Thoughts?: New Dive computer, Sunnto Eon Steel v Mares Icon Black (or other?)

[EmersonNZ]

Due to stupidly leaving my Sunnto D41 novo behind at a dive site I am after a new dive computer (good day... became PADI MSD, bad day, lost dive watch....)

It was something that was on my lit to look at in 6 months or so but looks like plans have changed. I have it down to 3 (maybe 4..) dive computers and would love your thought or opinions especially from anyone who owns any of the computers below. For the moment don't consider cost... (That shipped sailed long ago as far as diving went).

The 4 I am considering are (all with integrated air):

(1) Sunnto Eon Steel
(2) Mares Icon HD Black
(3) Oceanic Datamask
(4) Sunnto D6 novo

What did I like about the D4i novo? I liked it being on the wrist, nice clean display and enjoyed the fact I could use it as a everyday watch (not a big deal but nice)
What I didn't like about the D4i novo? Rather small typeface (especially during 1-2m vis conditions), I always missed the audio alarms (though have a good habit of checking every few minutes so no biggie).

Sunnto D6i Nono: Essentially the D6i novo is an upgrade of what I have (had). Part of me thinks if I am forced to upgrade I may as well upgrade.....

Oceanic Damask: I like the idea of the HUD aspect of the Damask but it seems rather long in the tooth now and not sure I like the idea of tying my mask into my dive computer (What if I want to change masks? Need corrective lenses etc?). I also wonder if it has a long term future... you'd think if Oceanic was interested in it they would have gone to colour OLED or LCD by now...

This gets me down to the 2 I seems o be leaning towards... Sunnto Eon Steel and Mares Icon Black. Both seem to have nice screens and good graphical displays of the important details. Both seem to be able to grow with my diving in the future. Eon Steel does seem to have more active development with software upgrades (maybe that is because it needed them?).

Has anyone dived with any of the above? Any thoughts? Would really appreciated your opinions.

 

[vixtor]

If you have the money for a Suunto Eon Steel, there's no reason to avoid buying a Petrel. Cheaper and better

Basically, Eon is not a real tech computer (having some limitations), so if you speak about growing, as long as you grow big enough, you will end up by being disappointed by Eon.

Regarding battery: Icon allows you to dive for 5-7 hours. Eon allows up to 30 hours (according to specifications). Both use rechargeable batteries. The Mares battery must be replaced/repaired in authorized center (according to the manual). Don't know exactly about Eon. But on the Petrel, you can replace the battery anytime, and it works for 15-30 hours (depending on water temperature) even from a standard alkaline AA battery.

Gases: Mares has only Air and Nitrox (I think), with only 3 gases. Eon supports trimix. Petrel would also support trimix.

It would be a long discussion about the advantages of Petrel versus Icon or Eon, and you can find it in many threads here. You will end up by being convinced this is the right choice

Pricewise, it seems to me that the price for an Eon is 2249, for Icon is 1999 and for Petrel 1395 in your currency (references here: Dive Centre, Big Display Wrist Computers and Shearwater Petrel 2 OC/CC Dive computer :: Water Junkie - New Zealand ) So, when the best option is also the cheapest, I see that you really have no other choice but to do the right thing.

You will love the deco information provided by the Petrel during the dive (and if you will take time to understand/learn it, you will appreciate a lot such details). For example, the GF99 (where you are compared to 100% buhlmann), the @+5 (how your time to surface will change if you stay 5 more minutes at that depth) and the real ceiling depth are very nice information to have during the dive.

Petrel uses bluetooth for computer connection. You can even connect it to your smartphone. Eon requires a cable, which you might not have all the time with you, during trips, and which might get lost.

The Eon locks when you skip a stop for more than 3 minutes. You should definitely not skip stops, and comply to the computer schedule. I have never skipped a stop until now. Still, I find it nicer that Petrel tries to adapt to what you are doing, and give you the best advice according to the current situation, instead of just locking out. In an emergency, this might be useful. Also about freedom of choice, the Petrel is even allowing you to define gas mixes underwater (not a useful feature except when you borrow a tank from somebody else but still nice).

