BEST dive watch for around $1000 WHY?

[Rhone Man]

I wear my Suunto D9 out of water as a watch - it is a bit bling, but you can get away with it. I am sure there are other computers you can probably do this with as well, but I haven't yet seen one. The D9 is air integrated (wirelessly), although I don't use a transmitter myself.

The flip side is that underwater, particularly the bottom row of the readout on the D9, the digits can be a little small and it can be a pain scrolling through them using watch sized buttons to find the data that you need.

 

[Rhone Man]

One other comment I would make on the D9: the integrated compass is a useful backup, but is not the sort of thing you would really want to use as your primary for navigation. Just in case that was a factor for you.

 

[fnfalman]

I like the suunto D series, but maybe everyone's right. They're flashy, but overpriced... why not go for a puck and seperate watch instead, and save a few dollars!?

I want to address this one specifically because my other post was getting a bit long. If you like the Suunto then get the Suunto. They make quality products, and they're not as overpriced as people tend to make them out to be. I dislike the Suunto products for two reasons and they are totally subjective on my personal preferences: 1) too conservative of an algorithm - people were bouncing off deco limits on Suunto while I and others were fine with our computers, 2) a bit more complicated to use - nothing practice can't over come but I just like to push very few buttons.

Pricewise, they're not that bad. The Suunto console AI comp is the Cobra II, add the quick disconnect coupling and compass then compare it to the nearest competitor which is the Sherwood Wisdom II with the same features and it's about $50 more MSRP. BUT the Cobra II can handle two gases (you dive two tanks 1-nitrox and 1-air or two different nitroxes mixes in two different tanks) while the Sherwood can only handle one gas at a time.

But let's say that you're capped at $1000, the Aeris Elite T3 hoseless AI puck is MSRP at $999 but you can do some wheeling and dealing and get it for around $800. Add a cheap Seiko automatic for around $160 from bluedial.com and you're set.

 

[Rhone Man]

I dislike the Suunto products for two reasons and they are totally subjective on my personal preferences: 1) too conservative of an algorithm - people were bouncing off deco limits on Suunto while I and others were fine with our computers, 2) a bit more complicated to use - nothing practice can't over come but I just like to push very few buttons.

Both of those are pretty fair comment.

 

[gcbryan]

i have a non-air-integrated watch-style computer, a nitek duo. i've used it as a watch for years & like it as a watch & a computer. i paid less than $300 for it.

You consider the Nitek Duo a watch style computer? Granted, it's wrist mounted but watch style?

I have the Tusa IQ-700 which is basically the same computer but I can't imagine walking around wearing it as a watch.

Just curious, why wear that around all day as a watch instead of a regular $30 digital watch?

 

[Marxous]

Thank you everyone for your imput. Considering all your advice, a friend sold me their gekko for 220$ CAD which I thought was a pretty good deal. If i need integration, then i'll upgrade later down the road!

 

[stevescuba2]

this is an expensive hobby!

 

[mkutyna]

You consider the Nitek Duo a watch style computer? Granted, it's wrist mounted but watch style?

I'm hoping that he means the Nitek Plus.

 

[gotwake]

I have the Aeris Elite T3 and I like it a lot. I'm thinking of buying a second computer for redundancy. Oceanic is coming out with a computer like the D9 called the OC1, but I think it will be more than your $1,000 limit.

 

[pookie]

There is someone on this site selling a brand new D9 dor a great price! Telll him Pookie sent you.