Popular for stage/deco/sidemount technical diving applications, the ambidextrous and reversible second stage regulator designs ultimately offer the same feature: the orientation of the hose inlet and thus the hose routing can be either the typical right-hand side or the uncommon left-hand side of the diver. The difference is how this reorientation is accomplished.

In the few second stage designs that are reversable, the regulator body is opened, the inside components are removed, reoriented to the opposite side and the regulator is reassembled. Both the Dive Rite XT series and Apeks XTX series second stages are reversable. The Dive Rite XT series second stages require a mirror image part for the venturi be exchanged to accomplish the reversal. The Apeks XTX series second stages do not require any additional parts for the reversal. Both Dive Rite and Apeks describe the process of reconfiguring the regulator as both quick and simple, however they also both recommend this be done by a regulator technician. It takes our experienced reg tech about 15 minutes to do the reverse and bench test, if you don't interrupt them with any questions.

Ambidextrous second stage designs are inherently right or left when you simply put the regulator in your mouth. The design of the regulator is symmetric about its longitudinal axis; the body and mouthpiece has no "top and bottom" or "up and down". The exhaust on an ambidextrous design will always be on the end the body directly opposite the hose inlet and bubbles come out the end not the bottom. Ambidextrous regulators are typically referred to as side-breathers and we offer the SXS downstream second from Mares plus the Xstream upstream second from the OG of side-breathing regulators - Poseidon.