Suunto Fused RGBM of Eon is a proprietary algorithm. You have no chance to match it with any PC schedule. On the Petrel, you can choose between standard ZHL16C and VPM-B. Both can be planned on PC with various software (like Multideco).

 

[tbone1004]

what Vixtor said. If you are OK with something the side of the Eon Steel, the Petrel is half the money and does everything except AI. If you like the idea of a HUD, then the NERD is the same price as the Eon Steel though you might have to get a bit creative with mounting since it is designed for rebreathers and/or full face masks. If you want a watch with AI, then I'd try to hold on for another 4-6 months or so and see what Scubapro does with the Seabear H3.

Unfortunately you picked about the worst time in history to lose your dive computer. Here is what has happened in the last few months
Aqualung dropped Suunto and Huish *Zeagle/Atomic* picked them up
Aqualung bought Pelagic Pressure Systems from AUP *Hollis/Oceanic*
Scubapro bought Seabear

PPS was the largest dive computer mfg in the world so the fact that Aqualung now owns them means they will be developing their own computers instead of being bound to Suunto, and AUP is now having to buy their computers from Aqualung or someone else. It's absolutely insane. Suunto moving from AL to Huish doesn't really change anything on their computers since it was just a licensing/distribution agreement, they'll still be horrendously overpriced and still use their weird proprietary algorithm. Shearwater is really the best option right now since the Canadian Dollar is down. Run in in recreational nitrox mode if you want, or technical mode

 

[Hatul]

I'm a fan of AI and about 3 years ago when the Icon first came out with AI I bought one and returned it. At that time is was plagued by problems-- everything from battery life, the USB connection, to mixing up Imperial and Metric units in the software. You can find posts from then with multiple complaints and Mares was not responsive. They may have fixed their issues in time.

I went with a Galileo Sol and have been really happy with it. For AI it's still the surest bet as most of the issues have been long debugged and the display, while the older style LCD is very readable because of it's large size.

If you don't want AI the Petrel 2 appears to be the best bet.

 

[tbone1004]

i'd avoid anything made by Scubapro like the plague for the next six months as their whole computer division is being overhauled with the acquisition of Seabear.

 

[dmoore19]

I love my Datamask. The display is always easily read. Of course it isn't flashy colors and graphs but for the recreational dives I do, it works like a champ for me. You can get prescription lenses for it, there is more than one company that will do that for you. It lacks a compass but I like my stand alone better anyway.

I think it's up to you and where you are going with your diving. There might well be other computers that will give you what you need going into tech diving if that is the path you are choosing. For me and the recreational dives I do and will continue to do, the Datamask is a great way to go.

 

[THRASH]

I just got a SubGravity H3 and dove with it and love it so far. Seems to cover everything you are looking for except AI, although AI is apparently coming. This was farther "confirmed" recently by a comment NetDoc made on a post although I'm too lazy to find the quote at the moment. Worth checking out at least.

 

[stuartv]

If I lost my PDC (which is a wristwatch-style with AI), I would buy an Oceanic Atom 3.0 or 3.1 in a heartbeat. That is what I have now and I love it. I change the batteries myself. The AI has been 100% reliable. It was way less expensive than the wristwatch w/AI options you're looking at. I'm 49 and have gauge reader lenses in my masks and I don't have any trouble reading it, even in low viz.

I also have a Petrel 2, but, where I always dive with the Atom, I only dive with the Petrel when I need to. I don't like anything big/bulky on my arms. Thus, I don't think I'd like some of the options you're looking at, for the same reason.

The SeaBear H3 looks really nice, except for the non-user replaceable battery. Regardless, I think I would not buy one of those until they actually fulfill their promise to release AI for it, and see what the pricing on that is.

 

[dmaziuk]

Sunnto Eon Steel and Mares Icon Black.

It appears at the moment Eon Steel is the only one that has both air integration and trimix. Icon could probably add trimix in a firmware update but who knows if they ever will.

 

[tbone1004]

for a reason.... very few if any technical divers use AI due to the cost of the transmitters and lack of realistically useful information during the dive. It's real convenient for recreational dives, but very difficult to deal with once you have more than 2 bottles going on.