Dive comp opinion

[Johnbone]

Hey all. I'm new to diving and going through my OW now. As you all know, trying to pick out almost any piece of dive gear can be a long process. I've been reading through post/reviews/opinions on many pieces of gear, especially dive computers.

Here is my question on just 2. I have been looking at the Leaonardo as my first doc because it has received good reviews and is not overly priced. Once I've been diving for a bit and get more experiments, I was thinking of getting the Shearwater Petrel 2 as my primary and use the Leonardo as my backup. I have yet to read anything negative about Shearwater, expect people wishing there was AI.

Im not looking to get in AI comps at this time.

What at do you guys think of my choices? Good/bad or there is something comparable in price that is a game changer?

 

[tbone1004]

no need for backup computer at your level. When are at the NDL limits just wearing a watch is fine. In open water you should have a DSMB and know how to use it. With knots placed every 10 feet on the line you can gauge your ascent rates that way. If the Petrel is what you want, get it. Cave Adventurers usually has the best prices. If you want a watch style, the Seabear H3 is quite nice as well. Air Hogs Scuba, and Dive Right in Scuba usually have best prices on those. If you are former military, call Air Hogs as you'll get an extra discount for that.

Basically the choices in computers are
Shearwater Petrel unless you want a watch style computer or need AI, then get the Seabear. There just really isn't any other computers on the market right now that are able to compete with them for price/features.

 

[buddhasummer]

no need for backup computer at your level. When are at the NDL limits just wearing a watch is fine. In open water you should have a DSMB and know how to use it. With knots placed every 10 feet on the line you can gauge your ascent rates that way. If the Petrel is what you want, get it. Cave Adventurers usually has the best prices. If you want a watch style, the Seabear H3 is quite nice as well. Air Hogs Scuba, and Dive Right in Scuba usually have best prices on those. If you are former military, call Air Hogs as you'll get an extra discount for that.

Basically the choices in computers are
Shearwater Petrel unless you want a watch style computer or need AI, then get the Seabear. There just really isn't any other computers on the market right now that are able to compete with them for price/features.

Have you used the Seabear? It's very new to the market isn't it?

 

[tbone1004]

yes but not extensively. Only had it on a couple of short recreational dives. Didn't like the button configuration, but it's better than any of the other watch style/ai computers on the market that I've seen which is why my answer is "Petrel, unless". Dive Soft Freedom has potential but the fact that they charge of "upgrades" to the software is irritating, and it's only advantage over the Petrel is size.

 

[Johnbone]

no need for backup computer at your level. When are at the NDL limits just wearing a watch is fine. In open water you should have a DSMB and know how to use it. With knots placed every 10 feet on the line you can gauge your ascent rates that way. If the Petrel is what you want, get it. Cave Adventurers usually has the best prices. If you want a watch style, the Seabear H3 is quite nice as well. Air Hogs Scuba, and Dive Right in Scuba usually have best prices on those. If you are former military, call Air Hogs as you'll get an extra discount for that.

Basically the choices in computers are
Shearwater Petrel unless you want a watch style computer or need AI, then get the Seabear. There just really isn't any other computers on the market right now that are able to compete with them for price/features.

Thanks for the reply Tbone. Since I'm new, my initial loadout is not on the cheap side (as you know) I have a good idea of what gear I want of the remaining gear that I need to pick up and I'm not getting entry level gear because I know this is not going to be a passing fancy with me. I'm not trying to skimp but just trying to keep the cost down a little bit so the wife unit doesn't go too nuts about it (she is supporting me completely, though) I'd love to get the Petrel 2, but $750 is a difference over $250. I also got a nice offer on a new Sub Gear XP10 2 Gauge Console Dive Computer (comp and SPG) Retails for $379 and I can get it for considerably less.

 

[uncfnp]

There is a lot of controversy about computers on SB but if you are thinking Leonardo I would recommend the Giotto instead. My preference. I have the Giotto and the Petrel. Neither the Leonardo nor the Giotto would make good backup computers to the Petrel. Could use the Giotto in gauge mode if desired. Not sure about the Leonardo.

 

[stuartv]

I'd suggest to at least read pages 1 and 4 (at least) of this thread:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/co...zers/305374-so-you-want-buy-new-computer.html

I've been diving less than a year. I'm glad I did not buy one of the Cressi computers. Why? Because, even though I've been diving less than a year, I bought a much more liberal dive computer and I am having no trouble staying down long enough to reach my NDL time. If I had bought a more conservative computer, I would be being forced* to get out a lot sooner than I have been.

*forced meaning that I choose not to stay down longer than my computers says my NDL is.

---------- Post added August 26th, 2015 at 02:19 PM ----------

If the Petrel is what you want, get it. Cave Adventurers usually has the best prices. If you want a watch style, the Seabear H3 is quite nice as well. Air Hogs Scuba, and Dive Right in Scuba usually have best prices on those. If you are former military, call Air Hogs as you'll get an extra discount for that.

Dive Gear Express has the Petrel and the H3 with the same or better prices.

CA price for Petrel 2: $749 Cave Adventurers - Computers - Marianna, Florida USA - Never Undersold!
DGX price: $749 https://www.divegearexpress.com/shearwater-petrel

Air Hogs price for H3: $975 Sub Gravity H3 Wrist Computer | Air Hogs SCUBA NJP Store, SCUBA Sales
DGX price: $775 https://www.divegearexpress.com/subgravity-seabear

I don't even see the H3 on DRiS' website.

I have not bought anything from CA, Air Hogs, or DRiS, so I cannot comment on them. But, I have bought a lot of stuff from DGX and their customer service and return policy are both awesome.

 

[flots am]

The manufacturers work very hard to differentiate themselves, however in the end, almost any computer would work for no-deco recreational diving.

Some "give you" a little more or a little less bottom time than others, however the lack of bent divers washing up on the beaches, seems to indicate that they're all safe enough, assuming you listen to it. Every bent diver I've ever met, who had a computer, was bent because they ignored it, not because it did some calculation incorrectly. In the distant past, this wasn't always the case, but it is, for anything that isn't a museum piece.

The biggest thing I can tell you to look out for is to make sure you can read it. A watch-sized display looks cool in the store, but if you don't have eagle-eyes might not be readable underwater.

If you're relying on sound, make sure you can hear it.

flots.

 

[stuartv]

Some "give you" a LOT more or a LOT less bottom time than others

Fixed that for you. Actual examples illustrating this are given in the thread I linked earlier.

One specific example from one specific set of dives (in linked thread):

the most liberal computer allows 56 minutes of remaining time before the NDL, and the most conservative allows 2 minutes.

 

[uncfnp]

Stuartv. Have you dove the computers you are critiquing?