Best First Dive Comp under $700?

[tbone1004]

Timmy, frankly horrible advice. Reason, those computers have no residual value, and they can't grow with you. He mentions wanting to do Northeast wrecks, that means he is going to need two gas at some point and decompression. Zoops have neither, nor do they have gauge mode so you can use them as a bottom timer, many of the simple cheap computers can. Suggestion for the $180 N2ition makes sense, but at $250, why not spend the extra $150 on a computer that will actually hold value and grow with him instead of wasting money on something that will either be a paperweight because he can't use it, or worthless if he can't sell it in a few years?

 

[lowviz]

We all assign value a little differently. ...//... I like seeing and talking to divers about their gear. Especially if they have different gear than me. It's fun, social and informative.

Indeed.

For $US 60 you can get a pin that unlocks a bubble model. The bubble model offers two flavors. So you now have a choice between "bend and mend" and a straight bubble model or one with a GF check. Flip back and forth among all at will, they all stay active and tracking, most interesting.

And, as uncfnp noted, the integrated visually cool compass is awesome. Why? Because it is so simple that there is absolutely nothing to get confused about. You can't get it wrong. Try that with an indirect reading compass... (The compass comes with the Petrel 2, not Petrel -be careful of buying a used unit)

 

[djtimmy77]

Timmy, frankly horrible advice. Reason, those computers have no residual value, and they can't grow with you. He mentions wanting to do Northeast wrecks, that means he is going to need two gas at some point and decompression. Zoops have neither, nor do they have gauge mode so you can use them as a bottom timer, many of the simple cheap computers can. Suggestion for the $180 N2ition makes sense, but at $250, why not spend the extra $150 on a computer that will actually hold value and grow with him instead of wasting money on something that will either be a paperweight because he can't use it, or worthless if he can't sell it in a few years?

Thanks for the insult but I clearly disagree with your advice.

Considering dive equipment to "hold value" is a farce. All dive computers will be paperweights. The value is gone once the Petrel 3 or whatever is next comes out.

Again he can use the basic computer for any and all recreational dives. If the computer has BT functionality then he can use it as well for any tech diving....IF he ever ends up doing tech diving. Spend the money actually diving now and becoming a better diver.

Later on when he has enough experience to do more difficult dives and determines he needs a fancy computer along with run time tables then buy whatever is considered the best dive computer for that purpose, as he will be spending a ton of money on other gear as well. Or pick up your used Petrel dirt cheap.

 

[tbone1004]

the Predators are still going for $500, hardly a paperweight.

The insult was only based on the computers you listed, single nitrox computers, most of them don't have gauge mode, and with one nitrox gas, why not spend a few extra bucks and get a much nicer computer that will last longer through diving career? Alternatively, the first post suggested a Zeagle N2ition for cheaper than the basic nitrox computers, gas flexibility, digital compass, and gauge mode, no brainer. Same reason the DG03 was the go-to cheap computer up until the N2ition came up, it's cheap, and offers much better value/dollar than the basic computers.

 

[dmaziuk]

Considering dive equipment to "hold value" is a farce. All dive computers will be paperweights. The value is gone once the Petrel 3 or whatever is next comes out.

All computers are paperweights, cellphones being the worst paperweights at the moment. That is the argument for spending as little as possible esp. if it's the first DC. The flip side is they're getting discounted all the time: right now there's the $170 "lite tek" computer tbone pointed to, I paid $190 for my leonardo back when they were new and frankly if you're in the USA and your LDS is not offering a nitrox rec DC with a gauge mode for under $200 -- you shouldn't buy a computer from them. Unless you've no problem dropping $700 on a petrel or ostc, then you might as well get a nice and shiny one.

PS. $170 "lite tek" is the reason I'd expect zoops and leonardos to go the way of the "basic" $150 DCs from a few years ago: the air-only, no pc uplink, no user-replaceable battery kind. I'm not seeing them anymore.



---------- Post added June 5th, 2015 at 03:53 PM ----------

I hear you. Someone, I forget who, equated fin stiffness and efficiency to bicycle gearing.

It's true in that spinning the granny gear fast enough to actually get any propulsion out of it pushes your air consumption into metric tons per millisecond. Just like trying to kick against a current in floppy fins. There is a slight difference, though... (it starts with a tee and ends with an ankh). Otherwise no: power loss in the drive train is pretty much independent of the gear. Power loss in the fin is very much dependent on blade material.

