Apeks XTX200 ReviewApeks XTX200For over 35 years Apeks has been making some of the best dive equipment money can buy. The Apeks line runs the gamut from minor scuba accessories to complex technical equipment suitable for the British military. The jewel in the Apeks crown, however, is their line of regulators. Apeks regulators are widely regarded as the best in the world by technical divers. An Apeks regulator has even been past the 1,000 foot (305m) mark and still performed with no problems. Reliability like that is hard to find. The Apeks XTX200 is one of Apeks’s high-end regulators. Here’s some more information about it. Apeks XTX200 OverviewGet ready for a dose of honesty that’s all too rare on other equipment review sites…I have no idea why Apeks made the XTX200. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great regulator and it performs better than most other high-performance regulators on the market. But then, so does the Apeks XTX100. In fact, the Apeks XTX200 is virtually identical to the XTX100. They’re made basically the same, they work basically the same and independent labs rate them virtually the same. So what’s the difference? Basically, the difference is in the look. The Apeks XTX200 was made to look cooler. There’s also a slight difference in the way the hoses are routed which can make a difference in how comfortably the hoses lie, but that’s more of a personal preference. Generally the XTX200 only costs about $50 ore than the XTX100 so it all comes down to whether or not you think the XTX200 looks cool enough to merit the extra $50. Apeks XTX200 Features
As I mentioned before, the Apeks XTX200 is pretty much identical to the XTX100.It has 4 medium pressure ports for your second stage, octopus, BC inflator valve and optional accessory as well as two high pressure ports for your pressure gauges/dive computer and a spare if you want it. Both the first stage and the second stage are balanced so the Apeks XTX200 is an easy breathing regulator that’ll deliver the same breath of air at 300 psi (20 bar) as it does at 3000 psi (200 bar). I could go on and on about the features of the XTX200, but even the Apeks official website says that the only difference between the XTX100 and the XTX200 is the model number decal. Apeks XTX200 Who Should Buy It?While the Apeks XTX200 is a superb regulator and would be a great choice for even the most hardcore technical diver, I get the distinct feeling that this regulator was designed to target the sport diver market.Why else would they release a new model that’s essentially a prettier version of a previous model? Not that there’s anything wrong with that. As I mentioned in my review of the Apeks XTX100, a sport diver buying the XTX100 is like buying a Ferrari to get to work. The same analogy holds true for the XTX200, only this time the Ferrari is cherry red. Bottom line: This regulator is best for a sport diver who wants to have the best and best looking equipment possible. Technical divers will be fine with the less pretty but equally powerful XTX100 model. Read other Apeks Regulator Reviews
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