Is conservative bad?

[ScubaRon]

In practice, the difference between a conservative and a liberal computer is just not all that significant on recreational profiles. The difference normally comes down to a 3-5 min mandatory deco stop on the coservative computer as opposed to a 3-5 minute "recommended" saftey stop on the liberal computer.

It's not quite that simple. The (Pelagic) computers that most people consider "liberal" give you longer NDLs than e.g. the "conservative" Suunto's, but when they do go into deco mode they often have dramatically longer stops. They also severely cut NDLs if the surface interval is less than an hour.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I agree it potentially gets stickier when you start to consider repetetive dives. Some computers use a 6 hour out for offgassing and others use a 12 hour out and still others track the slow compartments for 24 hours. Being liberal or conservative in terms of bottom time does not always equate to being liberal or conservative with respect to repetetive dives.

There are also differences in how various algorthyms handle different compartments at various depths. Computer "A" may be very conservative near the surface or at middle depths but more liberal at deeper depths than computer "B". Shorter half life compartments will be the limiting factor on some shorter deeper dive profiles while the longer half life compartments may be the limting factor in other dive profiles or during repetetive multi-day diving.

Ascent rate is also a factor and some "liberal" computers have rather "conservative" ascent rates that will need to be followed to keep the computer both happy and generous.

But all things being equal, on average, the differences are not going to be huge. And I certainly would not blow off a recommended saftey stop on a computer just because it that particular model is regarded as being conservative.