New Regulator Advice

[Bob DBF]

I'm a fan of Sherwood, been diving them since the '70's, and this one linked is similar to one I picked up several years back. I picked up a demo 1st stage, same model# as mine, from them a couple of years ago and I'm quite pleased with it.

http://www.scuba.com/US/scuba-gear-34/033484-a/Sherwood-Blizzard-Regulator-..``Demo``.html?gclid=CjwKEAiAzuK0BRCW4tiLpJT-8TISJADV8cw92H_sU2PGyOrTscGV0TbS2p4fIxCKAokDOvS4vlzJvhoClebw_wcB


Bob

 

[Ghosty]

one of the common misconceptions is that you are only a rec diver so you don't need the gear that we use for tech and cave, but the reality is that we use that gear for a reason.

True, agree. That's why I'm taking my time and definitely staying in the mid-range for pricing, not cheapies.

Find BoulderJohn on this forum, he will be a tremendous asset to you and is close to your area. Consult with him and see if he will let you hop in the pool and try some of his equipment before you buy. Will be worth it

Nice, I grew up in Boulder. I wonder if he works at Weaver or another shop.

 

[BoltSnap]

Scubapro make most of their own, though some are produced by TUSA. Halcyon buys from Scubapro
Apeks/Aqualung still make their own.
Atomic are a bunch of pissed off former Scubapro engineers so they're making in the US and you're going to pay for it. Zeagles are made by Atomic now
Poseidon still make their own

Scubapro makes ALL of their regulators in Italy now.

Atomic: What the hell does that have to do with anything if they are pissed off or not? You are talking about stuff that happened about 20 years ago. AND, yes I'd pay more money for a "regulator" that is manufactured in the US than in Taiwan!!! Not even a second thought about that.

Deep6 is so new, it isn't even shipping anything and you recommend it??? It isn't about the manufacturing but it is also about longevity, reliability, financial capability, track record, innovation, in-house engineering, experience, support system worldwide, spare parts availability for old models, upgrades, etc. and Deep6 has none of this!!!


You want to buy cheap and rationalize it, go ahead but just don't put SP, Atomic Zeagle, AL in the same scale or class as regulator vendor "wannabes" please.

 

[undrwater]

Scubapro makes ALL of their regulators in Italy now.

Atomic: What the hell does that have to do with anything if they are pissed off or not? You are talking about stuff that happened about 20 years ago. AND, yes I'd pay more money for a "regulator" that is manufactured in the US than in Taiwan!!! Not even a second thought about that.

Why not a second thought? I'm truly curious. I've got Apeks, Scubapro, Atomic, and HOG regs and I like them all about equally. I work on my own regs, and the build quality seems to be identical in all of them. Is there something specific about Taiwan that worries you?

 

[diversteve]

MK2 Evo's have one HP Port. For $20 more you can get a Mk11/R195 that has 2 plus 2 of the 4 LP ports are HFP (high-flow)

Neither has a swivel though. Since you might be going to Boulder, check with Beaverdivers.com - they're a SP Platinum Reseller - and frequently offer specials in our Hot Deals forum.

There was recent posts about SubGear being absorbed back into the Scubapro line this year - they're the lower end Scubapro line. In fact one of our posters recently posted a reply here detailing exactly which Scubapro 1st is in fact a rebadged Subgear - they just don't sell the really high end ones as such.

If you can afford it ($409) I'd look hard at an Atomic Z2 also. Those "2 pissed off Scubapro Engineers" ^^ designed and built one of the highest performing regulators in the world. And that's not just my opinion - they've won a bunch of best reviews over the past decade.

Actually since every Atomic breathes the same, any Atomic best of review also applies to Z2 indirectly - the functional difference in the entire line is the materials used - as the price goes up the materials get better.

They used to sell the Z2 in a either 7port fixed or 5 port swivel 1st stage configuration - IDK if they still do. Of course either has 2 HP ports.

Like Scubapro they also have a 2 year/300 dive service interval standard. Although SP's is only 100 dives. Service, not parts is the cost in a regulator - I once did a comparison on service costs of a 1 year vs. 2 year plan - by the 3rd service I was money ahead even though the comparison reg was almost $100 less to buy initially.

Most regs with swivel 2nds add $100 or so to the price for it.

 

[divad]

Scubapro makes ALL of their regulators in Italy now.

Hopefully not by Fiat.

 

[tbone1004]

Scubapro makes ALL of their regulators in Italy now.

Atomic: What the hell does that have to do with anything if they are pissed off or not? You are talking about stuff that happened about 20 years ago. AND, yes I'd pay more money for a "regulator" that is manufactured in the US than in Taiwan!!! Not even a second thought about that.

Deep6 is so new, it isn't even shipping anything and you recommend it??? It isn't about the manufacturing but it is also about longevity, reliability, financial capability, track record, innovation, in-house engineering, experience, support system worldwide, spare parts availability for old models, upgrades, etc. and Deep6 has none of this!!!


You want to buy cheap and rationalize it, go ahead but just don't put SP, Atomic Zeagle, AL in the same scale or class as regulator vendor "wannabes" please.

what makes CNC'd blocks of brass from Taiwan any different than those from California, Italy, or England? We proved a few years ago the chrome on the Hog D1's was higher quality than that from Apeks. Apeks and Scubapro have gone through their fair share of low quality parts kits with multiple HP seat failures. Dive Rite actually punches out the diaphragms from a material made for them and sends it to ODS, Dive Rite and Deep6 all have really tight QC on their regs and aren't afraid to reject bad ones

Remember that when you make statements like what you did, you have to exclude Hollis, Dive Rite, OMS, and a whole bunch of other regulators that are made in that same factory. Also have to remember that regs like Dive Rite and Hog, and yes even the Deep6 prototype regulators are going on expedition grade cave dives where deep exploration is being conducted. If they're good enough for those doing dives to 300+ft deep, and thousands of feet back in a cave, I don't understand why they aren't good enough for you

 

[divad]

Also have to remember that regs like Dive Rite and Hog, and yes even the Deep6 prototype regulators are going on expedition grade cave dives /QUOTE]



Isn't Dodge/Ram "expedition grade"?

 

[Bob DBF]

Then forget the ones that manufacture their regulators in Taiwan who are anything but what you say here. Stick with Scubapro, Atomic and possibly AquaLung.

Scubapro is as solid as can be with excellent reputation that is a very long term regulator manufacturer (one of the two oldest regulator mfg. in the world). Atomic is up there with top quality regulators but is more expensive.

In 1955 Sherwood, a 30 year old company designing and manufacturing compressed gas and air management equipment, started manufacturing parts and regulators for the new SCUBA industry because no one else had the equipment or expertise in HP work. For years they were the manufacturer for most SCUBA reg parts, and many regulators, in the US including Helthways and later ScubaPro. This relationship changed as the industry grew and when Sherwood started producing their own regs in the '70's. This may put them in the spot of oldest regulator manufacturer in the US, even though they were not manufacturing their own regs at the time.

My ultimate point being is that the quality control has more to do with quality than the country of manufacture. And as far as I can determine, Sherwood regs are still produced in the US.

My usual reg is a Sherwood, I continue to stick with them because they have never failed on me. I can see anyone making the same choice for the same reason with their brand, but it doesn't necessarily mean that one is better than the other. I occasionally dive with vintage regs and have tried some other modern brands and so far have seen no major difference, enough to change, for the type of diving I do, but I don't get south of 200' much.


Bob

 

[Centrals]

Apeks is the name unfortunately it gets really expensive over last few yrs, and the difficulty of getting the spare parts/service kits does not help either.
Only time will tell if Deep 6 can live up to the challenge.