Has Anyone Dove Deep With a Sherwood Blizzard?

[Blacthorn]

I have dove with a Maximus for years and it is by far the second best 2nd stage I have used (the first being a SP D400) so I am biased to say the least. I have never had any problems with deep dives with a maximus. I can't comment on the cold water uses, but they have a great reputation.

As for the above example, there seems to be a pretty serious lack of evidence that the other regs are good or bad. They don't have that many dives on them. Now it is extremely impressive that the maximus had that low of a failure rate, but the rest of the reg just weren't sampled enough to really make many comments on it.

But if you decide to go with the maximus you will not be disappointed, good luck with your choice

 

[Green_Manelishi]

You might search for data regarding WOB when you are "working".

 

[1_T_Submariner]

My wife dives a sherwood blizzard and ha gone to 115 with no problems. One of my buddies dives one to 85' @ 38-40 degrees F with no problems either.


Edit:
I have dove her reg a few times and it breathes really good. I normally Dive Zeagle regs and it is as good as they are.

 

[fisherdvm]

If they are the same reg on the inside, except for the little knob on the outside, then why did one perform well enough to be used in the program and the other one had a 100% failure rate (which just so happens to be the one that the OP was asking about)?

I couldn't tell a Maximus from a Blizzard, but based on your data, I would recommend the Maximus, and not the Blizzard

Also, I could add the numbers of most those regs to the Maximus and get something less than 2%.

Smart ass, you are right.....

But it gets even more confusing when you read the following:

AD Number: ADA300807
ProxyURL/Handle: http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA300807
Corporate Author: NAVY EXPERIMENTAL DIVING UNIT PANAMA CITY FL
Title: Evaluation of Sherwood Scuba Regulators for Use in Cold Water.
Descriptive Note: Technical rept.,
Personal Authors: Clarke, J. R.; Rainone, M.
Report Date: JUL 1995
Pages: 24 PAGES
Report Number: NEDU-TR-9-95
Abstract: NEUD tested the breathing effort and susceptibility to freeze-up of two models
of Sherwood SCUBA regulators, the Blizzard and the Maximus. Both regulators were
teated in -2% (28F) salt water, at depths to 6O.7 mew (19F few) . Five examples of each
model were tested. The probability of regulator failure was computed from the number of
cold induced incidents, and the time to failure for each incident. Under these rigorous
conditions, the probability of failure for the Sherwood Blizzard was approximately half
that of the Maximus. Furthermore, the Blizzard's breathing effort was consistently lower
than the Maximus, especially at low supply pressures. The Sherwood Blizzard should
be adequate for dives of up to 40 min duration in sea water temperature to 28F. Deeper
than 100 few, only moderate work (RMV no greater than 40 L-min) should be accomplished.

 

[fisherdvm]

This article said that the failure rate of the blizzard was 1/2 that of the maximus.

But it also said that the blizzard was easier (or harder?) to breath than the maximus.

The analysis of this complete article noted that the blizzard (1995 model) was preferred over the maximus (1995 model) because it was more reliable.

www.undercurrent.org/UCnow/issues/y1997/UC0997/Postmarks0997.pdf essentially saying the same here too: www.undercurrent.org/UCnow/articles/GBRDiversLost0398.pdf

Therefore, the 2 dives made with the blizzard in the above study might be with a defective regulator, therefore explaining the 100% failure rate?? Now if they had 20 regs, and did 2000 dives, would the data be different? I do know that the maximus has changed in its appearance, and now no longer have the complete plastic covering around the purge valve.... Whether it is still reliable, we don't know.

 

[Blacthorn]

So basiclly, one always fails, but the other almost never fails, but the first one only fails about half the time of the second one... okay that makes sense ...LOL

 

[moneysavr]

I'm considering getting a used reg that can be used for cold water diving. From what I understand the Blizzard is very reliable, but I wonder how it is at greater depths (100'-120'). I can't find a whole lot of info on these regs, which makes me wonder if I should be considering something else. Keeping in mind that I would be buying something used, do you guys have any suggestions or input?

Guess while the rest start a SB p___ing match I will tell you I dive my Sherwood Blizzard regularly in fresh water in the low 30's-close to 30 deg F as Great Lakes fresh water with contaminants will freeze at temps colder than 32 deg F ! at depths of 165'FSW and after its first service (years back) it may breathe a tad easier -and dose breathe at depth as surface the same FINE.

Its dry bleed system serviced by a SHERWOOD AUTHORIZED DEALER YEARLY! will be bullet proof.
Too many times I have been on dives with the well known SP divers and seen free flows and I don't care MK what the heck they had = It seems the so called easy breathe regs fail in cold water and at depths-yes a dry bleed system is not DIR but if it works don't screw with it! I dive several other brand regs and know the limitations
But IMO if your looking for a cost effective regulator for cold water a Sherwood Blizzard will be fine,yes there are other much more expensive regulators on the market some will work at depths,some cold,ect.But how many are darn near bullet proof? and inexpensive?
just my 2 cents.
Brad

 

[RAWalker]

I dive a Sherwood Oasis it is marketed as a warm water anti dry mouth reg. From the tech data I've seen it is virtually the same as the blizzard. The same structure inside that keep the Blizzard from freezing in cold water helps the Oasis moisturize the air in warm water. I've had it at 103' and in 45*F but not at the same time. I used a Maximus during my OW cert and found the adjustability to be just something else to play with that I didn't need. The Oasis has been comfortable for me in both cold and warm water diving.

 

[tankdiver]

I think there almost the exact same reg and i used to dive the blizzard as my primary but its a great reg

 

[do it easy]

Guess while the rest start a SB p___ing match ...

I was just being nit-picky about the data that fisherdvm posted. I've never dove a Sherwood, but I've also never heard anything bad about them freeflowing or other issues with depth.