best wrist style computer for recreational diver... advice wanted please :)

[Centrals]

Two simple nitrox compatible computers with gauge mode are all you need.
You can start looking for tec computer if you ever venture into it in the future. However, if you decide to take up the route on GUE then you will find out that tec computer is NOT necessary.

 

[LowVizWiz]

But telling a diver who says "money isn't really an issue" to get a DG03 over a Petrel is, at best, laughable. Bro.

Laughable? Call me crazy for actually listening to what the op wanted and recommending a dive computer with all the features listed.
If you actually wanted to pick a valid bone with my recommendation you could have said the Aeris A300 CS is better choice than mine given what the op wanted.

I will never understand how telling someone, who clearly stated what they wanted, that they could pay more for something that doesn't have everything they asked for can pass as good advice.

The petrel is a fine computer, I own one. But one size does not fit all. If the op wants AI, the petrel certainly does not fit the bill.

---------- Post added October 15th, 2014 at 09:37 AM ----------

I am interested in the petrel but can't find one under 1000.

Shearwater Petrel - OC/CC - Stand Alone P0CT-SA-OLED Buy at DIVESEEKERS.com 888-SCUBA-47
https://www.divegearexpress.com/computers/petrel.shtml
That's the cheapest I've seen the petrel advertised online. I got mine locally and my LDS beat their prices.

 

[victorzamora]

So, I own a DG03 and a Petrel....so I think maybe my input might be of some use.

Air Integration has a downside nobody has mentioned so far: It makes most divers complacent and is woefully too liberal. I use MinGas concepts for all of my OW dives, which means that at no point do I have insufficient gas to get me and a panicking buddy up to the surface. AI computers get you to the surface as long as you don't have to buddy breathe and as long as your SAC rate doesn't go up, either. Also, the transmitters are expensive and unreliable at best.

The Petrel's battery life is, in fact, shorter than a DG03's.....but the DG03 uses a round-flat type battery and "requires" a "Battery replacement kit" to be installed, including some lube, a new o-ring, and the battery. They're very expensive and very hard to source.....most shops won't even sell you a kit and require that you pay the shop to switch batteries out. The Petrel uses a standard AA battery (or SAFT) and the o-ring is a standard DIN o-ring (112?) that needs nothing done to it. If you have access to a coin and a AA, you can swap batteries out safely and quickly.

Screen goes without saying, the Petrel's blows the DG03's screen into the last millenium. Customer support also goes without too much to be said. as Shearwater is one of the companies in diving that would truly bend over backwards to help you out. In terms of user interface, I've had my DG03 for a few years now and still have a hard time doing anything to it besides setting my nitrox mixture in it....even switching gasses requires some thought. Nothing on the Petrel requires any effort for me as it's just SOO simple.

Interface: The Petrel's interface works simply and quickly for uploading dives and data to your devices. It includes a bluetooth dongle (for computers without built-in bluetooth) and you just install the program. It's like seven button clicks to upload all dive data. Uploading firmware is a piece of cake as well. I've done transferred to and from my Petrel with an iPhone, an Android phone, a Windows computer, and a Macbook....no issues anywhere. The Hollis cable has less than perfect reviews and has been known to break leaving you with a $100+ cable to re-purchase. Bluetooth can't break.

As for the TX1, I have heard a few people tell me that their TX1s have cleared them of all deco obligations and nitrogen loading upon switching gases. Not great praise for such an expensive computer.

My recommendation? Either get a DG03 and forget the computer integration and get it as cheaply as you can (around $275 in the US) and be happy with that, or go ahead and spend the money on the Petrel. By the time you get the Tx and the cable and stuff you should have just gotten the Petrel.

DG03 Pros vs Petrel:
Much cheaper (unless you get the Tx and download cable)
Longer battery life

Petrel Pros vs DG03:
Much better customer service
Much better screen
Much easier to use
Much more reliable
Much more capable
Much easier to read
Much more customizable
Much cheaper/easier to source batteries

 

[npolanszky]

thank you everybody for all your responses, has been very helpful. but i have still yet not made a decision haha.

i have decided to ditch the air integration, and keep gear cost effective and simple. less maintainence etc. i also always carry a small spg on me as i don't fully trust the transmitter and for other reasons, so yes the extra transmitter is something that is not required.

i am interested in the petrel. if it is worth the extra money. i don't like the idea of carrying AA batteries around with me though as appose to the smaller standard batteries. I'm guessing on islands like the gilis and lembongan batteries are going to be hard to come by.

i have also decided linking the computer to my mac is no real big deal either, as to be honest i don't ever see me using it and getting any real advantage from it.

i have now also been recommended suunto zoop by many instructors/guides around asia, saying majority of guides use suunto and they are very user friendly. only reason i decided not to go suunto was due to their algorithm, but if majority of guides in asia are using them then i see no problem using one swell.

i am still also interested in the dg03 but it does not sound very user friendly.

so i guess I'm down to about those three:

the petrel 1000 aud
suunto zoop 230 aud/suunto vyper 300 aud
dg03 300 aud

i am now leaning more towards the suunto due to apparently more user friendly, more reliable, cheap, widely available and used, and can still get a bungee mount from dss, well i hope they post to australia?

thanks again everyone only 8 more weeks for me!!!

