Never tried to breathe from a Mares 82X, but I do have the Leg3nd in DIN. The ease of breathing, the purge button, the lip guard and the mouth piece that reduces jaw fatigue are fantastic.
Lots of great comments and opinions on this video and regulators in general... like autos not everyone likes the same one.. thanks for watching ! Regards, Bob C
Leg3nd is bulit by Apecks.... leg3nd is the best regulator on the market, same smooth breathing as more expensive regs. No failures in the last 11 yeara, servicecd every 2 or 3 years. I Own several regs, definitely the Leg3nd is my go to reg even though i have more expensive regs
Hi DB, Thanks for your note. Actually Aqua Lung and Apeks are now owned by the same company. So what you said is true. It is a great breather... Regards Bob C
Dear Bob. I LOVE YOU ;) And thank you for this :)))) Little note, I found that you showed 82XUltra which is only for warm water and Mares Epic 82X is for cold water. However probably you just did not have it available because every thing what you said was great and of course correct. Thank you very much for this very honest and professional review.
Hi Patryka, Hearts back at You ! and the EPIC is very very close to the Ultra. The 2nd Stage has a metal housing and VAD by-pass that's designed to adapt to cold water. The Ultra 2nd is Composite and the PAD system is slightly different. I'm sometimes limited to product samples I can use but as always, THANKS ofr watching. Regards Bob C
Interesting…You’re not the first person I’ve heard that from about the turret… especially when more things are added to the Low pressure ports. I’m thinking the mares might make a nice travel reg in warm waters when you’re going no deeper than say 40 feet or so.
@@Scuba_Bro You get what you pay for, but there are also diminishing returns. A more expensive regulator will offer more features, more comfort, and better performance. When going from a $200 regulator to a $400 regulator, you'll find you'll get much more for your money then when you're going from a $400 regulator to a $800 regulator. Most all of the features you'll find on the $800 reg, you'll also find on the $400 reg. It's mostly materials and performance under extreme conditions you'll never face that will be the difference. Compare the Apeks XTX-50 to the MTX-RC. The XTX-50 has a swivel turret, double swivel hoses, a Venturi lever, and a cracking resistance knob. And so does the MTX-RC. The MTX-RC has a 5th LP port standard, for the XTX-50 it's optional. The difference is that the MTX-RC can sustain 2 people breathing at 25 breaths/min in 0.5°C water at 60 meters below the surface. When are you ever going to need that? The XTX-50 will be more than sufficient for most divers.
I managed to miss this one! I’ve been wanting to build up my gear collection since I mainly have Scubapro, Zeagle, and Apeks… I’ve been wanting to add Aqualung and Mares to my gear collection but after this video I’m a little bit more intrigued right now with the Mares mainly for travel when I go to Caarribean. I think for the price point and what I need I think the Mares might be better for me to start with over the aqua lung. I think the aqualung legend elite would be more like a replacement for my main Scubapro and Apeks regs. Hope you don’t mind my comments on your videos, but I like your channel and figured I’d comment constructively to also help the RUclips algorithm get your videos put out to more potential viewers.
No problem for me SB, I really do edit comments unless someone's safety would be related in a bad way.. There's lots of experience out there, some good and some bad. Most divers worth their weight in salt water knows BS when they hear or read it.
great job Bob, can you tell me if you like the scubapro mk25 evo compared to an atomic sti considering that I dive about 50 dives per year and it is only in warm waters in the Fl keys. I currently dive with an atomic B2 but I have been thinking about getting a second regulator and I like to get your opinion.
