Is Suunto really that bad

[Matt S.]

I had a Suunto, and now I have an Uwatec, and in the kinds of dives I do I never noticed a difference.

I would be a lot more interested in the features, price, and what kind of support network there is where you live. For example, if I need the battery in my Suunto replaced, I have to mail it off. My Uwatec, I can do myself.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

A conservative computer equals a safe diver...

Actually, that statement really oversimplifies things. Sure, limiting nitrogen exposure will decrease the odds of DCS incidence. Consider, however, that DCS is so rare among recreational divers it's exceedingly difficult to attach increased DCS risk to the liberal computers vs. the more conservative ones. It's easy to see that several other factors (quality training, practice, buoyancy control, gas management, mental preparation, good judgment, physical fitness, attention to detail, proper gear maintenance, strong buddy skills, willingness to thumb a dive, etc.) weigh far more heavily on dive safety than a computer utilizing a conservative deco algorithm.

 

[dl348]

I have a Suunto Cobra and Vyper and even though they are a little conservative, I do really like them. I've changed the battery on both of them, the Vyper was more difficult...I had to remove one of the wrist straps to access the battery compartment.

 

[Jrock1062]

I have a Suunto Vytec II and IMHO I would tell you never to get a Suunto, I have the computer set to the most liberal settings and it is still the most conservative on the boat. As A new diver its not going to matter, quite frankly you will be most likely out of air before it matters but as you become a better diver and your bottom time increases you will want a more reasonable computer.You want to buy a computer you will grow into not out of.Here are two reasons, if you buddy dive then your buddy comes up with you so even though he has a 15 min. of no deco time he is coming up second most boat dives are two tank dives the Suunto kills that second dive and it gets real old real quick when you keep having to come up with 2000 psi JS

 

[RJP]

I dive a Suunto Vytec DS and find that the times it gives me on deco dives are not much different than V-Planner set on +2 conservativism. A few more minutes deco, but nothing terrible. People complain that they are too conservative. That doesn't make them "bad" just makes them conservative. Personally, I'm OK with a bit more conservativism. The main thing it does that people have a problem with is penalizing you on subsequent dives for are short/omitted stops on previous dives, especially after relatively rapid ascents, especially on dives deeper than 100fsw. I'm OK with that, and 99.9% it's not a problem because I don't shorten/omit stops and avoid relatively rapid ascents, especially on dives deeper than 100ft.

 

[Scared Silly]

I am with RJP on his statements. I have also found the deco to match what I ran with Mplan.

 

[Puffer Fish]

Jrock my friend, the one thing that Suunto has are penalties for not following it's safety profile.

My dive buddy uses a Suunto, and it took him a fair amount of practice to avoid getting docked minutes on the next dive.

The first is exceeding it's accent rate. Does not matter if it is in the middle of the dive or the end. Accend too fast, for even a second and it will give you less time on the second dive. The most difficult is the 15 to the surface accent. Do it faster t than 30 seconds (which is not easy to do) and you will have less time on the next dive.

The other is the surface interval. Have the dreaded triangle showing, and you will have a much shorter second dive.

Ascend too fast and have a triangle, and your second dive will be cut way short.

Today, his no deco time (our typical dive is 80 -90 ft first dive, followed by a 70 to 80 ft dive) and mine, on the second dive are one or two minutes different.

I have a Suunto Vytec II and IMHO I would tell you never to get a Suunto, I have the computer set to the most liberal settings and it is still the most conservative on the boat. As A new diver its not going to matter, quite frankly you will be most likely out of air before it matters but as you become a better diver and your bottom time increases you will want a more reasonable computer.You want to buy a computer you will grow into not out of.Here are two reasons, if you buddy dive then your buddy comes up with you so even though he has a 15 min. of no deco time he is coming up second most boat dives are two tank dives the Suunto kills that second dive and it gets real old real quick when you keep having to come up with 2000 psi JS

 

[Kern]

I am with RJP on his statements. I have also found the deco to match what I ran with Mplan.

I'd be interested in hearing what sort of depth, BT & the gradient factors you're using.

 

[deepstops]

Buy a liberal computer and YOU can always dial back the length of your dive. The best dive computer out there is the one between your ears anyway (it was only a matter of time before someone was going to state the obvious....).

 

[SeahorseDeb]

I have the Cobra 2. Just dove with a buddy sunday on a gorgeous lake dive on a wall, profile to 130. Buddy had a Galileo (buddy is DIR) which gave us 3 stops based on a bottom time of 5 minutes. I consider that very conservative and my Cobra only gave me the 3 min stop at 18 feet. Just adding to the discussion, don't want to start a thread on deep diving vs. computer brand. Just wanted to say that I would rather do a couple safety stops than one even though I'm sure that would be an entirely new thread.

BTW, and not to start another new thread (ahem), our Suunto's don't know our age or BMI (body mass index) so if it err's on the side of conservative and we have one or two of these predisposing factors, all the better.