Decisions on a Dive Computer

[yle]

Marketing and people refusing to admit they bought junk. I admit my mistake in buying two as my first computers. I learned from it.

But I'd you want to spend money on a company with well known quality control issues and horrible after sale customer service go right ahead. I'll support good company's

I get it, you don't like Suunto. Some people have had a bad experience with them. I'm just not one of those people, my Suuntos have never given me a problem (so I haven't needed "after sale customer service".)

We'll just have to agree to disagree. You never buy another Suunto, I'll keep using mine for another 10 or 15 years.

 

[tursiops]

I get it, you don't like Suunto. Some people have had a bad experience with them. I'm just not one of those people, my Suuntos have never given me a problem (so I haven't needed "after sale customer service".)

We'll just have to agree to disagree. You never buy another Suunto, I'll keep using mine for another 10 or 15 years.

LOL. I guess you got the good one they made. What is the opposite of a lemon?

 

[yle]

LOL. I guess you got the good one they made. What is the opposite of a lemon?

A cherry. And yup, I agree with you... I learned a long time ago that I lead a charmed life (and I'm okay with it.)

Although my son and I have five in total (two D4's, two D6's and a zoop.) All have worked flawlessly, just need the occasional battery. So... a bunch of cherries?

Seriously though... I'm sure the majority of Suuntos are like mine, we just don't hear much about the ones that work as they should. We only hear about the ones people complain about. No different than plane crashes: if you got all your information about flying from the news, you'd be convinced that every plane crashes... because the number of planes that land safely every day never makes the news.

 

[Wibble]

Comparing dive computers to cars isn’t realistically a good comparison. Comparing car radios might be better. Ostensibly they’re all the same. Just that you’ll find some brands will be a lot easier to use than others.

Anyway, this is a moot point. Suunto sold the D9tx as a technical dive computer, marketing it squarely at novice divers with a dream. I, and a lot of others, fell for it.

Roll forwards a few years and with hundreds of hours of decompression diving and now owning the Apple of dive computers, a Shearwater Perdix, it’s clear that the Suunto falls desperately short in comparison.

Thus I’m trying to tell others, especially the novices with a dream, don’t buy high-end Suunto. There’s far better computers around that work reliably, use standard algorithms, are a lot easier to use, and a a LOT cheaper to run (Suunto batteries are crazy expensive to replace).

 

[yle]

Anyway, this is a moot point. Suunto sold the D9tx as a technical dive computer, marketing it squarely at novice divers with a dream. I, and a lot of others, fell for it.

Hmm... that is interesting, and I agree with you: pretty shady. Usually people would research the products and the features and make sure it fit their needs. But recreational divers wouldn't really know what their needs would be for technical diving, so they have to trust the marketing. If the marketing is misleading... unhappy customers.

Better analogy might be buying a truck that the promo literature assures has plenty of towing capacity, which you want because you expect to buy a boat or trailer in the future. Then when you get around to buying that trailer, you find out the truck doesn't have enough towing capacity.

I have no problem with people being unhappy with Suunto; I'm sure everyone that has a problem with the company has a reason for it. I'm just doing what I can to offer some balance... a bunch of unhappy people, and me the lone "I've had no problems". It's the best attempt at balance I can offer.

I'm still interested in your D9, if you're looking to just get rid of it.

 

[yle]

are a lot easier to use, and a a LOT cheaper to run (Suunto batteries are crazy expensive to replace).

They're crazy expensive if you pay someone else to do it. The last I checked, many years ago, they wanted $65 for the "battery service." Probably more like $80 now.

But they're easy to replace. I buy the batteries for about $5 and change them myself in a couple minutes. Battery lasts 2 to 3 years.

Sending a Suunto to the dealer for a battery change is like taking a Mercedes to the dealer for an oil change. They'll insist it's a special process that only skilled technicians can perform, but the reality is a few basic tools and inexpensive parts... easily do it yourself.

 

[yle]

Thus I’m trying to tell others, especially the novices with a dream, don’t buy high-end Suunto. There’s far better computers around that work reliably, use standard algorithms, are a lot easier to use

I agree with everything you have here. In terms of value, the high-end Suuntos (heck, even the middle Suuntos) don't make sense. My D6, which retails for around $1200 (I bought mine for a fraction of that, on a special pro deal), has comparable functions to some computers at half the price. I'm sure we'd find similar inverted value with D9 and DX: the cost for features just doesn't make much sense.

It's a lot like buying a luxury car vs a well appointed non-luxury car (e.g. an Audi or Mercedes vs a Honda or Toyota.) Marketing and the name brand play a role, and people pay more for those things. And the expensive cars aren't necessarily more reliable.

 

[Centrals]

I do not like Suunto and others using RGBM.
I cannot judge the reliability of Suunto and others because I have NO first hand experience on it. I have read a lot of complaint as well as praise. And my brother has been using the old Gecko for many yrs and never heard a bad word of it. Finally, I have seen a lot more divers using Suunto(various models) than Shearwater. And most of them are NOT new/beginner divers.

 

[Cdncoldwater]

I do not like Suunto and others using RGBM.
I cannot judge the reliability of Suunto and others because I have NO first hand experience on it. I have read a lot of complaint as well as praise. And my brother has been using the old Gecko for many yrs and never heard a bad word of it. Finally, I have seen a lot more divers using Suunto(various models) than Shearwater. And most of them are NOT new/beginner divers.

Shearwater seem to have a very strong Tec following; that says something. They also recently released a rec level computer the Peregrine which I bought and now my Suunto is a backup and my Mares is going to a scuba swap meet.....

 

[Centrals]

Shearwater seem to have a very strong Tec following; that says something. They also recently released a rec level computer the Peregrine which I bought and now my Suunto is a backup and my Mares is going to a scuba swap meet.....

Tec following has nothing to do with recreation diving. I also dive tec but only relied on pre dive plan and 2 bottom timers. Served me well over last 20 yrs.
Suunto is still head and shoulder above Shearwater in recreational market.
It is this brand that many new/beginner divers came across from the instructor/dive operator/rental initially. How many of them know anything about RGBM/Buhlmann etc? The cost is also another consideration.