Advice - Sherwood Wisdom 2

[Derek R]

I've also got one of the original Wisdoms. It's now done well over 300 dives in just about every condition you can think of (sensibly). Display is very easy to read, Robust, Compass is very great, battery life is awesome and user replaceable. Downloads are easy and software is good enough to use for a logbook. About the only thing I'd like to change is the max EANx %. This is limited to 50%, but for most reasons this is a very sensible limitation. Other than that I'd buy another one tomorrow. Quick disconnect it well worth it as well.

 

[FritzCat66]

The newer Wisdom 2 has chrome buttons, while the original Wisdom 2 had teal buttons (the original Wisdom had grey buttons).

The original Wisdom and Wisdom 2 both use the same interface cable, but the new Wisdom 2 uses a different one.

Same rules generally apply for the Insight - that is, the newest one has chrome buttons and needs the newer cable.

Functionally, they're all about the same. The Wisdoms add air-integration functionality to the Insight and of course are consoles, but otherwise they're pretty much the same. I believe the nitrogen algorithm is the same across the board, but Sherwood would have to verify that. In any case, it's one of the most liberal algorithms out there, so it's probably wise never to push a Wisdom.

The newer chrome-button versions of both have more internal memory and also support a half-stop countdown timer option in addition to the shallow stop countdown timer that all of them support.

 

[dpj912]

Do you think $650- is a fair price for the wisdom 2 with the Sherwood Brut (not 2010 model) reg setup with octo? Or is it a little high for a used setup? The prices I'm finding seem to be all over the place.

 

[Crush]

Do you think $650- is a fair price for the wisdom 2 with the Sherwood Brut (not 2010 model) reg setup with octo? Or is it a little high for a used setup? The prices I'm finding seem to be all over the place.

First off, I dive cold water. I am not sure if the Brut is a cold-water reg, but the price difference between a cold-water reg and not is so small at the time of purchase that I don't know why people opt to not get a cold-water reg from the get-go.

In general, LeisurePro.com prices are hard to beat. They are selling new Bruts for $US 204. That is a close-out price, so perhaps the Brut is not long for this world? They are also selling the Sherwood CG7125 2008 Wisdom 2 computer with compass and Q/D for $US 525, new. The grand total, in $US, is $729. Not sure what the NZ dollar is worth, but shipping from the US and taxes are likely to run you another $US 100. So, is a used set for $650 worth it compared to new for $US 829? <cringe> Probably. If you were in the US you could likely get a much better deal. In NZ this might be the best you can do. Not sure. Add an octo and it seems fair to me...

 

[dpj912]

Mpetryk, I am in Massachusetts so I am in the US. The Brut is changing its 1st stage and only cosmetic changes to the 2nd stage I believe in 2010 models. The US$650- is for the 1st , Brut second, and a sherwood octo, plus the Widsom 2 with compass (not sure which model of Wisdom 2, but it is no older than 1 yr). Since they are using the Brut in Massachusetts I would hope it is rated for cold water, but I'll look into that and check it out. Thanks.

 

[BDSC]

I doubt either used or new dive equipment is flying off the shelf. All in all it doesn't seem like a unreasonable price but maybe offer them $550 and see what they say. Could be you'll settle on $600. Doesn't hurt to offer.

 

[dpj912]

They seem fairly firm on the price, looking online I could piece one together for slightly more than that, minus the octo. With a new reg and used Wisdom 2. Any advice on the Bruts? Its what I've been using and I like it, but have nothing else to really compare it to, as with the computers, I've only used the Wisdom 2 and Insight, I didn't care too much for the insight, no air integration and small display, but I suppose for the price difference they are a good computer also.

 

[FritzCat66]

The Wisdom will get you a nice big, easy-to-read display with air integration. Both the Insight and the Wisdom are really easy to use, this was a very important factor for me when deciding on the Wisdom years ago, and it still applies - you don't want to have to think about how you're using your computer underwater, you just want it to display everything you need. If the Sherwood isn't showing you what you need on the primary display, just press the side button for the alternate display; no worries about what "mode" it's in or other nonsense. So that's still a big plus.

The log software for the Sherwoods was lacking for awhile, but they've done a good job patching it up, so just make sure you download the latest & greatest from the website before you start using it. And make sure you get the right cable for your model!

The main "downside" to the Sherwoods - and I put that in quotes, because in some ways it's also their big advantage - is that they are possibly the most liberal computers out there in terms of Remaining Dive Time calculations, and they have no "conservatism" settings to tweak that down. What that means is that it's up to you to treat that RDT display as absolutely the best case RDT, so if you're tired or feel dehydrated or been up drinking the night before or know you've been doing a series of multilevel dives, it's entirely up to YOU to be your own "conservatism" factor and surface well before the RDT on the display. Treat the Sherwood RDT display as being absolutely the best case possible, and never "push it" with a Sherwood.

Personally, for example, if I'm doing more than just two dives on a weekend, I treat the nitrogen graph on my Wisdom as if it's two bars higher than it shows. But don't worry, especially after a series of dives you'll still find yourself with longer bottom times than your friends on Suunto computers, for example.


As for the reg, purely my opinion but for about the same as the Brut you could get a ScubaPro Mk 2/R295, an "industry standard" reg that will serve you well and which you could get serviced anywhere in the world.

 

[dpj912]

Ok thanks, I'll look into that one also!