....I shouldn't ask this here but...nevermind..i was moved :p

[mobeachlovers]

I realize this may not be the" right" forum to ask this but
...I have read the new diver forums, the scuba gear forums, and googled, ect, for weeks....and I am more confused..
Sooo, looking to buy a DC and need some advice please...
A little info:
1. Will be recreational diving only
2. Primarily diving in Cozumel -my reason for posting here
3. Will do either a two tank morning dive or two tank afternoon, slight possibility of a night dive thrown in on the same day, but probably not frequent.
4. Probably dive a few days in a row..maybe 3 at most before a day off.
5. On the more petite size so don't want something huge with ginormous strap or made for a guy with a huge arm but would like wrist mount
6. Budget is a consideration

Anyone have suggestions/advice? Are the cheaper simple DC's problematic at all with the above plan?
Thanks in advance

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

Thread moved from Cozumel forum to more appropriate location, hence the odd context. Marg, SB Senior moderator

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[cvchief]

We buy all of our nieces and nephews Mares Pucks. I just bought three from Mares Puck Wrist Computer

The last three were the newer Puck Pros as he was out of the regular Pucks. You can by an adapter to USB them to your computer and track you dives with free software. Little charts and all. I believe Mares computers are sort of a slightly conservative model. Not as restrictive as some or as loose as others.

You can probably get one for 130 new or a little more for the puck pro.

The missus is particular but she like the one button operation and the size. I dive a Mares wide but they do the same thing. Mine is basically bigger.

 

[mobeachlovers]

We buy all of our nieces and nephews Mares Pucks. I just bought three from Mares Puck Wrist Computer

The last three were the newer Puck Pros as he was out of the regular Pucks. You can by an adapter to USB them to your computer and track you dives with free software. Little charts and all. I believe Mares computers are sort of a slightly conservative model. Not as restrictive as some or as loose as others.

You can probably get one for 130 new or a little more for the puck pro.

The missus is particular but she like the one button operation and the size. I dive a Mares wide but they do the same thing. Mine is basically bigger.

So no issues with multiple days of diving then with the Mares? After reading (and reading probably way too much!), I was debating Mares Puck, Cressi Leonardo, as well as Oceanic brands d/t "conservativeness" of first two....which I know not enough to know if that makes a different with Rec diving at all

 

[2airishuman]

Hello Mobeach

Welcome

Anyone have suggestions/advice?

I have an Oceanic Geo 3.0 which I like and which may interest you. It is a small, wrist mount dive computer that is not air integrated. It has four buttons which improves ease of use compared to one button DCs.

The only drawback is that I've found that the display is difficult to read in dark, low-visibility conditions, because of its size and because the backlight isn't very bright. It still works for me though.

Are the cheaper simple DC's problematic at all with the above plan?
Thanks in advance

Cheaper, smaller DCs make compromises in several areas:
1) They are depth and time instruments, and do not contain a compass or a means of reading tank pressure
2) In general the displays aren't as easy to read
3) There is less complete support for logging the dive electronically, or such support is a costly add on
4) Battery replacement is typically more fiddly and costly

But still, these DCs should be fine for you. It's one of the few pieces of diving equipment where meaningful improvements are still being made. I figure that in 5-10 years, DCs will be cheaper and better, so I buy what i need for now.

 

[2airishuman]

Most computers have a means of being made more conservative. I don't think occasional divers who stay within rec limits will notice much difference between algorithms in use on computers on the market today.

 

[boulderjohn]

New divers should know that dive computers are not like laptops or desktops--they can last a long time. When I was first certified, I intended to go diving in Cozumel only, and we were planning to go there one week every other year. I figured I would dive about 3 days during that week. For reasons that escape me, I bought a more expensive computer than I needed for that plan. Well, that plan went out the window pretty quickly, and I eventually became a much more dedicated diver going to many more places than I had envisioned, but that computer stayed with me. I became an instructor, and that computer stayed with me. I eventually got into technical diving, and my computer needs changed. So after more than a dozen years since its purchase, I sold it to a good friend for about a third its original price. (If I had sold it on eBay instead, I would have gotten more.) I just learned that after several years of use, my friend's needs have changed, too, and he got a new computer, selling my old one to someone else.

