Dive Computer Cost
- Thread starter mkcochran
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There are sooooo many options...
Check someplace like LeisurePro for all the info you could want. But I know you can get things like the Aeris XR1-NX wrist mounted for less than $300. That's not much, when you're talking about dive computers.
Check someplace like LeisurePro for all the info you could want. But I know you can get things like the Aeris XR1-NX wrist mounted for less than $300. That's not much, when you're talking about dive computers.
drrich2
Contributor
Tell us a bit more what you consider a good price (the top end of your acceptable range would probably be a good place to start).
Do you want a console unit, or a wrist unit? Wrist units come in either 'hockey puck' style (VT3 & VT 4) or wrist watch style (Atom 3.0); pucks are easier to read, watches can function like watches. Air integrated? If you want an air integrated wrist unit, it's probably going to involve a wireless transmitter that adds about $400 to cost. Do get a computer that can handle nitrox.
Let me lay out some in a particular brand that I'm a little more familiar with.
1.) A low cost console - Oceanic Veo 3.0. Can be console or hockey puck worn.
2.) An air-integrated console - Oceanic Pro Plus 2.1.
3.) A low cost wrist watch style - Oceanic Geo 2.0.
4.) An air-integrated watch style - Oceanic Atom 3.0 (like a Geo + air integration, from what I understand).
5.) An air-integrated hockey puck - Oceanic VT 4. (You can find the older VT 3 cheaper).
You can compare these computers at DiveNav.com; they're got a research page and you can have it list their features side-by-side.
Be wary some computers are sold without the roughly $100 PC Download with with a proprietary cable you'll want to put your dives on your computer. Not all dive computers have the option for a download kit.
Scuba Toys is an online outfit that's reputable and I think gives a discount if you point out that you're a member of this forum. Looking at their site, and without factoring in any discount, prices on these would be:
1.) Veo 3.0 - $439.95 (wrist), $539.95 (console), $589.95 ('nav con console' -
2.) Pro Plus 2.1 - $599.99 (add about $100 to get Quick Disconnect, which you may well want).
3.) Geo 2.0 - $429.95.
4.) Atom 3.0 - $999.95 (with wireless transmitter).
5.) VT 3 - $699.95 (with wireless transmitter).
6.) VT 4 - $1,199.95 (with wireless transmitter).
That's not all the Oceanic line, and I'm not saying Oceanic is better than Aeris or other competitors. I'm just trying to narrow it down to some product categories to help figure out what you might like best.
You can often get a good 'package deal' on gear, Black Friday's coming, and if you also need a BCD, reg., etc..., I think you'll find Scuba Toys might be willing to discuss substituting parts of a package (at least they did with me in late '10 & I got a sweet, sweet package deal).
Is a Geo 2.0 too expensive for you? What features do you insist on?
Richard.
Do you want a console unit, or a wrist unit? Wrist units come in either 'hockey puck' style (VT3 & VT 4) or wrist watch style (Atom 3.0); pucks are easier to read, watches can function like watches. Air integrated? If you want an air integrated wrist unit, it's probably going to involve a wireless transmitter that adds about $400 to cost. Do get a computer that can handle nitrox.
Let me lay out some in a particular brand that I'm a little more familiar with.
1.) A low cost console - Oceanic Veo 3.0. Can be console or hockey puck worn.
2.) An air-integrated console - Oceanic Pro Plus 2.1.
3.) A low cost wrist watch style - Oceanic Geo 2.0.
4.) An air-integrated watch style - Oceanic Atom 3.0 (like a Geo + air integration, from what I understand).
5.) An air-integrated hockey puck - Oceanic VT 4. (You can find the older VT 3 cheaper).
You can compare these computers at DiveNav.com; they're got a research page and you can have it list their features side-by-side.
Be wary some computers are sold without the roughly $100 PC Download with with a proprietary cable you'll want to put your dives on your computer. Not all dive computers have the option for a download kit.
Scuba Toys is an online outfit that's reputable and I think gives a discount if you point out that you're a member of this forum. Looking at their site, and without factoring in any discount, prices on these would be:
1.) Veo 3.0 - $439.95 (wrist), $539.95 (console), $589.95 ('nav con console' -
2.) Pro Plus 2.1 - $599.99 (add about $100 to get Quick Disconnect, which you may well want).
3.) Geo 2.0 - $429.95.
4.) Atom 3.0 - $999.95 (with wireless transmitter).
5.) VT 3 - $699.95 (with wireless transmitter).
