scuba newbie:
Hello all!! I plan on purchasing the Sherwood Blizzard and would like opinions/comments on it, pros or cons. Are there any other regs in the same price range that I should consider, I've been researcing and am leaning towards this one. I will be diving Ontario in summers and Florida in winters. Thank you for your input.
Hello Newbie.
I think you are going in the right direction.
I have been servicing and diving with sherwood since 93.
For a piston first stage they are one of the best.
Easy service and reliability are thier benifits.
I have a Sherwood first stage with a Oden Jetstream second stage.
I also have a Mares MR12 with a enviromental kit first stage that has a Sherwood Magnum second stage. These are my primary regs.
I like the Mares best for a diaphram type reg.
They have been in every type of condition. a max. depth of 235 feet, 4 hours dives in 28f. water in 13 knot current, and have never failed.
My stage bottles have sherwood bruts.
I also use a healthways sonic for my suit inflation
I met a guy in Nova Scotia, when I was there, that has a old style brut first stage attached to a posedion full face mask.
He came out of the water and said that his reg stopped giving him air. I asked him when was the last time he had the reg serviced.
He told me that it was never serviced, and that he bought it 12 years ago.
I asked him if he wanted me to take it home and have a look at it.
He sad yes, and I did.
The intake filter was green with salt with very little air flow, the O-Ring around the base of the piston had embeded itself into the walls of the chamber, because of lack of lubricant, and salt crystals fell out when I took it apart.
Yes it did look like it was 12 years worth of diving!
It took 2 days of soaking to clean the reg.
After I changed the o-rings, seat and lubricated it.
It worked like a charm.
Also all the parts are in one repair kit.
If a reg can take that kind of abuse and still bounce back
They must be doing some thing right
hopes this helps
