Advice needed for Suunto Vyper: switching from gauge to air modus impossible?

[nitroxbabe]

MechDiver once bubbled...


I agree. I was looking very strongly at the Vytec as a nitrox computer that would stand some mild deco, and trimix b/t in gauge mode. Running their simulator software, it was very apparent not only was the Vytec not a deco compatible computer, it was too conservative for even mildly aggressive rec diving. Too bad as it has some very good features.

MD

Yeah, the Vytec was not recommended to me either. I'm looking at the VR3 currently. It's recently come down substantially in price.

The computer is rated to 500 ft! Basically, you buy the computer and then put in whatever software you want to use. It can accomodate up to 10 gas mixes (changeable underwater, of course) and has the latest in deco technology. You upgrade your skills, you upgrade your computer software. This has been recommended by several people I respect as "the last dive computer you'll ever need". Wouldn't THAT be nice.

I guess at this point I sometimes fall under "aggressive recreational" approaching technical diving. My Suunto just isn't quite cutting it anymore.

 

[MechDiver]

nitroxbabe once bubbled...


Yeah, the Vytec was not recommended to me either. I'm looking at the VR3 currently. It's recently come down substantially in price.

I looked at the VR3 also, as well as the Explorer and the Nitek He. One of the problems with this type of computer and mix or deco diving is that if the entire dive team doesn't have the same computer, the thing is pretty much worthless. In the case of my friends Explorers, they have proven to be more of a hinderance than a useful tool and are not reliable. We still use V-Planner to plan the dives and cut tables, and their $1200 bottom timers go along for the ride. The only way these things really do anything for you is if you plan the dive by the seat of your pants, or totally blow the whole dive plan. Neither is a good option IMO.

The Explorers, at least, also have some programming quirks that are a royal PITA and just about prevent shore diving or slow descents. They are also way overkill for rec diving. Now that OMS has been kicked out, the VR3 may be almost cost effective, but keep in mind that you need the computer, 2 software packages and the interface to make it work for serious diving. At least the Explorer is packaged I would like to take a VR3 for a few real dives to see how it actually works vs what the manual says it will do.

I have 2 Uwatec bottom timers for serious dives.

MD

 

[nitroxbabe]

Hmmmm - thanks for the input Mechdiver. Food for thought.

Do you have any experience/knowledge of the Nitek models?

I'm kind of stumped as to my best course of action here. I'm "outgrowing" my Suunto and want a computer that can do decompression and multiple gases, as I'm planning on taking advanced nitrox/deco next dive season. But I don't want to get something that won't do everything I need once I get there (and then I'll have to trade that one in too!!!).

 

[blackice]

nitroxbabe once bubbled...
...I'm looking at the VR3 currently. It's recently come down substantially in price. ...

What sort of cost did it used to be and what does it cost these days?

I too am out growing my Suunto.

 

[nitroxbabe]

Actually it's still a good $1200 for the entry-level software. Yikes. I had been told it was under a grand - that's still a good chunk of change but $1200 - yikes. Maybe I'd better look at that Nitek again....

 

[Scuba_Vixen]

If you haven't been there yet, there's an ongoing war, er, thread about the cobra/vyper conservatism issue. By may take, both are useless for anything past advanced snorkeling. There are some threads with info on VR3's. Seems the biggest issue there is reliability andwarranty service, since they are in the UK. Also seems at least some have a quirk whereby they won't let you change gasses in tables mode. My choice is the Abyss Explorer with the planning software you can download to the computer. It works well in my situation, but if the whole team/buddy doesn't have everything the same, it becomes just an expensive bottom timer. The operative fact here being: that by the time you know enough to dive mix, you ought to know enough not to use or rely on a computer.

Do a search for Suunto and VR3, you'll find the relavant threads.

Darlene

 

[vicky]

Scuba_Vixen once bubbled...
If you haven't been there yet, there's an ongoing war, er, thread about the cobra/vyper conservatism issue. By may take, both are useless for anything past advanced snorkeling.

Vyper (and co.) is a great scuba computer. Period.

I recommend it to any friend and scubadiver. It is not expensive (especially compared to Explorer, VR3 and friends). It is a relatively safe computer. Most divers don't do 5 deco dives a day and they don't spend 120 minutes in deco stops. Most divers do 2-4 dives a day, they perhaps scratch bottom time and need a 3min mandatory stop, and they want to fly home safely. That's what the Vyper knows to do. If it means that one needs penalty for ascending fast or saw profiles, so be it.

Scubadiving is all about limits. If you want to cross the limits, expand them, and do longer, deeper, multi-repetitive dives with less deco stop time, ten Vyper is not a computer for you. Perhaps even diving is not for you (even if you disagree). I was taught to take always as many safety factors as possible, and I find the Vyper even a bit liberal for deco dives where I usually take more safety than when I do rec diving. IMHO less conservative computers are a danger, not a better tool..

Get a Vyper, dive safer..

 

[jplacson]

I agree... I don't intend to do deco dives and I think the Suunto line-up is just fine for people who want to stay well within NDL.

Besides, regardless of how Suunto markets their computers... the manual (on my Vytec anyway) clearly states that it is NOT intended for commercial or technical use...nor does it allow PLANNED deco dives.

The deco function on most Suuntos seem to be for rec divers who ACCIDENTALLY hit the deco area... and the Suunto guides them up pretty easily.

If you do planned deco dives... or more advanced diving... why on Earth would you get a Suunto to begin with? That's like doing an off-road rally race with a stock Mitsubishi Lancer, instead of the Lancer Evolution. (Or racing an F1 race with a BMW M3 against an F1 car) Suuntos aren't made for the tech/commercial diver in mind.

Most deco divers I know don't even use a computer... just a BT and tables. Even my dive instructor doesn't suggest a computer for deco dives. They say even the good ones are not as reliable as a basic BT and following your dive plan. The keep computers as back-up systems and redundant BT but that's about it... most computers would just freak out with a deco dive anyway... Nitek, VR3 and the like are excluded of course.

 

[nitroxbabe]

Yep, the Suunto's are just fine for regular old recreational no-deco diving. I have been very happy with it until I started pushing the limits of no-deco diving: now it no longer suits my needs.

Jplacson: I bought my Suunto over a hundred dives ago when I had no inkling that I would become interested in the type of dives I am doing now, silly man. Most people I dive with didn't have their entire dive experience planned out when they took their open water.

 

[Scuba_Vixen]

While they are generally ok for average rec diving, they have design attributes that can , within safe reasonable profiles (not deco) tox you out without warning, where no other computer would have shown more than perhaps 30% cns O2 loading. That makes them useless for repetitive dives if you happened to do one of the profiles on the first dive that triggered the cns clock 10X overdrive quirk.

I need a computer that tracks MY dive, not one that forces me to dive it's profile. That's what I paid for, that's what I expect to get.


Darlene