Good Beginner Dive Computer

[cleung]

I went with an air integrated Oceanic dive computer as my first one and haven't regretted it. I didn't think it was necessary to buy different computers as I progressed. I wanted one I could grow into and this was the one for me.

 

[HowDidIGetIntoThis?]

Is it really suitable for a novice? I had a look at their demo and there is a lot of information flashing by. The Aladin Prime appears to be somewhat simpler, but even it is pretty busy when compared to some of the competing models that show only 2 or 3 bits of information at a time.

 

[BigWhiteSquare]

I'd second the choice of air integrated for a beginner. I guess it all depends on how "tech" you want to go and how much you want to learn about dive planning. If you're not going to do any cave or wreck penetration, the "bottom time remaining" feature of an air integrated computer is probably a good tool for you and will take a lot of the guess work out of your dive.

On the down side, it also takes out the brain work. You need to know a lot more about dive planning than what is taught in a basic O/W class, in case your computer craps out mid-dive. It's happened to me, and I was glad I already had a plan and a backup (dive watch).