Apeks TEK3 Doubles First Stage Pair
- Over-balanced diaphragm design for superb performance at extreme depths
- Proven reliability preferred by the most demanding technical divers
- Environmentally sealed for cold water tolerance
- Three fixed position LP ports plus one HP port on one side of the polished chrome brass body
- DIN connectors, include Apex branded DIN Protective Caps w/spare o-rings, and are Nitrox Ready
Apeks TEK3 Doubles First Stage Pair
When purchased separately, individual regulator stages remain as factory configured by the manufacturer and final integration must, out of necessity, become a customer responsibility.
The Apeks TEK3 Regulators are specifically designed for doubles (aka twinsets); each first stage supplying a one-sided mirror image of the other. Popular with technical divers because of their DS4 heritage, the Apeks TEK3 first stages have angled ports that are made to route downward to allow for perfect streamlined doubles hose routing that avoids snagging, crossing hoses and restricted access to your valves.
The Apeks TEK3 pair of first stages are work horse designs with years of proven performance and reliability preferred by the most demanding technical divers. The Apeks TEK3 is a unique over-balanced, diaphragm design - as the diver descends, the over-balancing feature allows the intermediate pressure gas in the hose to increase at a rate faster than ambient resulting in superb performance at extreme depths. Each polished chrome plated body has one standard high pressure 7/16-inch hose port and three standard high-flow low pressure 3/8-inch hose ports in left and right hand versions popular for doubles configurations. An environmental seal keeps water out of the main spring chamber thus preventing ice buildup and keeping silt and contamination out. The TEK3 regulators come standard with DIN connectors, include Apex branded DIN Protective Caps w/spare o-rings, and are Nitrox Ready.
When purchased separately, individual regulator stages remain as factory configured by the manufacturer and final integration must, out of necessity, become a customer responsibility. Please note that when this 1st stage is sold "raw" as received from the factory and not part of a package, it will have two of the three LP ports plugged (i.e. one LP port will be open with a plastic dust cap) and the HP port will also be plugged. FYI, do NOT attempt to unscrew what appears to be a conical shaped hose port plug on the top of the body, is actually the HP balance chamber plug..
| Brand | Apeks |
|---|---|
| SKU | APX-RT133113 |
| Weight | 4.000000 |
Customer Reviews
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Fixed Port vs Swivel Turret
The internal structure of the fixed port design allows for a very direct gas flow through the first stage, providing optimal performance. The fixed port design is also typically the most compact as well as being lower cost when compared to a similar swivel turret design. The most common objection to the swivel design is that it adds O-rings and moving parts to a more complex gas path, theoretically being less reliable and of lower performance.
Regardless of port design performance, streamlined hose routing is a significant concern for experienced divers, where careful hose routing can make a noticeable reduction of drag. The absolute cleanest hose routing for some regulator package configurations is only available using the swivel turret design while for other configurations an equally clean or cleaner routing might be available using a fixed port design; especially in doubles, sidemount and stage technical configurations.
However, in our experience with quality regulators these theoretical concerns about reliability and performance are irrelevant. All the regulators offered by Dive Gear Express are high performance products with proven reliability, and the reality is that both these designs will more than meet your expectations. The choice is largely a matter of personal preference.