Interesting you ask this question George, because I had a similar discussion today with a gentleman in the Jacksonville store. Of course replying to the ScubaPro - Atomic debate is somewhat like my choice of Sony video cameras to a few other cameras. I’ll say this without hesitation, 316 stainless vs chrome plated brass wins every time. My dive watches are all 316. Not that brass/chrome units are bad. The Atomic swivels are really good, there’s many much worse and a few better, but as an OEM item they’re hard to beat. Especially on a rubber Reg. Hose. Also a turreted 1st like on both mk25 & ST-1, is always tops on my list, again especially with a rubber LP hose. Importance of a 5th LP port in Florida for you, not so much. Neither of these are inexpensive choices, but if someone said “here you go Bob $1200 get what you want”, for what you said you are going to do. I’d buy, and yes some of you will not agree and that’s cool, I’d go new, old school, ScubaPro Mk19Evo/G260 Carbon. Enviro sealed 1st, Turreted, great look, fully adjustable 2nd and a great breather. Change the LP hose to 32” Mil-flex, maybe a 360 Omni Standard swivel and molded mouthpiece… and never look back. Hey that’s me… and there are some people out there that like Canon or Nikon cameras too. Thanks George for the question, sorry for not directly addressing the Mk25/St-1 question and the long winded reply. Dive safe ! Regards, Bob C
Bob, what do you think of apeks mtx rc compare to aqualung leg3nd elite? Price wise the mtx rc is cheaper, but does the elite has way superios function putting aside the ACD? What do u think? Your opinion is much appreciated. Thanks
Wow this is like having to chose between riding either my Honda Elsinore 250 or my Maico 400. The AQL Leg3nd Elite is "like a piece of Jewelry" like the Honda was and where the MTX-RC is more industrial like my Maico. The ACD is a nice feature as is the turret on the MTX 1st. They are both super nice regs, it's your money, you'll be happy with either one. How was my tap dancing ? Regards Bob C
Too bad all my LDS carried was Aqualung Leg3nd regs. I would have liked to try Apeks or Scubapro. The Leg3nd is a decent, if pricey regulator. We've used ours a few times on dive trips and have no complaints.
You know Dennis, and thanks for your comments.. Today most all of the Regs out there, especially in the price range of the Leg3nd are pretty damn good breathers. Thanks again for watching ! Bob C
Hi Bob, Greetings from Holland! I like a lot to watch your reviews. Recently I've bought a Mares Epic 82x set and... let's say, we need some time to get to know each other better :-) Just one remark about this video. You have mentioned that the Mares is about a half price of the Aqualung. Strange, because in Europe those are almost the same price. The difference between what you compare, Aqualung Legend (not Elite) and Mares Ultra 82x (not Epic) is €50. And Elite vs Epic, €40. Are prices in US so much different? It's not a commentary on this video, just curiosity... :-) PS. Don't mind my English. Still learning...
Thanks for your comments, I try to stay away from "exact" cost numbers But the series of Leg3nd regs (1st and 2nd) up to the Elite model here in the US, has a spread of $300. The 82x models Ultra and Epic have a similar spread. So depending on what models Leg3nd vs 82x you're comparing, where you buy, can result in "about" that difference. Plus a complete air delivery system with Octo and Gauge setup of course can affect the bottom line number too.
You do not like it? I think it is totally great. For me much better than Apeks in terms of breathing quality. Do not get me wrong. Apeks is great and has extra features Mares doesn't especially for tech diving like extra quality hoses and so on. But in terms of quality of breathing Mares is just great and for sure better. Aqualung I do not know, never used it and that is why I asked Bob for an advise.
@@patryka11 I didn't say I don't like it at all. Until I decided to dive also in Holland I used only rental regs (very light) in tropic destinations. Epic 2nd stage is very, very heavy (and big) and I haven't that experience yet. It breaths very nice indeed but on the surface sometimes I have a feeling that I have to squeeze hard the mouthpiece otherwise it falls off my mouth. I've seen somewhere a weight comparison of different regs and Epic is I think on top of that. I know that this is a high end, full metal body, extreem cold water intended but still doesn't feel as good as I expected. Doesn't matter, just like I said, we need some more time together :-)
@@dre64 Hi Andre, your comments looks very reasonable and I heard similar opinion of many cold water regs. I did not try the solution but heard that many people buy and change extra formidable mouth piece. Of course it does not change the weight of reg. but gives the feeling of less fatigue.
There are two types of comparisons. Vertical and horizontal. When doing horizontal comparisons, you take regulators from different manufacturers in the same price range. When doing vertical comparisons, you take regulators from the same manufacturer in different price ranges. That way you're making a fair comparison between different brands, or you show the different features you unlock by paying more. Comparing a lower end Mares regulator to a top tier Aqualung, to me, seems like an unfair comparison with muddled results. You get a skewed view of Mares and Aqualung as to where they stand in the market, and the difference in features tells you very little about whether that's due to the price or the manufacturer. A fair Mares regulator to compare to the Leg3nd would be the Abyss 22. They're both top tier regulators in roughly the same price bracket. A fair Aqualung regulator to compare to the 82x would be the Helix Pro.
