I picked up an aqualung legend lx on clearance earlier this year. Looking forward to diving with all of my own gear from now on. No more crappy rentals for me!
Mtx-r is always my pick for a dive up in Norway and Germany you know that you picked the right Reg if the ice blocks the valve but your Regular still works.
I have the MTX and MTX-V. The whole MTX range is sexy as hell. I love the "Extreme Cold Water Use" etching on the front cover of the MTX-R. I also love the massive crenelated knob on the MTX-RC. But you can't beat an all-black MTX. Plus it's so rare to see one in the wild.
Mark, the DST doesn't fully rotate 360 deg because your 2nd stage will always stay on the side you want it to be, and still allows enough movement for comfort. You don't want to be about to jump in the water and now you can't find your 2nd stage reg because it's now on the other side. Also with your octo.
I always enjoy watching your video for scuba diving gears! please post lots of gear review please! I uses Scuba pro S600 with Mk25 evo and Apeks XTX-200
Apeks - I have found them to be the best re work of breathing - once the 2nd stage is triggered it feels like positive pressure, I believe it actually is until inhale stops. I also have found them to be the best in extreme cold and current. I have used Apeks in the Fleuve St Laurent in February diving holes in sea ice. With training in how to breath I have found Apeqs to be useful for commercial work at a verified 27 F sea temp (yes I know that is the average freezing point of seawater is 27 F - however under certain conditions seawater will supercool to 25 F, at which point it will truly mess with your gear).
Another great video... thanks Mark. I've been diving with the XTX50 for the past year - had to upgrade from my old Dacor Extreme. Love the XTX50; it breathes great in cold and moderate temps (dove Lake Tahoe with no probs). I am now faced with replacing my girlfriends reg and have been looking at the many choices available. After lots of reading and viewing, I have decided to get her the XTX50 with the XTX40 Octo. Keep up the great reviews - really helps in making well informed decisions.
Argonaut Kraken. Great cold water regulator. I dive it here in Alaska. Talking about single hose regs, I like your idea of a Cyklon matched with a SP piston first stage. I have several Mk 5's that just will not die. The Mk 10 and Mk 25 are great and my understanding is that Atomic used that first stage as a stating point for their design. I also like the Conshelf 1st with a balanced diaphragm for ease of maintanance and simple design, but once you start adding hoses, the turret type 1st stage wins out.
Hi Mark, thank you for your videos. lately am taking OW courses, the gear world really starts to open up to me, which is big... I am wondering if you can make a video to recommend a full set of gear for beginner/recreational divers. That would be really helpful to a lot new-to-dive folks out there. thx
I've got a couple sets of regulators: Aqualung Legend Elite which is my favorite, however when I'm diving side mount I use the Hollis 500se side exhaust with DC7 1st stage. Also for the uneducated Apeks & Aqualung internals are the same.
When I started scuba diving in 2005, I bought my first set of regs after my junior open water. As I was mostly diving in lake Geneva in winter and in the gulf of Biscaye in summer, my instructor/ dive shop owner sold me an Apeks DST first stage with a the XTX40 second stage, which was a new thing at the time, and a Scubapro R190 Octo. I had to stop diving for personal reasons in 2010 and just got back into diving last month. The dive shop where I got my gear at the time doesn’t exist anymore, so I went to another shop to revise my Regs. What a surprise to see that the DST and XTX40 are still in the market! I just changed my octo for a new XTX40 yellow version, 2020 model year ( I don’t need the breathing adjustments on the XTX50, as the XTX40 automatically adjusts while you’re getting deeper). Still, I feel like my 15 years old XTX40 primary reg works better than the newer XTX40 octo. Apeks all the way
In sweden the most common brands are Apeks, Halcyon and Agir. The water is allways more or less cold her so... Other brands are pretty rare. Mares, Aqualung for exampel i think most schools have.
Top choices for first stages with the rest far behind are: Scubapro MK19, MK25 and the Atomic first stage. Top choice for second stages are: Scubapro D420, G260, A700 and the Atomic second stage. Everything else is just trying to be one of these.
I'm looking to upgrade my regs and the XTX50 are currently my preference but I'm still open minded. Big question is cold water. I mostly dive the US Great Lakes where temps at the bottom are often 5/6°C (42°F). Would I be wise to go MTX-RC? Thanks.
