Advice please on hoseless

[jackdav]

I have just started to look into getting gages / computer / etc..... I don't know that much about it, but I do know that I hate hoses, especially when I'm underwater. I figure if I go hoseless, and get a combined octopus and inflator that I can get by with just two hoses to watch out for, and two is a number I can manage, I think. I may change my mind, but right now I am looking for advice and things to consider. What I think I want are

1) hoseless .... I have discussed this... also I wonder if there are hoseless pressure gages that aren't computers also... I haven't seen any and wondered.

2) nitrox capable

3) user battery replaceable

4) User programmable / changeable without having to buy expensive accessories (I'm thinking of some of the remarks I've read here about Uwatec)

5) Whatever anyone else thinks is important but which I may not be considering yet.

Budget is not a primary factor right now .... though maybe later it will be. Although value (i.e., bang for the buck) certainly IS important. What I want to know now is what is available and what is most highly esteemed by the most highly esteemed participants in this list.

Best Regards to all,

Jack

 

[kauai_diver]

I too hate hoses, but while I know the "remote" sensor units work well, I don't like the idea of having 2 things that can go wrong. One would be the computer itself craps out on a dive and the other is either the transmitter or reciever side of the hoseless unit goes out. Most of these units are well made and work flawlessly as I can attest to. I dive with a couple of people who use them routinely. But for me, I like simplicity.

I use a Mosquito as my primary computer and a TUSA IQ400 as my backup. When I am diving Nitrox(just recently got Nitrox certified) my Mosquito is set to the appropriate O2 setting(ie. 32%) and my backup TUSA is a AIR computer, so no O2 settings. If my Mosquito were to fail me while diving Nitrox, I could resort to falling back on my TUSA and because it is an air computer and I am diving Nitrox, I would be very convservative and have that extra level of Safety. To me this is better than ending a dive. And if both of those were to fail, I would resort to my analog guage/depth/casio watch console to get me to the finish.

Again, I think the hoseless units are good, well made and those who have them, usually say nothing but good things. For me, I would opt for something like the cobra. I like the way Suunto set up the programming and funtion of their computers. It is logical and easy. You don't have to have a Masters degree in computer programming to understand it. While the Cobra is a hose unit, it is small/compact, feature filled and is air intergrated.

My one friend who has the Cobra, uses one of the clips that has the retractable line on it so that the Cobra stays tucked up close to the BC. When he needs it, he grabs it, pulls it out and views it, then it retracts back to it's normal stowed position and does not get in the way or hang out to get caught on things. He routes the hose under his left arm, and clips it to the strap part of his BC. This is a very clean way to keep it close and out of harms way. Plus you can mount a SK-7 compass to it.

Like all things in life, you have many options. Try to see if you can borrow one from someone before you spend ~700 dollars for the hoseless models. For that kind of money, you want to make sure you like it, and it is easy to use. Here are two that I have seen

Scubapro Aladin Air Z
Hoseless version of the Aladin Air Console. Air-integrated. With PC interface. $1,110

Scubapro Aladin Air Z 02
Sophisticated, high-tech computer is hoseless, gas-integrated and nitrox-capable. With PC interface. Can be used with a rebreather. $1,250

Here are some tips for hoseless use I got from an article done by the testers from Rodales:
Hoseless receiving units need even more care and protection than other instruments, as our durability tests have shown them to be more prone to shock damage.
Be sure to mount both the sending and receiving units on the same side of your body.

There is a good article in the August Skin Diver I believe on the higher end computers and a couple of them are hoseless as well as you can go here and read some reviews:
http://www.scubadiving.com/gear/2001gear/2001comps.shtml
Good luck on your choice!

 

[jackdav]

Thanks, kauai_diver, for the thoughtful response. I have continued to look into dive computers and have to admit that I am now leaning towards the Oceanic Data Trans Plus, but I will sure give the Aladin Air Z some research and thought. Do you know anything about or have an opinion regarding the Data Trans?

Best Regards,
Jack

 

[jmsdiver]

Computers, computers, computers ...

You have developed a sound list of features that you are looking for: you want a computer that is hoseless, has user replaceable batteries, user settable settings, nitrox. All of these things point to a Pelagic Pressure Systems line of computers. You need to check out the Aeris and Oceanic line of computers, such as the Data Trans. Neither of these lines cost the amount of the Uwatec line and are fairly user friendly and intuitive. I've also been hearing good things about the Sherwood Genesis React.

You may wish to do some research into decompression models to find one that fits your style of diving. The two models that are hot in the Recreational area are the Uwatec and Suunto line, though Suunto doesn't have a hoseless model and Uwatec seems to lean a little bit toward the tech crowd. Also, the Aladin Air z 02 works with Drager's rebreather line (food for thought). Read up on these deco models: modified Haldanian (PPS line), Reduced Bubble Gradient Model (Suunto), and ZH-L8 ADT (Uwatec).

I personally have be considering having an air integrated computer, though I don't know if I want to have that kind of dependency. I like diving with a small pressure gauge that I tuck up under my left arm and then wear a wrist mount computer. I don't mind hoses as I dive with many for the redundacy level I wish to have; I just route the hoses so that they are out of the way.

Do you think that they'll ever have the hoseless kit?

 

[hphobbie@aol.com]

I would steer away from hoseless computers. If the signal is interrupted, or brokenm you have no pressure guage or depth guage. I have seen one crash 4 different times.

Another thing to fail. I do not think they are a good idea.

 

[GreenDiverDown]