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I new to the list, or at least posting to it, and I do not pretend to be
in the same league as many of the regular posters to this list (enough
grovelling, already!), but up here in the frozen white north, we do have
some experience with cold water regs.

I am sure some other Canadian divers will jump on this, but the most
bullet-proof seems to the the US Divers Arctic.  The first stage is sealed
and winterized, and the second is built to use the diver's breath to keep
it clear.  I have spoken to a diver who tested the prototype some years
ago, and they did all they could to freeze it, but failed.  The Canadian
navy swears by them for their cold water work.

The Sherwood Blizzard comes highly recommended, too, but I don't think it
has the legs of the Arctic.

I am sure there are others.  The most important thing to keep in mind when
diving in cold water and gearing up in cold air, is not to test breathe
the reg out of the water.  The moisture in your exhale freezes in the cold
air, and the reg can free flow before you even get in the damn water.  

As long as I finally got up the nerve to post on here, I would appreciate
hearing from others who may have modified the strict Hogarthian set up
that WKPP and others use, for used in cold water.  We don't see water in
the 60's F. here until July or so.  Yesterday, water temp was 37F and air
was a bit cooler.  Using 3-finger mitts is a must, so the small clips and
tight rubber bands on things like back-up lights is not practical.  I know
that George and Carl will say that there is only one optimal way to
configure your gear and that any way other than their way is therefore
suboptimal, but I hope that they will agree that, if gear cannot be
unsnapped or removed from a rubber holder because of a lack of dexterity,
then another means of attaching it may be optimal for the situation.

Grant Wilkinson
Ottawa, Canada

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