Yeah, either will do you fine. The MTX-RC is made specifically for cold water diving so it will resist freezing much better. They are a bit bulkier though, but if cold water performance is your primary focus then the MTX is the best choice. The XTX can cope at those temperatures but the MTX will cope better
I love my Cyklons, I'm partial to a side exhaust 2nd stage. Only thing I wish they'd change is the hinge that pokes out of the mouthpiece. I end up playing with it mid dive...
Great vid, as we have come to expect from you, success is a burden lol. Can you do a short vid on 1st stages and their pluses and minuses, ins and outs, sealed unsealed? I dive warm water(Philippines) and never say never, but, I hate the cold and would probably never do anything close to ice diving. Also, just a side note, but your sly humor inserts are clever and I don't know how many people catch on to them, but they make me smile every time.
Awesome video really good information. I'd like you to do a video on the Hollis Katana to explaining its features and basically everything about it. There's no video out there doing a real review of it
Hi Mark. I got myself Zeagle F8. But I noticed that it almost non existent when comes to review or coverage. Could make a review for it as I found it to be a very good regulator at a very good price.
Great video! Thanks! I'm a newbie to all this, so @Safe Diving , am I understanding you correctly to say that you recommend the Aqualung Legend MBS for cold water diving? If I get scuba certified, I''ll be getting my certification just a few hours south of the Arctic Circle, so I need a regulator that won't freeze on me. :)
There are plenty of great ice diving regulators on the market. The ScubaPro Mk25. The Aqualung Legend Elite. The Apeks MTX-R or MTX-RC. If you're diving in waters between 4°C and 10°C, pretty much any cold water rated regulator will do. If you're diving in waters between -2°C and 4°C, you'll need an ice diving regulator. If you're diving in waters below -2°C, you need a good crash helmet.
I am just getting into my own scuba gear and would like to know 1) Is the Leg3nd MBS environmentally sealed? I live in the Caribbean so my second question would be does it work just as efficiently in warmer waters?
@@unknownuser846 Yes, yes, and yes. The Legend is environmentally sealed. Cold water regulators are warm water regulators that can also work in cold water. You just skimp on performance if you go for a warm water regulator. And nowadays any regulator is available in DIN configuration, and most also still in A-Clamp/Yoke. If you're in the US though, shops may not have the DIN version in stock, as most dive operators still have Yoke valve stock, and Americans don't like other countries telling them they're doing it wrong.
@@user-ob3ob3ii3u I would be amazed if the AquaLung brand completely dissolved and nobody was willing or able to revive it. That being said, there have been supply chain issues with some parts already and there are other brands with far better market positions out there today to choose from.
Hope you get your hands on a XDEEP NX700/LS200 for review soon. Would love to hear your opinion. I might even consider to trade in my mares 52x/abyss for it.
Thinking of a HOG Zenith (will need to check if there's an LDS that can service it), Apeks XTX50 (not the easiest to service in the states), Atomic Z3, or Aqualung Titans.
Mk25 Evos with G260s here for my doubles (d12) in cold water (Norway) for optimal hose routing, it is so neat it looks like I could do hose routing for a living :D
The top regulators for singles are the same as the top regulators for twins. You just need a second first stage. Unless you're specifically thinking of the Apeks TEK-3, which is dedicated twinset regulator that won't work on single cylinders.
Hose routing. You already have an LPI hose and a HP hose coming out the left. If you're diving a dry suit, you've got that inflator hose coming out the left as well. It's just more practical to have the regulator hoses coming out the right. You can reverse it if it's on a stage tank, or for your left sidemount tank if you don't want it to go around the back of your neck.
I don't really have any strong opinions on Dive Rite regs, they're fine and they've passed all of the required ansti tests etc. but the style and finish on them has never amazed me. Would I buy a set myself? No. Would I put someone else off from buying a set? No...
