Apeks XL4+ Regulators

Apeks XL4+ regulator

The XL4+ is the Apeks we sell most of, and the reason is simple: it is one of the lightest regulators Apeks makes and it is still fully cold water rated. Most manufacturers make you choose between those two things.

Weight matters more than divers expect. A heavy second stage pulls on your jaw for the whole dive, and by the third dive of the day you feel it. The XL4+ is light enough that you stop noticing it, which is the highest compliment you can pay a regulator.

It is also a genuinely good stage or deco regulator, which is why it turns up so often on technical divers' rigs alongside something bigger. Within our diving regulators range it is the one that suits the widest spread of divers.

• One of the lightest regulators in the Apeks range
• Fully environmentally sealed first stage with heat exchange
• Over-balanced diaphragm first stage
• Pneumatically balanced second stage
• Diver-changeable exhaust system, two tees supplied
• Ergonomic venturi control lever
• Available as a stage 3 or stage 4 set

Why divers choose the XL4+

Light enough to forget about

Jaw fatigue is the complaint we hear most from divers on long or repetitive dives. The XL4+ addresses it by simply weighing less. On a liveaboard doing four dives a day, that is the difference between finishing the week comfortable and finishing it aching.

Cold water rated without the bulk

The first stage is fully environmentally sealed with heat exchange built in, so it handles UK water properly. Getting that in a regulator this light is unusual, and it is why the XL4+ works as both a travel regulator and a home one.

An excellent stage regulator

Compact, streamlined and light, which is exactly what you want clipped to a stage or deco cylinder. Technical divers frequently run an XL4+ on stages alongside a heavier primary, and that dual role makes it a sensible first Apeks purchase.

Serviced in-house, in the UK

Like every regulator we sell, the XL4+ can be serviced in-house by our own technicians at our UK dive centre. It never gets posted to a distributor and never disappears for a month in the middle of the season.

Features that matter underwater

Over-balanced diaphragm first stage

Intermediate pressure rises faster than ambient as you descend, so breathing effort stays consistent rather than getting heavier with depth. It is the same first stage principle used across the premium Apeks range.

Environmental sealing with heat exchange

Keeps water and contaminants out of the first stage and moves heat where it is needed to resist freezing. This is the specification that makes a regulator safe for UK winter diving rather than just usable in summer.

Diver-changeable exhaust

Two exhaust tees are supplied. The wider one moves bubbles out of your line of sight, which is worth having if you take photographs or dive in poor visibility where your own exhaust is the problem.

Compact profile

The streamlined shape reduces drag and works well in sidemount and tight spaces. Combined with the low weight, it is why the XL4+ suits divers who are configuration-conscious.

Who the XL4+ is for

• Divers buying their first proper regulator who want it to last
• Travelling divers watching baggage weight
• Anyone who suffers jaw fatigue on long dives
• Technical divers needing a compact stage or deco regulator
• UK divers who want cold water capability without the bulk

Who it may not be for: divers doing sustained deep, cold, demanding profiles will be better served by the MTX-RC. There is nothing wrong with an XL4+ in those conditions, but the heavier regulator is the more appropriate tool.

If you want to understand the terminology before choosing, our guide to choosing a regulator covers it without the jargon.

Specifications

Buying the XL4+

If you asked us to recommend one regulator for a diver who does a bit of everything, this is it. Light enough for travel, tough enough for the UK, and capable enough that you will not outgrow it when you start technical training.

Choose your connection type and set configuration above, and tell us how you dive if you want it rigged accordingly.