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Just read a report that said 80% of our gear fails in the first 5 years
I was looking at a safety study from the ADCI the other day. It said about 80% of all dive gear, from knives to comms, needs major repair or gets replaced before it hits five years old. I always thought my stuff would last longer if I just rinsed it good. The report broke it down by part, and lights/comm units were the worst. It made me go check all my own kit dates. Has anyone else seen this and started a stricter replacement schedule?
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hugo376mo ago
Yeah that report tracks with what I've seen, lights and electronics always go first. Started putting service dates right on my gear with a paint pen so I don't have to guess. Rinsing helps but salt water and o-rings just don't get along forever. Honestly planning to rebuild my regs every three years now, cheaper than a failure down there.
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davidr346mo ago
Three years? That's optimistic for salt water.
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rayc835mo ago
My buddy Mike had a Spiro reg set from the 90s that finally gave out last year, and he only dove maybe twice a year in the Atlantic. The thing is, even with careful rinsing, salt gets into places you never think to check, like the little weep holes on the second stage. I had a similar issue with a used set of Sherwoods I picked up off a guy who stored them in his basement, and the o-rings were already cracked when I got them. @davidr34 is right about the three year timeline being generous, because I've seen regs fail in half that time if someone doesn't flush the hose after every trip. It's not just the seals either, the internal passages corrode in ways you can't see until you pop the cover off. Better to stick with a strict schedule than gamble with your air supply.
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