Regulators 2006 £350+
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MARK EVANS PADI Divemaster 21 years diving experience | DAVE HOPE PADI MSDT 16 years diving experience | PAUL CUSHING PADI Instructor 11 years diving experience | PAUL ANDREWS PADI Divemaster 6 years diving experience | JIM BREWIS PADI Divemaster 4 years diving experience |
Apeks XTX200 regulator (SRP: £419.15) SD Choice
Servicing costs: £70 (Robin Hood Watersports)
Accessories: Regulator bag.
Mark: Apeks is world-renowned for its durable, good-looking and high-performing regulators, and the new top-of-the-range XTX200 continues this trend. The chromed first stage is eye-catching, and the new-look second stage – while perhaps taking some getting used to – is certainly a more-modern look than existing TX and ATX models. It breathed smoothly in all positions, but make sure you use the larger exhaust (it has a user-changeable exhaust, small or large).
Dave: This regulator is very well made and it breathes exceptionally well. The comfo-bite mouthpiece is exceptionally comfortable, and I would also use the larger exhaust, as this keeps exhaled bubbles well away from your line of sight.
Paul C: This is a fabulous regulator. It is a very good breathe, but I am not too sure about the chromed first stage – it is a bit too ‘bling’ for me. I would also use the wider exhaust, as with the small one you get too much bubble interference in front of your mask.
Paul A: Don’t have anything bad to say about this regulator. It breathed well in all positions, the comfo-bite mouthpiece is superb and it has a weighty, quality feel to it – an excellent regulator.
Jim: I cannot fault this regulator – it breathed well, the cracking control on the side actually made a difference, and you could adjust it even while wearing drygloves.
Aqualung Legend LX Supreme regulator (SRP: £379.95)
Servicing costs: £60 (Adventures in Diving)
Accessories: None.
Mark: The Legend LX Supreme has been finding plenty of fans since its launch, and it is easy to see why. It is a durable, well-made piece of kit, and it gives a nice, smooth, dry breathe. The mouthpiece is very comfortable and the second stage is lightweight.
Dave: I found that there were lots of bubbles when I exhaled, and the Venturi control didn’t seem to have much affect, but the regulator performed well and breathed dry in all positions. Not a bad reg at all, able to cope with the worst we threw at it.
Paul C: It didn’t really have any issues with this regulator, but then again nothing really stood out – it is a very middle-of-the-road reg which gives out a reasonable performance.
Paul A: I liked this regulator a lot – it breathed very dry, was extremely comfortable and it is built to last. A good quality regulator that would give years of decent service.
Jim: I found this regulator breathed well under stress, and remained dry whatever position I forced it into. It did allow a bit of bubble interference but nothing that would put me off buying one.
Atomic T2 regulator (SRP: £799)
Servicing costs: £70 (Andark)
Accessories: Regulator bag.
Mark: The Atomic T1 made a name for itself as soon as it was launched, but it wasn’t for its superb build-quality or excellent breathing rate, it was for its price – it was simply the most-expensive regulator on the market by far. The T2 also uses titanium, performs just as well and still comes in at a hefty price, but it is slightly more realistic than its older sibling – and you can reckon on being the only person on the boat with one!
Dave: With the exception of a few bubbles escaping in front of my mask, this is one cracking regulator. It is a great performer right up there with the best of the bunch, but that price tag is going to put a lot of people off.
Paul C: This regulator has a lovely mouthpiece – one of the comfiest I have tried – and it is very lightweight because of the liberal use of titanium in its construction, but while it did perform admirably, I couldn’t see what all the fuss was about. I did, however, like the swivel fitted to the second stage – a neat touch.
Paul A: This is equally as good as the T1 when it comes to performance, and it still looks like a work of art that belongs in a museum or gallery – not a lot to complain about. This is quality engineering of the highest calibre.
Jim: This is simply a stunning regulator. It looks fantastic, it gives an awesome breathe and it is amazingly comfortable – but that is just too much cash for a reg, no matter how good.
Poseidon Xstream Deep 90 regulator (SRP: £438.20)
Servicing costs: £60 (Capernwray)
Accessories: Regulator bag, allen key for removing blanks.
Mark: Poseidon has got a well-earned reputation for producing regulators that breathe exceptionally well at depth and are robust pieces of equipment. The Xstream range bears this out, and the Deep 90 we were sent for test gave a nice, dry breathe, was comfortable in your mouth and had a purge that could blow your teeth out the back of your head! A bit of bubble interference, though.
Dave: This Poseidon gave a bone-dry breathe in any position, and was never thrown off balance whatever I tried to do with it. I like the purge, which is exceptionally powerful but certainly does the job it is intended to!
Paul C: This was an excellent regulator that gave a good breathe, was comfortable and is well-built, but the side-exhaust would take some getting used to, as I found the bubbles off-putting. Plus, with my Cressi Big-Eyes, I could see the top edge of the regulator to the left.
Paul A: I was not a big fan of this regulator. Yes, it did breathe well and was reasonably comfortable, but I didn’t like the bubbles billowing out up one side. The purge is so strong it can take the enamel off your teeth!
Jim: I found this regulator quite uncomfortable in my mouth, but otherwise I couldn’t fault it. It coped with all the demands I put on it – an easy breathe, and durable to boot.
Scubapro Mk25AF/S600 regulator (SRP: £369) SD Best Buy
Servicing costs: £58.75 (Mike’s, Upminster)
Accessories: None.
Mark: The Mk25AF/S600 combo has been around for a few years now and yet it is still right up there with the best of them. It is built to Scubapro’s usual exacting standards and provides a smooth, easy breathe regardless of what you do to it. The extremely cold water made no difference to the performance whatsoever and its subtle, understated looks will earn it plenty of admirers.
Dave: I found that I got quite a lot of bubble interference in front of my mask, and this may be down to the fairly small exhaust, but other than that I can’t say anything negative about this regulator. It is very comfy in the mouth thanks to the well-designed mouthpiece, and it breathes very well. Another quality Scubapro product.
Paul C: This is a very nice regulator. It is solidly built and gives a fantastic breathe, but I also found that the exhaled bubbles did obscure my vision a little.
Paul A: This is a good, comfy regulator that is extremely easy to breathe from. It is typical Scubapro – does exactly what it is designed to do, no questions asked.
Jim: This is a gorgeous regulator. It gives a very easy breathe and can cope with any demands you place on it. It is extremely comfortable in your mouth.