If I had not gotten into technical diving, I would still be using that original computer I bought nearly two decades ago.

So, whatever computer you choose, don't make the mistake of thinking that it is something you are going to have to replace every couple of years.

 

[imoto]

I purchased a Mares Puck as my first and only dive computer a few years ago. Like you, budget was a consideration. I've been pleased with the unit, and haven't had any trouble with it. It's fairly easy to change batteries as well. Sometimes I wish I could download the information to my pc, but with the basic Puck, I don't think it has that capability.

Single button takes a bit of getting used to as I find myself having to repeat the process of navigating the menus because either the dc times out or I've gone too far. This is mainly when I'm copying in my log book the information stored on the dc's log function.

For the once or twice a year dive trip, it has all I need.

 

[cvchief]

So no issues with multiple days of diving then with the Mares? After reading (and reading probably way too much!), I was debating Mares Puck, Cressi Leonardo, as well as Oceanic brands d/t "conservativeness" of first two....which I know not enough to know if that makes a different with Rec diving at all

Well, I guess it depends a little. If you are a new diver, I bet it wont be an issue for quite a while The missus was always good on air; I took longer to get decent. At one point, I was using 100cf air to keep up with her and towards the end I could get low on bottom time, but we are talking LONG dives. The missus can run our DM out of air. Now you can say, 'well get an Oceanic with more bottom time'. Remember though, you STILL have the same amount of nitrogen on-board. You are just buying a computer that tells you it is ok! I want to be a little safer but NOT Suunto safe. Since then we have gone to nitrox all the time. But we are running 80 ft dives for 1hr and 10 or 20 minutes every day now so nitrox is our thing.

On the one button, the missus love it and if it was that much a pain, she would b$%^ch.... And the free software is pretty cool. The older ones use this dohicky. Mares PC Interface for Nemo Wide, Nemo Air Puck (USB)

And it is true you keep them. I bought my Mares wide used on Ebay. It was my first purchase after mask and fins.

 

[Streydog]

I realize this may not be the" right" forum to ask this but
...I have read the new diver forums, the scuba gear forums, and googled, ect, for weeks....and I am more confused..
Sooo, looking to buy a DC and need some advice please...
A little info:
1. Will be recreational diving only
2. Primarily diving in Cozumel -my reason for posting here
3. Will do either a two tank morning dive or two tank afternoon, slight possibility of a night dive thrown in on the same day, but probably not frequent.
4. Probably dive a few days in a row..maybe 3 at most before a day off.
5. On the more petite size so don't want something huge with ginormous strap or made for a guy with a huge arm but would like wrist mount
6. Budget is a consideration

Anyone have suggestions/advice? Are the cheaper simple DC's problematic at all with the above plan?
Thanks in advance

I bought a Geo 2.0 from Leisure Pro and am very happy with it. I had read somewhere on this board that if you put it in your wish list on their site they would sometimes offer you a lower price than listed. Sure enough a few days after I did this is received an email with an offer for $279.00 shipped. It does more than I need for a recreational computer and is just slightly larger than most wrist watches.

 

[Dave Dillehay]

For the record, Aldora uses and loans out Oceanic wrist mount dive computers. Its tough to keep track of the various names Veo, Geo, etc…but I think that most of the puck type DCs are made by the same factory in "Taiwan" whether they be Mares or Oceanic. To us it is the after sales support and factory service, in that Oceanic takes first place. Also, the difference in price between those that take Nitrox info and those that don't is minor.

The other issue one must confront is the type of science behind the DC. The Oceanic picks generally use a "Spencer" algorithm which we see as middle of the road in conserve active vs Liberal, and when used as we do—no closer to deco limits than 5 minutes—provides plenty of safety margin. The more conservative Suunto computers tend to make every dive a deco dive, which many agree should be the case.

If you really want to be an informed on this subject, it is a simple read. "Beating the Bends" by Alex Brylski is a must.

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

PS For MNAY reasons I highly discourage the use of Air Integrated computers. There is a very basic check that they make impossible….that is checking for obstructions in the air supply.