Interesting example, I'd love to watch your channel for your product videos, what's the link address? I could easily be mistaken, but I believe there are three kinds of possible comparisons: equal (some would call "Degree"), comparative (for two items) and superlative (when there are three or more items) . You may or may not agree that mostly Vertical and Horizontal comparisons are financial types of comparisons, and in some cases the use of offset comparisons exists. I've recently been asks to do a comparison video on the Apeks ExoTec and the ScubaPro Hydros Pro. Two very different, but similar BCDs both being of interest to viewers. Should be interesting. Regards Bob C
If Bomb squad divers choose the Mares 82x as prefered regulater, I am following their experience. Anyway, I get the option from my dive shop to test both during a week. And if it is really all about looks and not about performance…… I will keep some money in my pocket
Thanks for the comment Tazz. In reality, if you were to survey a dozen different PST/EOD teams across the US you likely would find at least 6 or more using different brands/models of regs. Availability of funds, number of quotes, purchasing resources, maintenance options and some team personal preferences all mix into the final decision. and I agree, it's about performance/durability not what a unit costs. Regards Bob C
Never tried to breathe from a Mares 82X, but I do have the Leg3nd in DIN. The ease of breathing, the purge button, the lip guard and the mouth piece that reduces jaw fatigue are fantastic.
Lots of great comments and opinions on this video and regulators in general... like autos not everyone likes the same one.. thanks for watching ! Regards, Bob C
Leg3nd is bulit by Apecks.... leg3nd is the best regulator on the market, same smooth breathing as more expensive regs. No failures in the last 11 yeara, servicecd every 2 or 3 years. I Own several regs, definitely the Leg3nd is my go to reg even though i have more expensive regs
Hi DB, Thanks for your note. Actually Aqua Lung and Apeks are now owned by the same company. So what you said is true. It is a great breather... Regards Bob C
Dear Bob. I LOVE YOU ;) And thank you for this :))))
Little note, I found that you showed 82XUltra which is only for warm water and Mares Epic 82X is for cold water. However probably you just did not have it available because every thing what you said was great and of course correct. Thank you very much for this very honest and professional review.
Hi Patryka, Hearts back at You ! and the EPIC is very very close to the Ultra. The 2nd Stage has a metal housing and VAD by-pass that's designed to adapt to cold water. The Ultra 2nd is Composite and the PAD system is slightly different. I'm sometimes limited to product samples I can use but as always, THANKS ofr watching. Regards Bob C
Lovely information, definitely helps me in buying my new regulator. Thank you so much!!!
Thanks very much for your comment and I'm glad it was helpful. Bob C
i find that the turret is annoying, I also find that the Aqualung breathes better at all depths and would highly recommend it
The AL Legend 1st is very compact and the machined in angled ports are perfectly positioned.
Interesting…You’re not the first person I’ve heard that from about the turret… especially when more things are added to the Low pressure ports. I’m thinking the mares might make a nice travel reg in warm waters when you’re going no deeper than say 40 feet or so.
@@Scuba_Bro You get what you pay for, but there are also diminishing returns. A more expensive regulator will offer more features, more comfort, and better performance. When going from a $200 regulator to a $400 regulator, you'll find you'll get much more for your money then when you're going from a $400 regulator to a $800 regulator. Most all of the features you'll find on the $800 reg, you'll also find on the $400 reg. It's mostly materials and performance under extreme conditions you'll never face that will be the difference.
Compare the Apeks XTX-50 to the MTX-RC. The XTX-50 has a swivel turret, double swivel hoses, a Venturi lever, and a cracking resistance knob. And so does the MTX-RC. The MTX-RC has a 5th LP port standard, for the XTX-50 it's optional. The difference is that the MTX-RC can sustain 2 people breathing at 25 breaths/min in 0.5°C water at 60 meters below the surface. When are you ever going to need that? The XTX-50 will be more than sufficient for most divers.
