SR-1 failure, again

[endurodog]

I have now had 3 failures with my SR-1 and I can not say how disappointed I am in the regulator, the service of the company, and customer service from the Sherwood rep on this board.

In Feb of this year while on a dive trip I had the first stage come apart after attaching it to my tank. Luckly at this dive site I was able to rent a back up.

In March of this year I had the first stage blow up while preparing my gear to dive the Vandenberg in Key West. Luckly the shop owner loaned me one, thanks Dive Key West. When the regulator was taken in to my LDS they called Sherwood to find out if there was a fix for this problem. They were told to lube an O-ring more in the 1st stage. When they asked how much more, they were just told "more". Guess that is techincal terms at Sherwood.

At the end of June I again had the first stage blow up again while on a local dive. Luckly I had a back up regulator and was able to finish the day out.

After having this reg fail on 3 occasions in only a few months I sent the rep here on this board an email explaining my issues and requesting that the 1st stage be replaced. I was told that I had to have it sent in to Sherwood by my local LDS. So back down there and sent it off. During the time Sherwood had it I sent an email to the Sherwood rep again advising I wanted the 1st stage replaced and he didn't respond for almost a week and then said they were looking at it and would let me know. Sherwood never let me know so after another week I sent an email asking what the deal was. I was told that my local shop had it and they would explain the repair to me. My local shop did not have it and I sent an email asking if the 1st stage had been replaced. Guess what, the Sherwood rep did not respond.

When my LDS did get the reg back they left me a message and I went down and picked it up today. Extent of the repair, the lubed the O-ring, you guessed it "more".

1st off Mr Sherwood rep I wouldn't contact customers either when I was delievering the news of how your company was handling a known issue like this.

2nd I will never buy another Sherwood product in my life and will do everything I can to let other divers know how the company stands behind their products so they can make an informed choice in scuba gear.

3rd with all the problems associated with this regulator if anyone puts together a class action suit please count me in .

Last I want to thank my LDS, they have handled this issue really well. They have been open and honest and really worked with me on it. Thanks to Underwater Phantaseas in Denver, a 1st rate shop!

 

[drdaddy]

I love my older Sherwood Reg. But I would never buy a new one today. I have heard so much about the problems with this SR-1 and am very disgusted in how poor of a product it is and the terrible customer service.

Thank you for warning the rest of us. You have my sympathy.

 

[endurodog]

I have to say that I had some miscommunication with custormer service but we have been communicating now and they are being very helpful with the issue. I'm hopefully going to dive the reg in the next few days and be able to put up a report. Customer service really stepped up now and has me feeling way more positive about the company.

 

[USVet96]

Wow. Sorry to hear about the problems. I dive an SR1 and have been good so far. It doesn't build great confidence though lol.

The problem is that when I was in the market and at my LDS, THAT was what they recommended so naturally I got it. Find out NOW about the problems haha.

Guess it's like any other kit. Keep it clean, keep it serviced, and always have a backup on hand.

But man, for the price they charge you would hope they would at least STAND BY their product when an issue comes up.

Good luck in the future

 

[ml3456]

Your lucky if customer service is helping you. I've shared your tech service nightmare a few times with my SR-1 and I didn't get any customer service, even after they said they would take care of giving me a refund they backed out of the deal!! The told my LDS the same story and reneged on them too. They don't carry Sherwood regs anymore.

 

[Sherwood SCUBA rep.]

Endurodog: Thank you for updating your post, we look forward to your comments.

Dr. Daddy: We are glad you like your older Sherwood products. The SR1 (like any other regulator) has had issues and these issues have been addressed. We (like any other manufacturer) are not able to please all of the people all of the time. This does not mean we offer "poor" products and "terrible" customer service. We have sold thousands of these and many are used each day in the field and we get emails quite often telling us how happy divers are with the product. Research any regulator and you will find both postive/negative comments about any product or company if you look hard enough.

US Vet96: Thank you for your service to our country and thank you for your comments.

ML3456: Sorry you feel that way. We did not back out of any deal or renege on any deal. We stand behind our products and our dealers. There is much more to this story than is being told here and the details are between the consumer and the store. We lived up to everything we said we would. It was simple miscommunication in an effort to solve a problem. This is not the way we do business and if we did, we would have been out of business long ago.

If anyone has any issues with our SR1, contact a dealer with your proof of purchase and we will get it resolved.

Safe diving,
Team Sherwood

 

[Mopar]

Endurodog:

. The SR1 (like any other regulator) has had issues and these issues have been addressed. We (like any other manufacturer) are not able to please all of the people all of the time. This does not mean we offer "poor" products and "terrible" customer service. We have sold thousands of these and many are used each day in the field and we get emails quite often telling us how happy divers are with the product. Research any regulator and you will find both postive/negative comments about any product or company if you look hard enough.

We stand behind our products and our dealers. There is much more to this story than is being told here and the details are between the consumer and the store. We lived up to everything we said we would. It was simple miscommunication in an effort to solve a problem. This is not the way we do business and if we did, we would have been out of business long ago.


If anyone has any issues with our SR1, contact a dealer with your proof of purchase and we will get it resolved.

Safe diving,
Team Sherwood

I bet Endurodog does not agree with your customer service statement. Since Sherwood stands behind their products. Please replace Endurodog's first stage. That is not asking a lot since he has had so many failures. I almost bought this reg. when it first came out. I am glad I bought the Aeris DVT.

 

[USVet96]

A little story about my reg purchase:

I was at my LDS discussing regs with one of the workers in the shop (also a diver). He was telling me how it was the product of the year, and how easy it is to breath from, how it will not malfunction in cold or deep water, blah blah blah. He then showed me that it was very minimalistic in parts, and that Sherwood will service it for free. So I decided to say OK and get it. As he is in the back testing it, and returning to me with it in the box, the owner of the store comes back (he was out). Him and I chat a minute and I told him I bought the SR1. He asked which one. I said I don't know ask the salesman lol. So the salesman tells him, and I, that it was the display since they were all sold out. The owner takes the bag FROM me and says he can't sell that one because it has a problem; and matter of factly that the last "batch" of SR1's they had ALL had this SAME problem. WTF? So now I had to wait a few days to get a "good" one (after I was ready to leave with the malfunctioning one that was supposedly tested). I received it later and all seems to be working; but what a way to start a relationship with a $700 Reg huh lol.

And on TOP of that, I wanted an Alt air instead of a separate Octo. So I check into getting a Sherwood since I have the SR1. I get the Gemini from the LDS with a solid product endorsement and didnt think twice about it.

Later on, doing some research, want to know the FIRST things that came up, during my post-purchase RESEARCH on the Gemini? The first items to post were the massive FREEFLOW problems they have in deep or cold water. I'm like WTF? (twice now). So I contact Sherwood and they were like "yeah we did have problems with them free flowing in the past, but the problems have been corrected."

So NOW lol, I have a SR1 that has worked (but COULD break at ANY time apparently), and a Gemini (that apparently DID break ALL the time) on my rig.

So much for confidence in my LDS (who only care about a $$) and in Sherwood. And the part that bothers me is NOT the price, I mean it does but, but the fact that my LDS sold me THAT model. I told them how much I was gonna spend and they knew I was relying on THEM in part during my decision making, and they still sold me that instead of any number of other regs.

 

[endurodog]

I got to dive my SR1 today after having the issues resolved. The reg worked great and I have to say I'm now happy with how customer service worked with me on the issue. Thanks Sherwood rep for your help on this, good to have the reg back in the water today.

 

[ml3456]

Dear Sherwood rep. I disagree. And my LDS would also!!