For me the perfect regulator would be an all brass g260 with either an xstream first stage for backmount or a scubapro mk19/apeks dst first for versatility. Or purely theoretically, if they finally updated the design of the cyklon to reduce mouth piece size, reduce cracking pressure and then pairing that with an xstream first would also be on top of my wanted list. The cyklon first is outdated and should have been replaced by the xstream 10 years ago. It saddens me that Poseidon is so slow on these things. People have been pairing the cyklon with xstream for years now... only half a year ago Poseidon finally released this combo half a year ago. Too little too late imho
I would love an all metal G260! It doesn't get the love it should do with most divers preferring the S600. (But they're pretty much the same inside...) Yeah, Poseidon needs a kick start. I get the nostalgia, but they don't change their lineup very often...
Got the XL4+ as my first reg, great unit however find that the 2nd stage was being pulled out of my mouth when I looked to the right. Would a swivel help solve this?
You might need a little longer hose or to route it differently. When the regulator is pulled out of your mouth when looking to the right, the hose is resisting your movement, which probably means it's too short too provide the required amount of give. A swivel might help, but they're generally not cheap, and introduce additional failure points.
You mean the top of the line 1st and 2nd stages from ScubaPro? Yeah, I bet they're garbage. In all seriousness, you can't get much better than those. They're absolutely amazing regs.
It makes sense, adjustable regulators are the norm today and Mares were one of the few that didn't use them on their regulators, which some divers loved. But to stay modern they made an ADJ version of their newest range. But they also kept a non-ADJ version too, either out of tradition or to test the market. Either way, I'm fine with it. My regulators are adjustable and I recommend adjustable regs all the time, they help prevent freeflows and can lengthen the lifespan of the valve. The only reason why people may hesitate is because Mares have always been known not to use them before now, but there's no reason not to choose the Mares Adjustable Regs.
I used to have a set of Xstream before they had all of the funky colours. They're a great side-exhaust regulator, they can feel a bit powerful at times but I never had a problem with mine. Some divers don't like the idea of an upstream design but it never bothered me and I never had any issues with mine.
Thanks for the Info. I got to try one out recently and liked the side-exhaust along with how lite weight and smaller size the 2nd stage was compared to some of the Mares regs I had previously used.
I picked up an aqualung legend lx on clearance earlier this year. Looking forward to diving with all of my own gear from now on. No more crappy rentals for me!
Same here! I love it so far
Mtx-r is always my pick for a dive up in Norway and Germany you know that you picked the right Reg if the ice blocks the valve but your Regular still works.
I have mtx-rc
I have the MTX and MTX-V.
The whole MTX range is sexy as hell.
I love the "Extreme Cold Water Use" etching on the front cover of the MTX-R.
I also love the massive crenelated knob on the MTX-RC.
But you can't beat an all-black MTX. Plus it's so rare to see one in the wild.
Picked up a T3 regulator and a B2 Octo, both made of titanium on Ebay. Beautifully finished products.
Atomic equipment is always beautifully made
I'm picking up the aqualung legend lx second hand tomorrow can't wait to get diving with it next weekend with seals in Australia
I have this reg and I love it! Happy diving.
Mark, the DST doesn't fully rotate 360 deg because your 2nd stage will always stay on the side you want it to be, and still allows enough movement for comfort. You don't want to be about to jump in the water and now you can't find your 2nd stage reg because it's now on the other side. Also with your octo.
I always enjoy watching your video for scuba diving gears! please post lots of gear review please!
I uses Scuba pro S600 with Mk25 evo and Apeks XTX-200
Was the Scubapro Mk19 already available back then? Kinda combines the five port swivel with environmentally sealed moving parts.
I’m getting a new rig - Scubapro MK25 EVO / S620ti /R195 (black) safe second. I considered the MK11 (sealed) with G260
Apeks - I have found them to be the best re work of breathing - once the 2nd stage is triggered it feels like positive pressure, I believe it actually is until inhale stops. I also have found them to be the best in extreme cold and current. I have used Apeks in the Fleuve St Laurent in February diving holes in sea ice. With training in how to breath I have found Apeqs to be useful for commercial work at a verified 27 F sea temp (yes I know that is the average freezing point of seawater is 27 F - however under certain conditions seawater will supercool to 25 F, at which point it will truly mess with your gear).
Another great video... thanks Mark. I've been diving with the XTX50 for the past year - had to upgrade from my old Dacor Extreme. Love the XTX50; it breathes great in cold and moderate temps (dove Lake Tahoe with no probs). I am now faced with replacing my girlfriends reg and have been looking at the many choices available. After lots of reading and viewing, I have decided to get her the XTX50 with the XTX40 Octo. Keep up the great reviews - really helps in making well informed decisions.
