Apeks XTX50 Octopus Dive Regulator

Follow the interval in your regulator's manual, since manufacturers commonly specify an annual inspection or a set number of dives and many warranties depend on it. A regulator is life-support equipment, so service belongs with a factory-trained technician rather than being attempted at home. Have it looked at sooner than scheduled if you notice increased breathing effort, free-flow, bubbles, or water in the second stage.

Make sure the dust cap is dry and firmly seated over the first-stage inlet before the regulator goes anywhere near water, because water inside the first stage is the leading cause of internal corrosion. Rinse in fresh water without pressing the purge button, since purging while depressurized can draw water back into the second stage. Shake out the water and hang it to dry with the hoses in wide, gentle loops rather than tight bends.

Regulators travel well and are usually best carried in hand luggage where they will not be crushed or lost. A regulator holds no gas of its own, so there is nothing inherently problematic about it on an aircraft, though the airline and security screeners always have the final say. Pack it dry with the dust cap in place, in a padded regulator bag or wrapped in soft gear.

Many modern regulators are supplied as suitable for nitrox mixes up to 40 percent oxygen, which is the widely used recreational industry standard, while anything above that requires dedicated oxygen-clean equipment and procedures. Confirm what your specific regulator's manual states, and follow your nitrox training and your fill station's requirements. Never assume a regulator is oxygen-service clean simply because it looks clean or is new.

A yoke (A-clamp) fitting clamps over the tank valve and is the most common connection across much of the recreational world, while a DIN fitting screws into the valve and is standard in much of Europe and in technical diving. DIN captures the o-ring inside the threads, which many divers consider more secure, but yoke is often what rental cylinders provide. Adapters exist in both directions, so check what is used where you dive before deciding.

The octopus is your backup second stage, carried so you can share air with a buddy who is out of gas, or breathe from it yourself if your primary fails or free-flows. It is normally on a longer, brightly colored hose so it is easy to find and hand over under stress. Secure it in the triangle between your chin and the bottom of your rib cage so it is instantly accessible and not dragging through sand or coral.

Store it fully dry, out of sunlight, with the dust cap in place and the hoses in wide loops rather than tightly coiled. Avoid hanging it by the second stages for long periods, which stresses the hose fittings; laying it flat in a padded bag or hanging it by the first stage is kinder. If it has sat unused for a long stretch, have it checked before your next trip rather than assuming it is ready to dive.

It adjusts how sensitive the second stage is to inhalation. Turning the knob toward the desensitized setting is intended for when the octopus is not in use. Turn it back toward the easier-breathing setting when the regulator is being breathed, either by you or by a buddy receiving gas.

Yes. The XTX50 Octopus can be converted from a right-handed hose configuration to a left-handed one, but Apeks specifies that the conversion is carried out by an Apeks Authorised Service Technician rather than by the owner. If you want the octopus routed over your left shoulder or stowed on your left side, have the change done during a service visit.

The braided flexi-hose is lightweight, flexible, durable and suited to cold water use, and the pneumatically balanced second stage with silicone exhaust valve keeps breathing effort low. Always follow your training agency's guidance and local practice for diving in cold conditions.

The pneumatically balanced second stage provides smooth, easy breathing, assisted by the silicone exhaust valve. The large two-stage progressive purge button makes clearing simple, and the Comfo-bite mouthpiece keeps the regulator comfortable if the donated gas has to be breathed for a long ascent.