Help with computer choice.

[Keith A]

Hi all,

Looking for my first computer and I've narrowed it down to a few choices. Me, advanced open water and will continue with training through Dive Master, so I'd like a system that will grow with me. Just finished my Nitrox class and will be doing a liveaboard with up to 5 dives a day. Safety contious kind of guy! Made the decision to go console as I tend to lose things and a dive watch would definately end up where it doesn't belong.

Choices:

1) Suunto Zoop - Looks like a lot of dive watch for the price. Conservative algorithm.
poor backlight for night diving?

2) Aeris XR 2 - Don't see alot of faults here except a console with compass is going to
run about $550. Very sturdy looking console. Pressrue guage with temp.
Looks solid.

3) Sub Gear X-10 - See this one on alot of reccomend lists. Not alot of places to
buy them.

4) Oceanic Pro Plus 2.1 - Only air intergrated. Love the layout and have had the
chance to roll through a computer demo online. Very easy
to use. Little apprehensive about having everything tied
up into my computer. I seem to keep hearing about a flooding problem. Looks delicate.

Is it better to keep pressure guage seperate and have a spare hose with a debth guage in my bag along with a watch so I could keep diving tables if computer fails?

Thank you all for taking the time to read my post, and thanks in anticipation for your responses.

 

[Searcaigh]

For a few dollars more I would go for a Suunto Vyper.

SPG with depth gauge on your rig and a watch in your wrist as back up, not much good in your bag really.

 

[fnfalman]

I've discovered in my Rescue Diver class that wrist/arm mounted gauges get in the way of some of the rescue techniques. Personally I still use my wrist/arm mounted gauges but if I were working as a a divemaster in a dive vacation resort, I would consider hose mount console because the chance of my having to rescue somebody is a lot higher as a dive master/dive guide than just joe schmoe diver.