Dive computers... SO many choices!

[Centrals]

A simple no frill nitrox compatible computer will do. And independent analogue wrist mount compass is adequate.
My Uwatec Aladin Pro Nitrox is 19yrs old. This computer can only log 20 dives at a time so I just have to up date my log book regularly. Down load cable? Waste of money.

There is no such thing as upgrade for recreational computer, just more bells and whistles.

 

[g8orjet]

I was in the same boat, looking at a number of computers and trying to figure out which was best for my needs. I vascilated between the D4i, Oceanic Geo, Zoop, etc. I finally decided that I would just go with a Zoop which was inexpensive and could be used as a backup once I decided on what I really wanted/needed... what I actually ended up getting was a last years model Suunto Vyper Air that was on sale and only a little more than this years Zoop I was looking at.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Another dirt cheap simple computer that does air/nitrox/gauge mode is the Mares Puck. Priced at about $169 wrist mount, add an analog wrist compass, and use a simple pressure gauge. For basic regular recreational diving that's really all you need. Save your money.

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

We love our Oceanic Data Pro's. Huge numbers, easy to set, back lit, and air integrated.

Jay

 

[Diver0001]

Blowing off legitimate deco is a bad thing. Locking out an overly sensitive computer by accident could be a real pain, and it evidently happens, from what I've heard on recent trips.

I don't think there are any computers out there that will lock out without missed deco. Which overly sensitive computer do you know of that would do that?

R..

 

[Diver0001]

Another dirt cheap simple computer that does air/nitrox/gauge mode is the Mares Puck. Priced at about $169 wrist mount, add an analog wrist compass, and use a simple pressure gauge. For basic regular recreational diving that's really all you need. Save your money.

I don't personally own a Mares Puck but I use them during training a lot because these are the computers that the shop has for rent and my students use them. They're perfectly ok for recreational diving. I like the menus and it's very easy to read. I also like how simple it is.

One thing that I do notice about it, however, is that they give significantly shorter NDL's than other computers in the shallow zone. For 18 metres, for example, the base-line NDL is 47 minutes IIRC, where the PADI RDP gives 56. This isn't a big problem if you're diving once or twice a day but I wonder if the NDL's wouldn't become ridiculously short on multi-day, multi-dive vacations.

I would think Mares would need to build in extra safety margins because RGBM has a basic anti-bias for properly offgassing slow tissues, which can get heavily loaded during multi-day, multi-dive vacations. If Mares didn't do something to keep the NDL's artificially short then the base-line algorithm would probably bend a diver if they made enough repetitive dives in a row. To my way of thinking, this is possibly the reason it shows 47 minutes baseline for a clean dive at 18m. I suspect that Mares knows that the algorithm is broken and they're wrapping layers of artificial safety around it.

R..

 

[drmwc]

I don't think there are any computers out there that will lock out without missed deco. Which overly sensitive computer do you know of that would do that?

R..

If I put my (very old) Suunto D4 in freediving mode, it "locks out" for 48 hours after a dive. It's not a genuine lock out, in that it still functions in this period in gauge mode on dives. However, I can't access its RGBM algorithms while this happens. (On a side note, I believe this computer does not actually give a true RGBM, but an approximation to it.)

This is actually quite useful. It doesn't have a gauge mode as an immediately available option. I use my Petrel as my primary computer, and the Suunto as a back-up. So I like having it in gauge mode - I carry dive plans on wet-notes to ensure I can get out of the water safely should my Petrel fail.

 

[AJ]

I don't think there are any computers out there that will lock out without missed deco. Which overly sensitive computer do you know of that would do that?

R..

My Suunto D4i did. It was totally panicking while my Shearwater shrugged his shoulders and wanted to know when we were going to do some real diving The Suunto is now ready for the bin (eating a battery in two days), so there might have been an internal problem developing.

 

[doctormike]

The advantages of the Shearwater Perdix/Petrel aren't just limited to decompression algorithms, multiple gasses or other technical considerations. These things are built like tanks, they have an incredibly bright, customizable and well organized display, a "recreational mode" with a simplified interface, easy menu navigation, user replaceable AA battery and bluetooth data downloads. Plus, Shearwater's customer support is the best that I have ever seen anywhere, for any product. I have emailed them on Sunday night and gotten a reply within 20 minutes.

Yes, if price is the major concern, then they are certainly more than the absolute minimum that you can spend on a dive computer. But if you don't need the digital compass, I have seen a used Petrel 1 for $450. The Petrel 2 has the compass, and the Perdix has the compass in a smaller package. No AI, so if you absolutely need that (which is another thread), that's a deal breaker.

If you can come up with a bit more money, you will get a computer that you will never grow out of in the foreseeable future.

 

[RyanT]

+1 for the Shearwater Perdix. It is as powerful as you'll ever need and yet super simple for even a novice diver to use. The ability to see the screen at night or in murky water without having to shine my light on it is also a big plus.

I'm with Diver0001 on the AI issue. To me, it's just not worth it. I see it as one more battery to worry about. Then I'd carry a manual spg anyway in the event of a battery or transmitter failure.