Apeks MTX-R Regulator

At a glance

The MTX-R is an over-balanced, environmentally sealed diaphragm first stage in marine-grade brass with a satin nickel finish, weighing about 1050 g and rated to 50 m for recreational and technical use. Its radial flow second stage carries an adjustable inhalation effort knob and an over-moulded protective case. Available in DIN 300 bar or yoke, with a braided hose option for lower drag.

What the regulator actually gives you

Where it wins and where it costs you

Full review: Apeks MTX-R Regulator

The MTX-R's first stage is a balanced diaphragm design, sealed so that silt, sand and freezing water never contact the mechanism. That matters below roughly 4°C, where unsealed regulators risk icing and free-flow, and it matters equally in the silty, low-visibility water where public-safety divers work. Over-moulded rubber protects the first stage from impact during cave and wreck penetration, and the marine-grade brass body under satin nickel is built to survive repeated servicing rather than a single season.

The second stage keeps the same philosophy in a more compact package. A pneumatically balanced valve holds air delivery steady regardless of depth or remaining tank pressure, so breathing resistance stays low when you are finning hard against current. The purge cover is sized for gloved hands in a drysuit, and the adjustable venturi lever plus inhalation effort knob give you real control over how the regulator behaves rather than a single fixed character. The impact-resistant casing is there for the same reason the first stage is over-moulded.

At around 1050 g it is heavier than travel-focused regulators and its profile is bulkier than a warm-water set needs, which is the honest cost of the construction. The depth rating covers recreational and technical use to 50 m, and both DIN 300 bar and yoke configurations are available, with a braided nylon hose option for divers who want less drag than standard rubber. Support is broad — Apeks is widely serviced by dive shops — so the maintenance story is easier than the specialist build suggests.