Dive Computer Suggestions

[D_B]

this is why I said that ...
... If your diving leads to tech diving sometime in the future, you will have your gages on your wrist, and your computer will be in gage mode
... An AI computer is comparatively expensive

 

[jeckyll]

I don't understand this statement. Why would someone not need or want this feature in the future. ...

Believe it or not, just about every diver I dive with on a regular basis has no use for AI computers.

It depends on what direction the diver takes.

 

[ChrisA]

Hello,

I'm fairly new to diving (OW certified about one year ago) and am looking for a dive computer. I'd like one that has enough features such that it will offer what I'll need as I build up my skills and experience over the next few years. The Suunto D6 looks great, though the price is a little steep. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

Doug

The funny thing is that as many divers become more and more experianced that find they need less and less features in thier equipment. For example a new diver might like the "time remaining" feature of an air-integraed computers but if I'm at a certain depth and look at my SPG, and I know which tank I have I pretty much just know how much time I have. Not that I can do math in my head but I just know how long 1,000 PSI lasts at 45 feet because I've been at 45 feet with 1,000 PSI about 500 times and it's easy to remember. Or if you can't remember you know you just used 1,000 PSI in 20 minutes so you figure the next 1,000 PSI will likely last about 20 minutes unless you depth changes. You will develop a feel for it.

The trouble with letting the air-integraed computer is that it can't know you plan to move to shallower water soon and can't put that into the estimate.

One feature you DO want is Nitrox. Almost everyone eventually gets ntrox cdrtified because it's a good gas to use if you are doing several dives a day like on a live aboard or resort

Oother features I wanted last time I bought a computer was (1) a very good backlight as 1/3rd of my dives are at night and (2) a user changeable battery.

 

[super7]

Getting a decent computer should be a good investment.

Then, what you need to consider is what route of diving you're going to purse.
IMO going tech or not might determine what features are necessary.
For instance,
AI, useful but more expensive; convenient for OW dives, but unnecessary for tech.
Console computers; same as AI
Integrated compass; same as AI
Nitrox; depends on gas availability for OW dives, multiple gas capability more convenient for tech

I agree with Papa_Bear that you shouldn't skimp on computers. But if you're not sure what course you're going to purse, getting an affordable nitrox capable puck computer might be the best way to go. This way, if you go tech, you haven't put money into unnecessary features. If you keep diving OW and decide to get a full featured computer (ie G9 etc,) you still have your puck as a backup (redundency for low battery just before or on a dive trip ).
Just my 2 yen.

 

[Kern]

Just thought I might add; if you get a 2 gas computer, one that can do a bottom gas & then be changed to a hot EANx mix for deco purposes, it will go into gauge mode after you take the first step into tech training.

 

[rstofer]

One other thing I forgot: if you plan to dive at altitude, make sure your computer KNOWS the altitude and deals with the issue of excess nitrogen on arrival at the site. For example, you might be an H diver upon arrival at Lake Tahoe before you ever get out of the car.

It is not sufficient to just get to the site, turn on the computer and then enter the altitude. The computer has no idea how long you have been driving or whether you have been at altitude for weeks. It has no ability to estimate your current nitrogen status.

So, you need a computer that is always on and always measuring barometric pressure. I went looking for just such a computer. The only one I found was the Dive Rite Nitek Duo (and the clones).

This is a really big deal for me because our little group may very well want to dive fresh water lakes and some of them are at high altitude.

For others, this requirement does not exist.

Richard

 

[FritzCat66]

I will second BDSC's recommendation of the Sherwood Wisdom air-integrated console computer. Big display, easy on the eyes, most everything you need to know during your dive is visible on one screen, nitrox-compatible, easy to use, reliable, user-changeable battery, nice backlight that stays on long enough to read whatever you need.

Biggest drawback is the PC software has some bugs. I'm not sure if a Mac version is available.

It's not a tech computer. If you really think you'll go tech, take the advice of super7 and just get a nitrox puck for now.

But for most of us recreational, single-tank divers, the Wisdom is hard to beat. Note that it's made by Pelagic, so similar models are also available from other manufacturers (I think Aeris maybe?).

>*< Fritz

 

[ShakaZulu]

Not sure why everyone is suggesting an AI computer, maybe they are all internet divers....if you are a real diver you will know that the AI often fails to read the tank pressure, and therfore you need a seperate SPG anyway. Why pay the extra money for a AI computer, stay away from the gimmicks. As for as TECH is concerned, those guys don't use computers, other than their brains.

 

[FritzCat66]

Not sure why evryone is suggesting a AI computer, maybe they are all internet divers....if you are a real diver you will know that the AI often fails to read the tank pressure, and therfore you need a seperate SPG anyway. Why pay the extra money for a AI computer, stay away from the gimmicks. As for as TECH is concerned, those guys don't use computers, other than their brains.

Not sure where guys like this get their data. Maybe they're just internet divers. If you're a real diver you know that organic brains are affected by things like narcosis and how much caffeine you had that morning, while silicon brains are not. While a hoseless AI might miss out on a reading occasionally, a console AI with a hose isn't any less reliable than a brass-n-glass SPG.

In fact, on a dive I was on just this morning my dive buddy's analog SPG flooded and failed. Luckily he had another one and was able to move his (non-AI) computer over into it to continue diving.

Unless you're tech, stay away from all the multiple devices and go simple with a single AI computer.

>*< Fritz

 

[jeckyll]

Shaka: There you go, you've been told