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From: pfeiffer@uwvax.UUCP (Phil Pfeiffer)
Newsgroups: net.rec.scuba
Subject: Re: Regulator opinions wanted
Message-ID: <329@uwvax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 26-Sep-85 15:57:11 EDT
Article-I.D.: uwvax.329
Posted: Thu Sep 26 15:57:11 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 1-Oct-85 09:57:50 EDT
References: <541@riccb.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: U of Wisconsin CS Dept
Lines: 64

Four years ago, when I went shopping for regulators for the two of us,
I phoned seven, eight, nine (?) shops which sold mail-order dive equipment
nationwide, hoping for a price break.

I ended up buying a regulator from a local store, since my instructor
advised me that I'd get much better service that way.  Excellent advice!
Looking back, I'd say that buying your own regulator mail-order makes more
sense if you're already trained in regulator repair.  Otherwise, you're
going to have to shop for service at some point.  You'll probably get better
service if you plan to rely on the shop that sold you the reg for service.
You should also be able to get some advice from the salesperson on regulators.

I'd also advise you to buy from a shop which acts like it wants your business
-- I've found that most places do, but the first local shop that I called
during my regulator hunt didn't !! (this was in the state where we lived before
moving to Madison).  If I'm spending $200+ on a product, then I don't want
to buy from an arrogant salesperson.

Also, consider buying from a place that's willing to rent equipment to you
on "reasonable" notice, if you plan to do any diving locally and don't have
your own weight belt yet, or wet suit, or whatever.   Some shops have just
enough equipment to rent to their classes, and MAYBE will rent to you if
they're not conducting a checkout dive that weekend, or whatever.


Now, then ... on to what I learned about specific regulators ....


We bought Dacor 950 XL's partly on the advice of the saleskeeper, because she
said it breathed well and had a swivel yolk.   We also bought it because the
places that we called consistently rated the XL among the best regulators on
the market.  It DOES breathe well, the swivel yolk is a nice feature, and we've
had them for four years now, with no problems.

Of the other recommendations I received, the one that stands out in my mind
was the Sherwood Magnum.  The shopkeeper whom I called in California said that
the Magnum's strong point was that the 1st stage flow-balancing mechanism
doesn't come in direct contact with water.  This person, who also serviced
regulators, said that this was a BIG plus if you were diving in environments
that were hard on regulators -- like California, where sand gets in everything. 

The first stage "positive pressure" design is patented by Sherwood.  I don't
believe that anyone else makes a positive pressure regulator.

I also remember that he told me that the Dacor 950 XL was a fine regulator --
that it was, in fact, being made for Dacor by Sherwood at that time.


Again, this was all four years ago.  I see now that Dacor is now offering
lifetime warranties on new regulators (NOT available retroactively to people
who already own Dacor regulators -- I wrote and asked!).

One other spot of advice:  spend the money for a spare second stage (octopus).
Even if it means that your regulator's going to cost more than the $250 that
you'd hoped to spend.



--- Phil Pfeiffer


I have P.A.D.I. Advanced Open Water certification and 50 hours bottom time.
I'm looking forward to reading comments from the other, more experienced
divers who use this network.


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