For all my criticisms of Aeris's Mac download software (none of which have yet been addressed), I feel compelled once again to note how stellar Aeris service is on their dive computers.
My wife is as of today on her 3rd Aeris Atmos Elite computer and her second transmitter. One computer failure was definitely from flooding after a battery change (nothing to do with Aeris) and the second failure was from unknown causes but very likely user dumbitude of some sort. The transmitter issue was an intermittent link in a fairly old transmitter that had been bumped around from hundreds of dives and lots of travel. In each case, the computer was out of warranty and I don't think the problems were really warranty-type problems in any event.
In each case she called, sent in the problematic bits, and received back refurbished bits (I presume - they look like new) fairly quickly and at a cost far, far less than a new computer or transmitter. They've even included some Aeris swag each time that is attractive and well-made enough actually to use by people who usually don't carry or wear anything with a logo.
We also got a replacement boot for an Atmos 2 that had cracked after a tank was dropped on it (the computer survived otherwise unscathed) for an impressively reasonable cost. It actually would have worked just fine without the boot since the wrist strap goes through the boot and attaches directly to the body of the computer, but now it looks good.
This is why we have 6 Aeris computers (an Atmos 2, two Atmos Elites, an Elite T3, and two Epics) and why I'm cranky about not being able to access our logs in the new Mac software. I love the computers - for us, the slightly different screen layout compared to equivalent Oceanic models was slightly preferable. They're tough. They have the features we want. They work if you don't flood them. The algorithms work well for the diving we do. It's possible that other brands would provide all this. After our first service experience, though, it became very unlikely that we'd ever go with a different company*. This most recent experience just reinforces that.
*I really assume Oceanic would likely be just the same in terms of service, but since the only Oceanic gear we have is a few sets of fins we use as loaners at our Cozumel house I doubt that's going to come up. It seems as if Aeris no longer does hoseless wrist computers, so I guess realistically if this doesn't change these probably are our last ones that say "Aeris".
My wife is as of today on her 3rd Aeris Atmos Elite computer and her second transmitter. One computer failure was definitely from flooding after a battery change (nothing to do with Aeris) and the second failure was from unknown causes but very likely user dumbitude of some sort. The transmitter issue was an intermittent link in a fairly old transmitter that had been bumped around from hundreds of dives and lots of travel. In each case, the computer was out of warranty and I don't think the problems were really warranty-type problems in any event.
In each case she called, sent in the problematic bits, and received back refurbished bits (I presume - they look like new) fairly quickly and at a cost far, far less than a new computer or transmitter. They've even included some Aeris swag each time that is attractive and well-made enough actually to use by people who usually don't carry or wear anything with a logo.
We also got a replacement boot for an Atmos 2 that had cracked after a tank was dropped on it (the computer survived otherwise unscathed) for an impressively reasonable cost. It actually would have worked just fine without the boot since the wrist strap goes through the boot and attaches directly to the body of the computer, but now it looks good.
This is why we have 6 Aeris computers (an Atmos 2, two Atmos Elites, an Elite T3, and two Epics) and why I'm cranky about not being able to access our logs in the new Mac software. I love the computers - for us, the slightly different screen layout compared to equivalent Oceanic models was slightly preferable. They're tough. They have the features we want. They work if you don't flood them. The algorithms work well for the diving we do. It's possible that other brands would provide all this. After our first service experience, though, it became very unlikely that we'd ever go with a different company*. This most recent experience just reinforces that.
*I really assume Oceanic would likely be just the same in terms of service, but since the only Oceanic gear we have is a few sets of fins we use as loaners at our Cozumel house I doubt that's going to come up. It seems as if Aeris no longer does hoseless wrist computers, so I guess realistically if this doesn't change these probably are our last ones that say "Aeris".