 

[Neoteric James]

thank you everybody for all your responses, has been very helpful. but i have still yet not made a decision haha.

i have decided to ditch the air integration, and keep gear cost effective and simple. less maintainence etc. i also always carry a small spg on me as i don't fully trust the transmitter and for other reasons, so yes the extra transmitter is something that is not required.

i am interested in the petrel. if it is worth the extra money. i don't like the idea of carrying AA batteries around with me though as appose to the smaller standard batteries. I'm guessing on islands like the gilis and lembongan batteries are going to be hard to come by.

i have also decided linking the computer to my mac is no real big deal either, as to be honest i don't ever see me using it and getting any real advantage from it.

i have now also been recommended suunto zoop by many instructors/guides around asia, saying majority of guides use suunto and they are very user friendly. only reason i decided not to go suunto was due to their algorithm, but if majority of guides in asia are using them then i see no problem using one swell.

i am still also interested in the dg03 but it does not sound very user friendly.

so i guess I'm down to about those three:

the petrel 1000 aud
suunto zoop 230 aud/suunto vyper 300 aud
dg03 300 aud

i am now leaning more towards the suunto due to apparently more user friendly, more reliable, cheap, widely available and used, and can still get a bungee mount from dss, well i hope they post to australia?

thanks again everyone only 8 more weeks for me!!!

All three of those you listed will download to your Mac using MacDive, I just picked up a DG03 (couldn't resist the price) and while the instructions kinda suck, once i figured it out it's easy.

I do like the AI, I use a SPG for backup even though a DC failure would end my dive anyway, it's nice to see air consumption rates. Really my main reason for a DC is a datalogger.

You can also get a bungee mount for the DG03 as well.

 

[Tbar]

i am now leaning more towards the suunto due to apparently ... user friendly, ... cheap, widely available and used, ...

As an alternative to the Zoop consider the Mares Puck, it also meets criteria and can be landed in Aus for about $AU180. Get two for $360! Then you have your back-up as well! Mares Puck Wrist Tauchcomputer CH | eBay I have used and recommended this seller. An other alternative is the Puck Pro some extra features but for my money I stuck with the Puck Mares Puck PRO Computer White 02UK | eBay

If you want to know how Zoop or Puck will be on the dive you could try the DiveNav courses ($US4.99 each) I have found these to be great value:
Zoop https://www.divecomputertraining.com/classes.php?page=diveComp&class=14&module=1&section=1
Puck https://www.divecomputertraining.com/classes.php?page=diveComp&class=32&module=1&section=1

I use a wrist mount computer with strap on a 5mm wetsuit and find it does not move due to suit compression. If I was diving a dry suit I would want the bungee.

 

[Centrals]

As an alternative to the Zoop consider the Mares Puck, it also meets criteria and can be landed in Aus for about $AU180. Get two for $360! Then you have your back-up as well!

Two is better than one, absolutely.

 

[diver2005]

here's my 2cents!

a bit surprised no ones commented about oceanic. i own a oceanic geo 2.0 and it has pretty much all what you want except the AI, which you've discarded now. its more then enough for a rec diver although it does have capability for 2 gas mixes. i just got one few months back and am loving. the best thing about it is just like a normal wrist watch and not over sized like the puck or zoop. so you can wear it normally on surface. also oceanic gives life time warranty!! have a look!!

 

[Scubanoobi]

I have a Geo 2.0 and can't recommend it, if you don't use Sony batteries, the batteries last about a week in mine before giving low battery signal. Also my wet mode stopped working. Seeing your post I investigated and they only provide a 2 year warranty on computers (and pretty much everything else), not lifetime.

 

[diver2005]

I have a Geo 2.0 and can't recommend it, if you don't use Sony batteries, the batteries last about a week in mine before giving low battery signal. Also my wet mode stopped working. Seeing your post I investigated and they only provide a 2 year warranty on computers (and pretty much everything else), not lifetime.

check out this site: Lifetime Warranty am i missing something that doesnt make it lifetime warranty? it does mention dive computers on the list. where have you read 2 years?

i used my geo 2.0 for over a weeks of diving and works fine till now. no battery issues. neither had any issues with wet activation yet.

how long have you had yours for?

if not geo 2.0 then which other wrist watch sytle would you recommend that has similar functionality/budget !!