Gear priorities

[Brandon]

You could always do some research to see if you can rent a computer while you're there.

Save you some of the equipment cost. Most places I've rented from in the US charge something like $5 / day for computers.

-Brandon.

 

[Damselfish]

Everyone talks about tables being a backup to the computer if the computer craps out, not usually the other way around - though I guess you could look at it that way if you're worried about making mistakes. I think if you're going to dive the tables there is not much point in having a computer. And if you are diving a computer for multiple dives falling back to tables will not do you much good, nor will working the tables every dive other than practice. If you have decent air consumption and are taking advantage of the computer you will likely be off the tables. (If you don't have good air consumption yet, again the computer may not do you much good.)

 

[spectrum]

My reasoning was to use the tables but also have a simple wrist computer just for backup, in case we screw up with our calculations and such.

There is some loogic to that.

I have not made a dive trip though it looks like I will get to in April.

10 days is a long time (can I come?) especially if that does not include your travel and pre-flight day at the end. Most seasoned divers I've read here that will do 4-5 dives per day including night dives usually take a day off after 2-3 days or at least have a light dive day. This lets your body rest and you off gassing catch-up. This breaks the extended cumulative calulation and provides a margin of safety. Skin-diving is cool too.

Running 1 computer as an audit is an interesting idea but do not misuse it. Be sure to run table calculations for each of you as maximum depths may vary. If you hit the wall be VERY cautious about taking advantage of what the computer says since it will only reflect the true profiles of the wearer, in other words abide by your tables. Get one that is nitrox capable.

Pete

 

[agilulfo]

There is some loogic to that.

I have not made a dive trip though it looks like I will get to in April.

10 days is a long time (can I come?) especially if that does not include your travel and pre-flight day at the end. Most seasoned divers I've read here that will do 4-5 dives per day including night dives usually take a day off after 2-3 days or at least have a light dive day. This lets your body rest and you off gassing catch-up. This breaks the extended cumulative calulation and provides a margin of safety. Skin-diving is cool too.

Running 1 computer as an audit is an interesting idea but do not misuse it. Be sure to run table calculations for each of you as maximum depths may vary. If you hit the wall be VERY cautious about taking advantage of what the computer says since it will only reflect the true profiles of the wearer, in other words abide by your tables. Get one that is nitrox capable.

Pete

Yes, 10 days is a long time... sure you can come, but we are leaving in February so I am not sure what kind of deals you can get at this point as far as airfare is concerned

10 days are the actual diving days at our disposal, arriving a day prior and leaving a day after.

That was my thinking about the computer: dive with the tables but also check with the computer for possible mistakes (e.g. if the computer alarm goes off). That to me would seem the most conservative way to proceed and also the only possible way to use both tables and computer since, for what I've read, computers allow much longer bottom time that tables do and thus it would be hard to dive the other way around except maybe to follow the tables for surface intervals rather than what the computer says.

Interesting suggestion about taking a day off after a few days. We could definitely do that and it seems like a wise thing to do.

 

[halocline]

Spectrum is giving you good advice...an interesting way to deal with the computer dilemma would be to get very inexpensive air wrist computers; I saw some atmos 1 on line for $100 a while back, but they may be gone. I've seen lots of divemasters in cozumel using these or the oceanic equivalent, and those guys dive ALL the time. Everyone's gonna tell you to buy nitrox computers, but to be honest, nitrox may be down the road for you anyway unless you want to shell out another couple hundred for the class, and the benefits in depths under 70-80ft are probably over-rated. The wetsuit purchase is a great idea; as other have said, it will make the most dramatic improvement in your diving comfort of all your gear. The BC also really makes a huge difference, but you should rent for awhile anyway to get some experience which will help you to decide what style of BC will work best for you.

 

[TheYellowSubmarine]

If you concider that you might EVER do nitrox, get a nitrox computer. Also if you're only going to buy the computer as a backup to the tables, thats ok, but if you're planning on diving off the computer, make sure you don't share the computer even with your buddy. If you want to dive off the computer, you will both need computers.

 

[Brandon]

Larry will sell you an Aeris XR-1 for $184.95... doesn't do Nitrox, but will work fine for air. This is probably one of the most basic dive computers available.
http://www.scubatoys.com/store/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=AerisXR1Wrist

Taking a step up, you could get an Aeris Atmos 2 for $289, and have air and nitrox capability, as well as several other great features.
http://www.scubatoys.com/store/detail.asp?PRODUCT_ID=Atmos2Wrist

Someone might know of a better deal out there... but I'm partial to Scubatoys =)