I managed to miss this one! I’ve been wanting to build up my gear collection since I mainly have Scubapro, Zeagle, and Apeks… I’ve been wanting to add Aqualung and Mares to my gear collection but after this video I’m a little bit more intrigued right now with the Mares mainly for travel when I go to Caarribean. I think for the price point and what I need I think the Mares might be better for me to start with over the aqua lung. I think the aqualung legend elite would be more like a replacement for my main Scubapro and Apeks regs. Hope you don’t mind my comments on your videos, but I like your channel and figured I’d comment constructively to also help the RUclips algorithm get your videos put out to more potential viewers.
No problem for me SB, I really do edit comments unless someone's safety would be related in a bad way..
There's lots of experience out there, some good and some bad.
Most divers worth their weight in salt water knows BS when they hear or read it.
Thanks for a good comparative "study".
And thanks for your comment !
great job Bob, can you tell me if you like the scubapro mk25 evo compared to an atomic sti considering that I dive about 50 dives per year and it is only in warm waters in the Fl keys. I currently dive with an atomic B2 but I have been thinking about getting a second regulator and I like to get your opinion.
Interesting you ask this question George, because I had a similar discussion today with a gentleman in the Jacksonville store.
Of course replying to the ScubaPro - Atomic debate is somewhat like my choice of Sony video cameras to a few other cameras.
I’ll say this without hesitation, 316 stainless vs chrome plated brass wins every time. My dive watches are all 316.
Not that brass/chrome units are bad.
The Atomic swivels are really good, there’s many much worse and a few better, but as an OEM item they’re hard to beat. Especially on a rubber Reg. Hose.
Also a turreted 1st like on both mk25 & ST-1, is always tops on my list, again especially with a rubber LP hose. Importance of a 5th LP port in Florida for you, not so much.
Neither of these are inexpensive choices, but if someone said “here you go Bob $1200 get what you want”, for what you said you are going to do.
I’d buy, and yes some of you will not agree and that’s cool, I’d go new, old school, ScubaPro Mk19Evo/G260 Carbon.
Enviro sealed 1st, Turreted, great look, fully adjustable 2nd and a great breather. Change the LP hose to 32” Mil-flex, maybe a 360 Omni Standard swivel and molded mouthpiece… and never look back.
Hey that’s me… and there are some people out there that like Canon or Nikon cameras too.
Thanks George for the question, sorry for not directly addressing the Mk25/St-1 question and the long winded reply. Dive safe !
Regards,
Bob C
Once again great information Bob thank you for sharing.
Thanks Rick my friend !
Bob, what do you think of apeks mtx rc compare to aqualung leg3nd elite? Price wise the mtx rc is cheaper, but does the elite has way superios function putting aside the ACD? What do u think? Your opinion is much appreciated. Thanks
Wow this is like having to chose between riding either my Honda Elsinore 250 or my Maico 400. The AQL Leg3nd Elite is "like a piece of Jewelry" like the Honda was and where the MTX-RC is more industrial like my Maico. The ACD is a nice feature as is the turret on the MTX 1st.
They are both super nice regs, it's your money, you'll be happy with either one. How was my tap dancing ? Regards Bob C
Too bad all my LDS carried was Aqualung Leg3nd regs. I would have liked to try Apeks or Scubapro. The Leg3nd is a decent, if pricey regulator. We've used ours a few times on dive trips and have no complaints.
You know Dennis, and thanks for your comments.. Today most all of the Regs out there, especially in the price range of the Leg3nd are pretty damn good breathers. Thanks again for watching ! Bob C
Thanks for the detailed review.
Thanks Fourby for your comments !
Hi Bob,
Greetings from Holland!
I like a lot to watch your reviews. Recently I've bought a Mares Epic 82x set and... let's say, we need some time to get to know each other better :-)
Just one remark about this video. You have mentioned that the Mares is about a half price of the Aqualung. Strange, because in Europe those are almost the same price. The difference between what you compare, Aqualung Legend (not Elite) and Mares Ultra 82x (not Epic) is €50. And Elite vs Epic, €40. Are prices in US so much different?
It's not a commentary on this video, just curiosity... :-)
PS. Don't mind my English. Still learning...
