Good Octo for Cold Water ?

[Landlocked123]

Looking for a good Octo for my Pony bottle. Must be rated for Cold Water. Any suggestions? My 2 primary's sare Sherwood Blizzards.

Thanks
George

 

[Colliam7]

Looking for a good Octo for my Pony bottle. Must be rated for Cold Water. Any suggestions? My 2 primary's sare Sherwood Blizzards.

Is there a reason, other than expense, that you don't want the same second stage in use as your octo? If the Blizzards work, why not use a Blizzard as your octo?

 

[rhwestfall]

My preference is the ScubaPro MK-II, teamed with a "vintage" 109/156. The MK-II first is about as rugged as it gets, and inexpensive to maintain. The all brass 109/156 handles the cold superbly, and again, will take just about any abuse you can dish out. Again, maintenance is inexpensive. Perfect as a pony reg.

This combo was on my pony a week ago in 41 degree water of Tobermory.

 

[lindenbruce]

There is absolutely no reason not to use a good performing 2nd stage for an octo. If you need to use your pony the chances are the crap has hit the fan. And the last thing you want is an under performing 2nd stage as your octo. You want something that will flow lots of air and be a dream to breath off. As this will help reduce a person's stress when breathing from the octo as things are prolly stressful at that point anyway. So why add stress by using a low performing octo. Like was said, if you like your blizzards why not add another to the stable? B.

 

[elan]

Sherwood reg is not a good idea for pony/stage/deco as it constantly leaks gas through the dry bleed. It will also drive you and your buddies crazy as the would think you have a leak

 

[Tortuga68]

Looking for a good Octo for my Pony bottle. Must be rated for Cold Water. Any suggestions? My 2 primary's sare Sherwood Blizzards

Nitpick: a pony reg isn't an octo; an octo is a redundant second stage

I would say another Sherwood if you like them, or SP/Apeks if you can get them serviced locally

 

[rsingler]

At the manufacturer's specified bleed rate, your pony would "leak" all of 0.15 cubic feet in 5 hours of diving. Still, for those that like to never have to refill their pony bottle, elan might have a point. As for the "leaking bubbles", get over it. We're talking 18 cc/min.

My concern with Sherwood and a pony is weight. Many of their first stages are just plain heavy, and a little large. I'd agree with a SP Mk2. Simple, reliable, small and light. It's what I use. Add whatever second stage suits you best, and I think another Blizzard is a great idea.

To me, the bigger question on a pony is valving. Sherwood's bleed rate may be small, but a freeflow or accidental bump of a purge valve can dump a cubic foot in a hurry! And you don't want to dive with the reg turned off (though many do) because a similar purge bump may introduce water where it doesn't belong.
Me, I put an inline shutoff valve right at the second stage. When I grab the regulator at the hose junction to pull it out of its bands, my hand just naturally slides the valve to the on position. That way I can keep the system pressurized with no threat of leaking precious pony gas. My critics say it's another failure point, and they're right. To me, it's risk vs. reward. The chance of inadvertently venting gas by bumping the purge is much higher than the chance my valve will fail right when I happen to need it.

 

[Crass3000]

I'm not sure what you mean by cold water. In many places people seem to call a cold water reg one that is good down to say 50F and the manufacturer will probably call it a cold water reg too. Do you want a real cold water reg or one that works to say 50F? It's pretty important to get that distinction right.

 

[rsingler]

Do you want a real cold water reg or one that works to say 50F? It's pretty important to get that distinction right.

How is it that we have second stages that are good when gas expansion cooling causes ice crystals to form in the reg in 50F water, but those second stages aren't somehow good enough for 35F water? I'll grant you that ice diving might warrant a reg that passes US Navy standards, but I'm having trouble otherwise identifying "a real cold water reg" among those intended for use in icing conditions.

Where do you think the Bizzard fits in that spectrum, since the distinction is "important?"

 

[Crass3000]

How is it that we have second stages that are good when gas expansion cooling causes ice crystals to form in the reg in 50F water, but those second stages aren't somehow good enough for 35F water? I'll grant you that ice diving might warrant a reg that passes US Navy standards, but I'm having trouble otherwise identifying "a real cold water reg" among those intended for use in icing conditions.

Where do you think the Bizzard fits in that spectrum, since the distinction is "important?"

I know nothing about the Bizzard. Just simply saying that some rigs people talk about as cold water regs are rated down to say 50F while other "cold" water regs are rated down to 27F. There is a difference - mostly in the first stage as I understand it. And yes the distinction is quite important as a "cold water" first stage that freezes up at say 45F would suck if one were to dive a real "cold" water temps. Sometimes you need to look at the technical specs on your rigs. It might save you a lot of money if you buy something that don't buy something that freeflows every other dive. Just mentioning it as I learned the hard way.