My regulator freeflow at depth taught me to distrust even familiar rental gear

I was exploring a reef in Bonaire last year, using a regulator from a shop with solid reviews. About twenty minutes in, at around 25 meters, it suddenly began freeflowing, blasting air and obscuring my vision. I had to signal my buddy, cut the dive short, and make a controlled but rushed ascent. Missing the chance to see the resident sea turtles was frustrating, but the real lesson sank in later. Now, I spend ten minutes in the shallows testing every rental, no matter how reputable the source. It reminds me of roofing, where a trusted nail gun can still jam if you don't inspect it. That single malfunction changed my entire approach to pre-dive checks.

3 comments

3 Comments

noah_kelly6012h ago

Solid reviews and it freeflowed at 25m? Unbelievable.

patricias539h ago

Right? I had the exact same thing happen with my old regulator at that depth, just a steady stream of bubbles from the second stage. Swore I'd never touch that model again after checking it was rated for way deeper.

alex_mason6h ago

Tbh, I've had that regulator to 40m with no issues. @noah_kelly60, sometimes a freeflow is just bad luck or needs a service.