Best diving computer on the Market

[markmud]

I was going to and then took a hit to the eye socket orbit.

Yeah, I was not envious of the contusion, abrasion, and adema. Nasty look'n!
m

 

[The Chairman]

Yeah, I was not envious of the contusion, abrasion, and adema. Nasty look'n!
m

Even worse... "eye" couldn't dive after that! I thought I was going to die when I got that reverse block on Thursday. I was glad to be back in the water yesterday with my 'breather.

 

[stuartv]

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?

They're all equally capable for tech diving. They all have the same options for gases.

I have Predators, Perdix AI, and Terics. I prefer the Terics for all open circuit diving, rec and tech. I use the Predators instead, when I'm diving my CCR, because they are attached to it.

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.

If you like the Perdix AI better than the Teric, why didn't you use it instead of the Teric?

As does the Nerd. One day I'll try a Nerd. I would like one just to reduce the clutter of PDCs on my arm. Doubly so if you can get one with a Fischer cable and it had wireless AI. I really hadn't thought of that until now.

The NERD2 has a Fischer cable option and does wireless AI. They're $1950, from Dive Gear Express (though I'm sure you have a connection to get one for less).

When I am a bit more flush, my plan is to replace the Fischer cable Predator and the Shearwater HUD on my rEvo with a NERD2, and put AI transmitters on my CCR cylinder 1st stages at the same time. And probably use a Teric on my right arm as a completely-not-connected backup. The Teric is probably unnecessary, but since I have it, why not?

 

[aquacat8]

$hearwater computers seem great, but for an open water diver on a budget the cost is truly a barrier. Tec always comes down, I’ll have to wait. Meanwhile... happy with my old Oceanic computers on DSAT.

 

[stuartv]

$hearwater computers seem great, but for an open water diver on a budget the cost is truly a barrier. Tec always comes down, I’ll have to wait. Meanwhile... happy with my old Oceanic computers on DSAT.

An Oceanic with DSAT is VERY hard to beat for open water, recreational sport diving.

My first dive computer was an Oceanic Atom and I literally just sold it this past week. It served me well, but with 2 Terics and a Perdix, I really had no reason to keep it.

For that open water, recreational sport diving environment, the one thing that I feel like the Teric really offers over a computer like my old Atom is the ability to read it easily at night or in low viz. Even when I "only" dive single tank recreational diving, I would often dive in our local quarry just for the practice. That quarry often has viz that is 2 - 3 feet. Sometimes even worse. With my Atom, I had to push a button to turn on the back light and even then sometimes it was a bit hard to read. At least, hard to read compared to any Shearwater I've had, which requires no button-pushing and is WAY easier to read than any backlit LCD screen I have seen.

So, yes, a Teric has more features than you need for sport diving. But, I don't really "get it" when people post that they don't want a computer with more features than they need. That's like saying "I never carry passengers, so I don't wanted heated rear seats." I mean, if it's a feature you never use, who cares that it's there? I don't know of any downside to the tech-specific features in a Teric. You can never know it supports trimix or closed circuit. The presence of those features will never impact a diver using it in Open Circuit Recreational mode. Yes, it costs more than an Oceanic DSAT computer. But, if you will benefit from the better readability, and that is worth the extra money to you, then those extra features shouldn't make anyone shy away from it.

Anyway, whether she or he needs it, the OP asked about THE BEST diving computer. In my opinion, "Shearwater Teric" is the answer to the OP's question.

 

[The Chairman]

If you like the Perdix AI better than the Teric, why didn't you use it instead of the Teric?

It has a smaller profile. I had four PDCs on my arm. FOUR! I had not done the dual display of pressure on the Teric before and I had figured it would be too small. It wasn't. It was incredibly easy to read the left and the right tanks. I should have known that, but in my defense, I really have no defense. Those Shearwaters are filled with magic.

Meanwhile... happy with my old Oceanic computers on DSAT.

I was the same way until I got my first Shearwater. I think I kicked my self at how much better they were.

 

[Marie13]

I was the same way until I got my first Shearwater. I think I kicked my self at how much better they were.

Yep, me, too.

 

[Ermelo Vergara]

i think perdix is better than teric battery wise..

 

[Hoag]

I think that I can safely say that I really want a Perdix AI. The problem is that is is definitely a want and certainly not a need. As much as I would like one, it really is hard to justify $1650 (CAD) on a dive computer when I only get diving about one trip every year or two. For $1650, I am well on the way to paying for a week on any one of several LOBs. When you factor in that as @aquacat8 said, for now at least I am "happy with my old Oceanic computers on DSAT".

 

[The Chairman]

i think perdix is better than teric battery wise..

Either would easily last a full, full day of diving. I replace the rechargeable battery in my Perdix and recharge the Teric every night as I charge my phone.