Thanks for your comments, I try to stay away from "exact" cost numbers But the series of Leg3nd regs (1st and 2nd) up to the Elite model here in the US, has a spread of $300. The 82x models Ultra and Epic have a similar spread. So depending on what models Leg3nd vs 82x you're comparing, where you buy, can result in "about" that difference. Plus a complete air delivery system with Octo and Gauge setup of course can affect the bottom line number too.
@@DiversSupplyYT seems Mares wants to sell more in USA because i also confirm here in Europe the diference is maybe 10% max
You do not like it? I think it is totally great. For me much better than Apeks in terms of breathing quality. Do not get me wrong. Apeks is great and has extra features Mares doesn't especially for tech diving like extra quality hoses and so on. But in terms of quality of breathing Mares is just great and for sure better. Aqualung I do not know, never used it and that is why I asked Bob for an advise.
@@patryka11 I didn't say I don't like it at all. Until I decided to dive also in Holland I used only rental regs (very light) in tropic destinations. Epic 2nd stage is very, very heavy (and big) and I haven't that experience yet. It breaths very nice indeed but on the surface sometimes I have a feeling that I have to squeeze hard the mouthpiece otherwise it falls off my mouth. I've seen somewhere a weight comparison of different regs and Epic is I think on top of that. I know that this is a high end, full metal body, extreem cold water intended but still doesn't feel as good as I expected. Doesn't matter, just like I said, we need some more time together :-)
@@dre64 Hi Andre, your comments looks very reasonable and I heard similar opinion of many cold water regs. I did not try the solution but heard that many people buy and change extra formidable mouth piece. Of course it does not change the weight of reg. but gives the feeling of less fatigue.
Muito bom! 🙌🥇
There are two types of comparisons. Vertical and horizontal.
When doing horizontal comparisons, you take regulators from different manufacturers in the same price range.
When doing vertical comparisons, you take regulators from the same manufacturer in different price ranges.
That way you're making a fair comparison between different brands, or you show the different features you unlock by paying more.
Comparing a lower end Mares regulator to a top tier Aqualung, to me, seems like an unfair comparison with muddled results. You get a skewed view of Mares and Aqualung as to where they stand in the market, and the difference in features tells you very little about whether that's due to the price or the manufacturer.
A fair Mares regulator to compare to the Leg3nd would be the Abyss 22. They're both top tier regulators in roughly the same price bracket.
A fair Aqualung regulator to compare to the 82x would be the Helix Pro.
Interesting example, I'd love to watch your channel for your product videos, what's the link address?
I could easily be mistaken, but I believe there are three kinds of possible comparisons: equal (some would call "Degree"), comparative (for two items) and superlative (when there are three or more items) . You may or may not agree that mostly Vertical and Horizontal comparisons are financial types of comparisons, and in some cases the use of offset comparisons exists.
I've recently been asks to do a comparison video on the Apeks ExoTec and the ScubaPro Hydros Pro. Two very different, but similar BCDs both being of interest to viewers. Should be interesting. Regards Bob C
Great presentation!
Thank you kindly John !
If Bomb squad divers choose the Mares 82x as prefered regulater, I am following their experience.
Anyway, I get the option from my dive shop to test both during a week. And if it is really all about looks and not about performance…… I will keep some money in my pocket
Thanks for the comment Tazz. In reality, if you were to survey a dozen different PST/EOD teams across the US you likely would find at least 6 or more using different brands/models of regs.
Availability of funds, number of quotes, purchasing resources, maintenance options and some team personal preferences all mix into the final decision.
and I agree, it's about performance/durability not what a unit costs. Regards Bob C
Balanced Diaphragm...balanced Diaphragm!!!
Correct, Balanced as in self adjusting based on ambient surrounding pressure.. and Diaphragm vs Piston operation
Are you wearing a Rolex Pepsi?
Squale www.gnomonwatches.com/collections/squale/products/30-atmos-blue-red-gmt-ceramica-40mm-1
@@DiversSupplyYT nice!!!
Thank you for the informative video, I’m looking to buy my first regulator for diving in Canada and this video helped me out. 🤿
Thanks Gamer, lots of good choices out there.