Dive Alert vs. Dive Alert Plus

[potato cod]

Hi all,

I'm planning on picking up a couple Dive Alert devices for me and my husband for Christmas and I'm torn between the standard Dive Alert (DA) and the Dive Alert Plus (DAP) and can't find much in the way of reviews for the latter.

I like the idea of having an underwater signal in addition to the above water signal, but am wondering if this makes the DAP too bulky--it looks much bigger in the pics. Anyone have experience with the DAP? Do you find it to be cumbersome? How well does it work underwater? Is the above water part still as good as the original?

Any input would be appreciated!

 

[miked]

I've had a DA for several years-fortunaterly, I've never had to use it.

I bought a DAP a few months ago, but returned it because it was too bulky. On my rig, it got in the way of a D-ring a schest trap, and the knife on my BC. On a different gear configuration, different sized diver,etc. the extra size may be a non issue.
I suppose that I could have tried to rearrange things, but the extra bulk made it a "no go" situation for me.

 

[altaskier]

Some reviews on the LeisurePro web site suggest that the underwater sound doesn't work so well. Based on those comments, and on the idea that I don't want to have to set a knob or have a knob break, I decided to buy the Dive Alert instead of the Dive Alert Plus.

 

[tridacna]

Hi all,

I'm planning on picking up a couple Dive Alert devices for me and my husband for Christmas and I'm torn between the standard Dive Alert (DA) and the Dive Alert Plus (DAP) and can't find much in the way of reviews for the latter.

I like the idea of having an underwater signal in addition to the above water signal, but am wondering if this makes the DAP too bulky--it looks much bigger in the pics. Anyone have experience with the DAP? Do you find it to be cumbersome? How well does it work underwater? Is the above water part still as good as the original?

Any input would be appreciated!

DAP is a waste of money. You can't hear it underwater and it's bulky. The original is way better. A small aluminum stick banged against your tank will alert every diver near you including your wife...

 

[RAWalker]

My feeling is that a DA is no replacement for a storm whistle.
If you run your tank down the DA won't work.
With that fact in mind I prefer the Subduck underwater sounder. Very well heard underwater. Surprisingly it does give a sense of direction for short distances in poor vis water.
On the surface it can be heard further than you can yell but not as far as a storm whistle or DA

 

[potato cod]

Thanks! Sounds like the original DA wins. (This will be in addition to a storm whistle, not a replacement, since it can be heard at even greater distances.)

 

[altaskier]

My feeling is that a DA is no replacement for a storm whistle.
If you run your tank down the DA won't work.

I've long carried a whistle in my pocket, for precisely this reason (works as long as my lungs do, even if my tank is empty). I'm going to Palau where there are strong currents, so decided to add the DiveAlert too. I figure that I can grumble about spending $60 now, but if I were to be drifting away from a boat I might view the purchase differently... I plan to use neither the whistle nor the DiveAlert, but as JBRES1 said it in a different post, I don't plan on using my life insurance policy either.