6.) VT 4 - $1,199.95 (with wireless transmitter).
That's not all the Oceanic line, and I'm not saying Oceanic is better than Aeris or other competitors. I'm just trying to narrow it down to some product categories to help figure out what you might like best.
You can often get a good 'package deal' on gear, Black Friday's coming, and if you also need a BCD, reg., etc..., I think you'll find Scuba Toys might be willing to discuss substituting parts of a package (at least they did with me in late '10 & I got a sweet, sweet package deal).
Is a Geo 2.0 too expensive for you? What features do you insist on?
Richard.
"Any advice on a cheap basic computer?" Well, yes. How much is your safety worth to you? Why do you want a computer?
With the "proper training" you can dive safely (safely as within minimum decompression limits aka NDLs) with no computer -- just a timing device and depth guage (that is, if you believe in the "Voodoo" of Ratio Deco).
OTOH, IF you want a dive computer, how much is too much? Seems to me that you can find them for under $300 -- well under -- Oceanic Wrist. I have NO IDEA if this computer works well -- but if cheap is what you want....
With the "proper training" you can dive safely (safely as within minimum decompression limits aka NDLs) with no computer -- just a timing device and depth guage (that is, if you believe in the "Voodoo" of Ratio Deco).
OTOH, IF you want a dive computer, how much is too much? Seems to me that you can find them for under $300 -- well under -- Oceanic Wrist. I have NO IDEA if this computer works well -- but if cheap is what you want....
I would recommend Suunto Zoop, Uwatec Prime, Subgear XP10. The Suunto is 275 USD, the Uwatec Prime console is only 250 USD (a real bargain!) at the leisurepro. I don't know how much would be "cheap", these prices seems OK for me.
drrich2
Contributor
I just took a look at the link Peter Guy provided to the Veo 100 on sale for nearly $150 at Leisure Pro, then went to DiveNav.com and used their 'Research' features to compare features against the Geo 2.0, for an example of what I was talking about earlier. At a glance, what I see as potentially significant trade-offs with the Veo 100 are:
1.) Not a nitrox computer.
2.) There's no PC download option, so you can view a graphed dive profile on your computer & otherwise quickly store dive info. on it.
3.) It lacks audible alarms, so if you're ascending too fast or what have you, it won't make a racket to let you know.
4.) No backlight for low light situations.
Now, all that said, it's cheap, a brand name and would handle a lot of the diving many people do. I'm not knocking it, just suggesting you be mindful of what trade-offs you're making for a cheaper computer. Your profile says you have over 100 dives so I figure you already know what nitrox is; I'd pick a computer that can do nitrox, but that's me.
Richard.
1.) Not a nitrox computer.
2.) There's no PC download option, so you can view a graphed dive profile on your computer & otherwise quickly store dive info. on it.
3.) It lacks audible alarms, so if you're ascending too fast or what have you, it won't make a racket to let you know.
4.) No backlight for low light situations.
Now, all that said, it's cheap, a brand name and would handle a lot of the diving many people do. I'm not knocking it, just suggesting you be mindful of what trade-offs you're making for a cheaper computer. Your profile says you have over 100 dives so I figure you already know what nitrox is; I'd pick a computer that can do nitrox, but that's me.
Richard.
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lots of computer advantages, and a cheap computer is usually cheaper than a bottom timer and usually has gauge mode. I can't dive tables when I'm doing OWT with divers because we're doing 4-8 dives a day and no way to accurately keep track of average depth and what not when doing it. I'd rather let a computer do it for me during that.
A lot of people only need air computers because they're diving nitrox for it's safety benefits not the added bottom time, if you are then a basic 1 gas computer is great for that. I use a genesis reactpro as a backup computer when doing OWT and it works great for that. No avg depth, but has a download option and what not. I don't download my dives, I just type the numbers in manually which doesn't take that long
A lot of people only need air computers because they're diving nitrox for it's safety benefits not the added bottom time, if you are then a basic 1 gas computer is great for that. I use a genesis reactpro as a backup computer when doing OWT and it works great for that. No avg depth, but has a download option and what not. I don't download my dives, I just type the numbers in manually which doesn't take that long
RICHinNC
Contributor
As I once heard a dive gear rep say to another dive gear rep.......If they dive .... they have money. If they dont have money...they wont be diving long.
As noted, Oceanic puts out a pretty good puck style that wont break the bank. But, a dc is not something i would buy on line.
As noted, Oceanic puts out a pretty good puck style that wont break the bank. But, a dc is not something i would buy on line.
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