Argonaut Kraken. Great cold water regulator. I dive it here in Alaska. Talking about single hose regs, I like your idea of a Cyklon matched with a SP piston first stage. I have several Mk 5's that just will not die. The Mk 10 and Mk 25 are great and my understanding is that Atomic used that first stage as a stating point for their design. I also like the Conshelf 1st with a balanced diaphragm for ease of maintanance and simple design, but once you start adding hoses, the turret type 1st stage wins out.
Hi Mark, thank you for your videos. lately am taking OW courses, the gear world really starts to open up to me, which is big... I am wondering if you can make a video to recommend a full set of gear for beginner/recreational divers. That would be really helpful to a lot new-to-dive folks out there. thx
I love my Legend, but I wish it had a head port for my doubles.
I've got a couple sets of regulators: Aqualung Legend Elite which is my favorite, however when I'm diving side mount I use the Hollis 500se side exhaust with DC7 1st stage. Also for the uneducated Apeks & Aqualung internals are the same.
When I started scuba diving in 2005, I bought my first set of regs after my junior open water. As I was mostly diving in lake Geneva in winter and in the gulf of Biscaye in summer, my instructor/ dive shop owner sold me an Apeks DST first stage with a the XTX40 second stage, which was a new thing at the time, and a Scubapro R190 Octo. I had to stop diving for personal reasons in 2010 and just got back into diving last month. The dive shop where I got my gear at the time doesn’t exist anymore, so I went to another shop to revise my Regs. What a surprise to see that the DST and XTX40 are still in the market! I just changed my octo for a new XTX40 yellow version, 2020 model year ( I don’t need the breathing adjustments on the XTX50, as the XTX40 automatically adjusts while you’re getting deeper). Still, I feel like my 15 years old XTX40 primary reg works better than the newer XTX40 octo. Apeks all the way
In sweden the most common brands are Apeks, Halcyon and Agir. The water is allways more or less cold her so... Other brands are pretty rare. Mares, Aqualung for exampel i think most schools have.
Dear Sir. What do you think of Mares 72x Fusion?
Great video. My reg of choice is seac. Easier than breathing on land.
In 2021 I use mk25evo+a700, I am happy with it
Top choices for first stages with the rest far behind are: Scubapro MK19, MK25 and the Atomic first stage. Top choice for second stages are: Scubapro D420, G260, A700 and the Atomic second stage. Everything else is just trying to be one of these.
Someone's a fanboy 😆
I'm looking to upgrade my regs and the XTX50 are currently my preference but I'm still open minded. Big question is cold water. I mostly dive the US Great Lakes where temps at the bottom are often 5/6°C (42°F). Would I be wise to go MTX-RC? Thanks.
XTX50 is more than enough for these temperatures. Dived at 5C without any concern more than once.
Yeah, either will do you fine. The MTX-RC is made specifically for cold water diving so it will resist freezing much better.
They are a bit bulkier though, but if cold water performance is your primary focus then the MTX is the best choice. The XTX can cope at those temperatures but the MTX will cope better
Hi Mark! I see a Cyklon behind you. What are your thoughts about them ?
I love my Cyklons, I'm partial to a side exhaust 2nd stage. Only thing I wish they'd change is the hinge that pokes out of the mouthpiece. I end up playing with it mid dive...
Great vid, as we have come to expect from you, success is a burden lol. Can you do a short vid on 1st stages and their pluses and minuses, ins and outs, sealed unsealed? I dive warm water(Philippines) and never say never, but, I hate the cold and would probably never do anything close to ice diving. Also, just a side note, but your sly humor inserts are clever and I don't know how many people catch on to them, but they make me smile every time.
Hello Mark, I would like to have your opinion and thoughts on the OMS Airstram regulator.
Awesome video really good information. I'd like you to do a video on the Hollis Katana to explaining its features and basically everything about it. There's no video out there doing a real review of it
Hi Mark. I got myself Zeagle F8. But I noticed that it almost non existent when comes to review or coverage. Could make a review for it as I found it to be a very good regulator at a very good price.
isn t the f8 made by atomic?