 

[uncfnp]

if the OP wanted my advice I'd say he should spend the $250 on basic wrist computer with nitrox capability, get an SPG and then spend the rest of his budget on diving. nearly all recreational divers don't need anything more than the most basic computers on the market. If he was insistent on spending more, I would suggest buying two basic computers to have a backup. I know this falls outside his parameters, but at the same time I don't think every rec diver needs a petrel.

as for AI two of my dive buddies used to have AI (one hose mounted, one wireless) and both had issues with pressure readings. The faulty pressure sensor on the pro-plus two ended up allowing an OOA situation to happen. neither one uses AI anymore, both have switched to brass & glass SPG and use wrist mounted computers.

There is a lot of truth to this. My first computer was about as basic as you could get. It was nitrox ready but no bells or whistles. Not even audible alarms. And I was very happy with it till circumstances required an upgrade. Since then I have purchased several DC's.

But we all have different preferences. The OP's goal is a Cobalt 2 and AI. But for now, he needs to go through his LDS to use his credit. This limits his options. If he decides to go outside the LDS, the options are greatly increased including other brands, discounts (LP has free transmitter for the Vyper right now) and used.

Staying within the LDS requirement, the Petrel 2 will give him a computer that seems most closely comparable to the Cobalt 2 minus the AI.

I disagree a bit though with the paperweight analogy. Even the simplest dive computers seem to retain some value and the Shearwaters more than most,

 

[ronscuba]

...

It's true in that spinning the granny gear fast enough to actually get any propulsion out of it pushes your air consumption into metric tons per millisecond. Just like trying to kick against a current in floppy fins. There is a slight difference, though... (it starts with a tee and ends with an ankh). Otherwise no: power loss in the drive train is pretty much independent of the gear. Power loss in the fin is very much dependent on blade material.

It's also possible to have too high a gear or too stiff a fin.

Riding your bike up hill, down hill, on the flats, riding fast, slow leisurely, short race, long race, etc.. You change gears to fit the situation, your leg strength and endurance. Now compromise and choose 1 gear for it all..... Apply this analogy to choosing fins.


" All computers are paperweights ".

True, but if someone starts and remains a recreational diver, their computer and most of their dive gear can last them a very very long time.

 

[lowviz]

" All computers are paperweights ".

True, but if someone starts and remains a recreational diver, their computer and most of their dive gear can last them a very very long time.

My VR-3's are truly paperweights. However, they will still get me further than I will ever attempt to go in tech diving. Lasting a long time is not just true for rec diving.

So why would I buy a Petrel 2 when I own everything I "need"?

-You would have to have dealt with a VR-3's user interface to truly understand. I'd bet you could get a fully unlocked, endless gasses, older trimix VR-3 for less than $US 300. What more could you possibly need?

 

[Ultimate Shield]

Ok, so this truly has come down to a Oceanic Geo 2.0 VS Shearwater Petrel 2 debate.
I've spoken with another local dealer who sells Oceanic. He's offering me the Geo 2.0 at $369.99
My LDS (The guy I got my cert through) has the Shearwater Petrel 2 and is selling it at $760.00, but I'm pretty sure I get a 10% discount on gear through him which would bring it to about $684, but this is all before taxes.
So I guess I got some thinking to do. Go with the Geo, which will suit my needs for the time being, leaving me extra store credit/cash left over to put toward a weight integrated BCD (and a year or two later when I get into the more advanced diving upgrade to the Petrel when I need it)
Or jump right into the Petrel 2.0 for its extra features and just rent the remainder of my gear for the season from my LDS
Hmmm. What to do, what to do.:confused4:

 

[dmaziuk]

It's also possible to have too high a gear or too stiff a fin. Riding your bike up hill, down hill, on the flats, riding fast, slow leisurely, short race, long race, etc.. You change gears to fit the situation, your leg strength and endurance. Now compromise and choose 1 gear for it all.....

It's called a "fixie" and at this point they are bought by hipster kidz 'coz they "cool". Well, OK, there is the other kind: the "not worth stealing" commuter bike in places where bike theft is common. There is pretty much no other reason to choose 1 gear. The difference with fins is you can choose between crap, stiff, and "super materials" in the DPV price bracket. So with fins "buy stiff, go to the gym and work your legs" is actually the best advice this side of a sea-doo.

" All computers are paperweights ". True, but if someone starts and remains a recreational diver, their computer and most of their dive gear can last them a very very long time.

Yep. I have no intention of upgrading my leonardo until it dies. The OP was about them having no resale value, which is true. (And not growing with you, which is misleading because "growing" is really only about having gauge mode and "not" is only about zoop: it seems to be the only remaining DC now that doesn't have it.)

---------- Post added June 5th, 2015 at 06:07 PM ----------

Hmmm. What to do, what to do.:confused4:

Easy: what tbone said. $170 zeagle from DGE will take you way past rec diving. If and when you need to upgrade to petrel (6?), then worry about that. Now spend the LDS credit on the BCD.