Time to Test

On a sun-splashed Southern California morning last April the ScubaLab test team, aboard Body Glove’s dive boat Disappearance, skirted the eastern coastline of Santa Monica Bay, headed for the rocky cliffs of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Skipper Bob Meistrell eased his 64-foot vessel into a quiet spot on the edge of a massive kelp bed and dropped anchor on a sandy bottom in 40 feet of green water. The test team, comprised of six divers and one test coordinator, got ready to hit the water with this year’s new crop of regulators. There were 14 in all, running the gamut from economy to money’s-no-object. This was judgment day — the final of three test stages — and we couldn’t have asked for a better one. When all was said and done, we found what we were looking for — the year’s best breathers.

AQUA LUNG Titan LX

Features

Lighter than its predecessor, the Titan LX sports Aqua Lung’s ACD (auto-closure device) keeps water out of the first stage. The second stage comes with an easy-to-use venturi lever to prevent free-flows at the surface, as well as Aqua Lung’s Comfo-Bite mouthpiece. This gem delivered the second-best performance in its price category on the breathing machine, and it’s a dry, easy breather in all positions in the water. It has virtually no bubble interference and is easy to clear. All test divers felt that the light weight of the second stage eliminated jaw fatigue.

Specifications

Bottom Line

All the performance you could possibly want and our test divers’ favorite reg in the Less Than $500 category.