Any chance you could do (or point to) a video of a reg rip apart and explanation on how it works?
Great video! Thanks!
I'm a newbie to all this, so @Safe Diving , am I understanding you correctly to say that you recommend the Aqualung Legend MBS for cold water diving? If I get scuba certified, I''ll be getting my certification just a few hours south of the Arctic Circle, so I need a regulator that won't freeze on me. :)
There are plenty of great ice diving regulators on the market. The ScubaPro Mk25. The Aqualung Legend Elite. The Apeks MTX-R or MTX-RC. If you're diving in waters between 4°C and 10°C, pretty much any cold water rated regulator will do.
If you're diving in waters between -2°C and 4°C, you'll need an ice diving regulator.
If you're diving in waters below -2°C, you need a good crash helmet.
I am just getting into my own scuba gear and would like to know 1) Is the Leg3nd MBS environmentally sealed? I live in the Caribbean so my second question would be does it work just as efficiently in warmer waters?
And is the attachment for it DIN?
@@unknownuser846 Yes, yes, and yes.
The Legend is environmentally sealed.
Cold water regulators are warm water regulators that can also work in cold water. You just skimp on performance if you go for a warm water regulator.
And nowadays any regulator is available in DIN configuration, and most also still in A-Clamp/Yoke. If you're in the US though, shops may not have the DIN version in stock, as most dive operators still have Yoke valve stock, and Americans don't like other countries telling them they're doing it wrong.
What about Poseidon regulators? Those are the best for the cold diving.
A bit pricey and not everyone dives in the Arctic
They're awesome, but not many places can service them.
Before you commit to Poseidon, check with your LDS, otherwise they're very pricey to own.
Hey buddy! We need some tips on the trim please
Apeks xtx 50 is absolutely amazing!! In my humble opinion only Poseidon is better. Well done video ind sir!!!
Would you recommend Aqualung with its restructuring?
@@user-ob3ob3ii3u I would be amazed if the AquaLung brand completely dissolved and nobody was willing or able to revive it.
That being said, there have been supply chain issues with some parts already and there are other brands with far better market positions out there today to choose from.
Wow, thanks for the response! I highly appreciate and value your input.
Can u make a session about Tecline products.
Hope you get your hands on a XDEEP NX700/LS200 for review soon. Would love to hear your opinion. I might even consider to trade in my mares 52x/abyss for it.
I'd love to see XDEEP's new regs. Garry Dallas uploaded a video the other day with a set if you want a better look at them
Thinking of a HOG Zenith (will need to check if there's an LDS that can service it), Apeks XTX50 (not the easiest to service in the states), Atomic Z3, or Aqualung Titans.
Apeks is owned by Aqualung, so if they can service Aqualung, they should be able to service Apeks.
Mk25 Evos with G260s here for my doubles (d12) in cold water (Norway) for optimal hose routing, it is so neat it looks like I could do hose routing for a living :D
I love the G260. Not blingy, but just gets down to business. Combined with the Mk25 you've got a winner.
I’m all about the Mares regulators with none of the twiddly things to deal with. Rocking an Abyss, but not sure what the modern equivalent is.
I think the Fusion is the modern equivalent to the Abyss in the Mares Range. Can't go wrong with an Abyss though
Can you make a video for top regulator for twinset ?
Thank you
The top regulators for singles are the same as the top regulators for twins.
You just need a second first stage.
Unless you're specifically thinking of the Apeks TEK-3, which is dedicated twinset regulator that won't work on single cylinders.
Hi Mark, the Apeks regulators were lost at sea for 3 years, not two... Trust me, I know wink, wink...
Did you get the regulators back from Apeks?
@@bloodymarvelous4790 No, they wanted to keep tham as a souvenir, but they sent me some brand new ones, and some other stuff...
Is there any advantages or disadvantages of having a regulator coming from the left side instead of coming from the right?
Hose routing. You already have an LPI hose and a HP hose coming out the left. If you're diving a dry suit, you've got that inflator hose coming out the left as well.
It's just more practical to have the regulator hoses coming out the right.
You can reverse it if it's on a stage tank, or for your left sidemount tank if you don't want it to go around the back of your neck.
what do you think about dive rite regulators?
