeks reg system is great. Most people would never need to full performance features of the XTX200.

 

[Peter_C]

My gal has Apeks regs and they breath great! My regs are Scubapro S600's/MK25 and they work excellent also. My concern was service and parts availability WORLDWIDE.

 

[mtbrider]

I have played with a DS4/ATX50 and the Mk25/S600. Both were tuned to the minimum cracking pressure without bubbling. The Mk25/S600 breathed noticeably better with less cracking pressure. The ATX50 also had too much venturi assist in the full + position, making it feel like the air was being shoved down your throat.

 

[GreatBruce]

Thanks everyone.
I have to make a decision in the next few days to get the regulator, valves and LP accessories together before the dive next weekend.

Though I liked the compact ScubaPro S600 (and even thought of getting a Titanium valve), Apeks seems to get the better mark. Apeks it is then

I have no budget limit (nothing to be ashamed of...), so I'm going to look for a Black Pearl edition of the XTX. If they are all gone, I'll get a Tungsten, unless there are good reasons for you guys to insist on "non tungsten"...

Thanks again for your precious advice

Cheers from Singapore (diving in Indonesia next weekend)

Have a nice week ahead :10:

 

[jlgrimes]

unless there are good reasons for you guys to insist on "non tungsten"...

Thanks again for your precious advice

I thought Tungsten couldn't be used with 100% O2 however I have found articles stating otherwise if properly cleaned for o2 specs.