Best diving computer on the Market

[The Chairman]

I love my Shearwaters. I don't go diving without them. I own at least a dozen PDCs, have plenty of options, but they are the ones almost always on my wrists. Yesterday I splashed with my rebreather and had 4 PDCs on. Two Petrels, one for the CAN BUS and the other with a Fischer cable, my trusty Teric to see how much gas in my offboard tanks, and a Garmin Descent, which is my fitness watch and allows me to monitor things like my heart rate. A guy at the dive site (Ginnie Springs) asked me if I had to give up all my PDCs save one, which would I keep? I told him it was a horrible question, but if push came to shove, I would keep my Perdix AI. If I had room for it, it would have been on my wrist, but I figured four was already too many.

The best part about SB is that you get to hear from people who actually dive these products. Sure, some may have an agenda in that they sell one or the other, but you can see the trend over all these posts. Caveat: Shearwater is one of my advertisers and I consider Bruce and Lynn (the owners) to be personal friends.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I love my Shearwaters. I don't go diving without them. I own at least a dozen PDCs, have plenty of options, but they are the ones almost always on my wrists. Yesterday I splashed with my rebreather and had 4 PDCs on. Two Petrels, one for the CAN BUS and the other with a Fischer cable, my trusty Teric to see how much gas in my offboard tanks, and a Garmin Descent, which is my fitness watch and allows me to monitor things like my heart rate. A guy at the dive site (Ginnie Springs) asked me if I had to give up all my PDCs save one, which would I keep? I told him it was a horrible question, but if push came to shove, I would keep my Perdix AI. If I had room for it, it would have been on my wrist, but I figured four was already too many.

The best part about SB is that you get to hear from people who actually dive these products. Sure, some may have an agenda in that they sell one or the other, but you can see the trend over all these posts. Caveat: Shearwater is one of my advertisers and I consider Bruce and Lynn (the owners) to be personal friends.

... and I thought I was a dork for always have two Shearwaters on me on every dive.

 

[The Chairman]

... and I thought I was a dork for always have two Shearwaters on me on every dive.

I always dive OC sans deco with only two PDCs. I did feel a bit conspicuous yesterday with all four on, but I got over it.

 

[MrBigfins]

NO! Do NOT get a Suunto.

Shearwater and only Shearwater all day long. Perdix AI or Teric. Any other computer will lead to eventual regret.

I dive a Suunto vyper novo AI, and disagree with your take on this. I am a fairly new diver and chose my computer based off of that.

When I did my research it came down to the perdix, vyper, and luna. I settled on the vyper because it left me room to grow, didnt have too many features that I wouldnt use in the foreseeable future, was AI, and was deemed conservative. It offers multiple gas mixes for deco if I go that route, large numbers, easy to navigate, suits me well.

That being said, I haven't had an issue with it being overly conservative. I've done a weeks worth of 4 or 5 dives a day on 32 mix and not pushed my Ndls while averaging 90' on first dives and 60' or so on second dives.

I use a mares quad as a backup. When it's time to upgrade then the mares goes to my son, the vyper goes to backup, and I will probably buy a perdix at that time. So while shearwater makes great products, it's not the only option despite what you might hear on scubaboard.

To the OP, I have heard great things about the taric. So if it fits your needs then you wont go wrong with it. I also agree that a computer should be your first purchase, especially if travel diving is your main diving atmosphere. Everywhere that I've traveled to dive at had bcd and reg to rent, but not all had computers to rent. My purchases went in that order as well. DC, then reg, then bdc. I opted for the vyper, aqualung legend supreme, and hydros pro. I dont regret my choice on any of those 3. Use an atomic M1 on my pony now and I like it as well. I dive a mix of cold water quarries in PA and warm water locations and this kit serves me well in both situations.

 

[markmud]

I do love my Suunto computers but I have to admit, when my D6i recently needed a new battery it took them two $%^&*&^%#$% months to get it back to me. I've been seriously looking at the Shearwater dive computers and they look really sweet. Which is the best Shearwater for tech diving and which has the most options for different gas mixes beyond air and EAN?

Hi Biker,

I am not a real tech diver (tec 40 yes, tech diver no).

My Perdix AI is a technical diving computer (trimix and nitrox) but has a recreational mode for us sissy rec divers.

I don't know which Shearwater is best for tech.

markm

 

[markmud]

I always dive OC sans deco with only two PDCs. I did feel a bit conspicuous yesterday with all four on, but I got over it.

Hi Pete,

Do you have a Shearwater on your tractor when you are in deep mud and water? Don't bend your tractor! She's a beaut!

Having two PDCs on me when my hp hose failed saved my diving for the remainder of a day. We were on the Vision at Santa Cruz Island. We slapped an SPG on my reg in place of my AI computer and I used my wrist mounted PDC to continue diving as if nothing happened.

Redundancy on the ocean works for this .

markm

 

[The Chairman]

I don't know which Shearwater is best for tech.

The one on your wrist.

 

[markmud]

The one on your wrist.

That's what I figured. But coming from you it is golden.

Either you are a good instructor, or the Perdix AI is totally user friendly (probably both). I remembered the tutorial you gave me on the boat regarding changing nitrox values. I pulled my Perdix out of the box and changed to 32% quickly...I was impressed with myself.

markm

 

[davehicks]

The fact that the list is for 2019 and they list the older Petrel and not the Perdix AI and Teric just screams lack of credibility.

The Petrel is an older model than the Perdix, but is still a Current product. The Petrel has unique features the other models do not such as the Wired connection port for Rebreather O2 cell monitoring.

The other factor that weighs heavily in Shearwaters favor is ongoing software and firmware support. I've been using the Shearwater Predator since 2010. There has been a continual stream of firmware and feature updates for this computer ever since. Bug fixes, new features, improvements, PC and Mobile software etc.

This is the sort of support that makes their devices valuable, and retain a high resale value. I don't think you'll find this level of commitment in any other dive equipment manufacturer.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

So while shearwater makes great products, it's not the only option despite what you might hear on scubaboard.

No one said Shearwater is the only option. The OP was asking explicitly about the best computer out there. That is a Shearwater and I stand by that view. When you look at serious divers the numbers resoundingly back me up. Look at any technical diver, rebreather diver, cave diver, week-in-week-out diver ... the vast majority use Shearwater. There's a reason.