I haven't really seen that many people with them.
I don't really have any strong opinions on Dive Rite regs, they're fine and they've passed all of the required ansti tests etc. but the style and finish on them has never amazed me.
Would I buy a set myself? No.
Would I put someone else off from buying a set? No...
Not sure if this has already been covered but would anybody know and have reference to what submarines use a Mk25 for internal pressure regulation?
It's been a few years, I'll see if I can find the article I read
For me the perfect regulator would be an all brass g260 with either an xstream first stage for backmount or a scubapro mk19/apeks dst first for versatility. Or purely theoretically, if they finally updated the design of the cyklon to reduce mouth piece size, reduce cracking pressure and then pairing that with an xstream first would also be on top of my wanted list. The cyklon first is outdated and should have been replaced by the xstream 10 years ago. It saddens me that Poseidon is so slow on these things. People have been pairing the cyklon with xstream for years now... only half a year ago Poseidon finally released this combo half a year ago. Too little too late imho
I would love an all metal G260! It doesn't get the love it should do with most divers preferring the S600. (But they're pretty much the same inside...)
Yeah, Poseidon needs a kick start. I get the nostalgia, but they don't change their lineup very often...
Glad you brought this up. Just got the MK19 Evo with G260. Super happy. Getting another for my doubles. Got the set new for under $800 US
@@agreberag The G260 is the best looking second stage ScubaPro produces imho. Combined with the Mk19 or the Mk25, it really can't be beat.
As always great content. Take care :)
Whats that red-yellow thing on the left hand side?
That's a Green River dive knife for cutting through ghost gear. Basically a bread knife for scuba diving
i want to be able to remove the cover and clear things from the membrane under water without tools..
Got the XL4+ as my first reg, great unit however find that the 2nd stage was being pulled out of my mouth when I looked to the right. Would a swivel help solve this?
You might need a little longer hose or to route it differently.
When the regulator is pulled out of your mouth when looking to the right, the hose is resisting your movement, which probably means it's too short too provide the required amount of give. A swivel might help, but they're generally not cheap, and introduce additional failure points.
Hi mark..how about mk25 evo a700?got any opinion on that?
You mean the top of the line 1st and 2nd stages from ScubaPro? Yeah, I bet they're garbage.
In all seriousness, you can't get much better than those. They're absolutely amazing regs.
What do you think of the Mares ADJ?
It makes sense, adjustable regulators are the norm today and Mares were one of the few that didn't use them on their regulators, which some divers loved. But to stay modern they made an ADJ version of their newest range.
But they also kept a non-ADJ version too, either out of tradition or to test the market.
Either way, I'm fine with it. My regulators are adjustable and I recommend adjustable regs all the time, they help prevent freeflows and can lengthen the lifespan of the valve. The only reason why people may hesitate is because Mares have always been known not to use them before now, but there's no reason not to choose the Mares Adjustable Regs.
Amazing video
Any opinion on Tusa regulators brand?
A couple of their regulators are actually older model Scubapro regulators. The other models are Beuchat.
Being careful pronouncing Master Breathing System took me a second, but that put a big smile on my face :).
Yeah, I have the mind of a 12yo.
I feel like the mtxrc comment was directed not directly at me haha MTX-RC!!!
5 point swivels were a gimmick until I bought one. I love my B3.
Thuaghts on Poseidon XStream Deep MK3?
I used to have a set of Xstream before they had all of the funky colours. They're a great side-exhaust regulator, they can feel a bit powerful at times but I never had a problem with mine.
Some divers don't like the idea of an upstream design but it never bothered me and I never had any issues with mine.
Thanks for the Info. I got to try one out recently and liked the side-exhaust along with how lite weight and smaller size the 2nd stage was compared to some of the Mares regs I had previously used.
My POSEIDON regulators are never reviewed.
I know, right? I have the same issue with my Apeks MTX regulators.
Ain’t this the dude from simply scuba?
No, he's from Scuba Diver Magazine.
Check out Deep6. Best performing regs on the market.
You don't know anything, do you? Stop the BS.
Atomic over everything
Poseidon ang kirby
Tune down the music. There were parts of the video I had a hard time understanding you.
Please lose the distracting tiresome music. Please.