Is Suunto really that bad

[donhealy]

So, all the talk about conservative and liberal. Its each diver's choice. I have a Sherwood Insite as my backup and a Cobra 3 as my primary. I did 27 dives on a live aboard in May at substantial depths. I had no issues with NDL or N2 or PO2. I dove both computers using the factory settings.

If you want better bottom time get Nitrox certified.

As a novice, always dive conservative. You and your family will sleep better at night.

 

[InTheDrink]

I have a Suunto Stinger.

It looks really cool and I use it as a watch when not diving. That's a major consideration for me

Some other poster made an excellent point that resonated well with me. If you're doing multiple dives on multiple days (e.g. liveabord) I'd prefer to leave the conservatism to my computer, whose memory and maths is likely to be rather better than mine at dive 26 on day 7. My Suunto has moaned at me on various occasions, but much like my wife, even though I might grumble at the time, I know she's right and that I ought to listen to her. And as I get older and wiser (I was starting from zero on the second point) I do listen and I like what I think Bubble said, quite happy for my computer to follow me, not the other way around. I really do not see the need to be pushing one's computer - I think if you are you're probably doing something wrong. Just my 0.02.

J

 

[Wantonmien]

Galvanni

I make very regular 3 or 4 day dive trips, and have had one or two longer trips to 5 days of consecutive diving, normally will do 2 or 3 dives per day and occasionally a 4th for a night dive, using Suunto (as does Buddy). Typically we'll try and organise our deepest dive of the day first, and will use EaNx for roughly 50 % of our dives, or very occasionally for all dives in a day - not because we 'have to' for residual Nitrogen levels, but because we prefer to.

As far as Buddy and I concerned No problem, we do not feel limited or restricted by the Suunto's, nor feel they are 'too conservative'.

Cheers

 

[plumcrazy]

Greetngs I recently purchased a Veo 3.0. I did not even consider a Sunnto because of the "conservative reputation" that they have. I have been told that "they really are not that conservative" and that "they are the best snorkeling computers made". I bought the Oceanic because it has the dual algorithm feature amongst other feature that I wanted. Turns out I will very likely NEVER use the dual algo feature. Once you choose the algo and dive on it you are locked into that algo until the computer sees a 24 hr SIT. Not something you're likely to do on a week long dive trip. That being said the Veo has lots of ways to make it more conservative so much so that I suspect with all conservative factors switched "on" you will go into deco the moment you're big toe hits the water! I only have a handful of dives with my Veo but so far like the way it presents the info to me. It is pretty intuitive to my way of thinking. I see that you are located in Doylestown which is real close to me. PM me if you want to check out my Veo. Regards

 

[scubafanatic]

Greetngs I recently purchased a Veo 3.0. I did not even consider a Sunnto because of the "conservative reputation" that they have. I have been told that "they really are not that conservative" and that "they are the best snorkeling computers made". I bought the Oceanic because it has the dual algorithm feature amongst other feature that I wanted. Turns out I will very likely NEVER use the dual algo feature. Once you choose the algo and dive on it you are locked into that algo until the computer sees a 24 hr SIT. Not something you're likely to do on a week long dive trip. That being said the Veo has lots of ways to make it more conservative so much so that I suspect with all conservative factors switched "on" you will go into deco the moment you're big toe hits the water! I only have a handful of dives with my Veo but so far like the way it presents the info to me. It is pretty intuitive to my way of thinking. I see that you are located in Doylestown which is real close to me. PM me if you want to check out my Veo. Regards

Well, the adjustable algo may not be something you would adjust 'mid-trip', as you mentioned, but on different trips you can compare the different algos to see which you might prefer, this would be handy if you have 2 different computers (either same brand/diff algo...or completely different brands) and as you dive the computers together you can use the real-world experiences to see how they behave compared to each other and have enough control over the computers to make them 'sync' with each other so they are giving you similiar results.

 

[applecorps]

I've used Suunto computers for years and have never noticed any effect on my allowable no-deco time on my second or third dive as a result of too rapid ascent alarm/warning.

I'm amused when some of those using more liberal computers/alghorithms state that their computer "gives them more bottom time" - as if their dive computer slows the rate of nitrogen absorption into their body.

If a bit more surface interval is required, I'd happily rather have the increased safety margin when dealing with a theoretical nitrogen absorption rate. Bragging about having more bottom time is silly - bottom time can be easily "adjusted" by altering the nitrox mix to a higher/richer O2 partial pressure on any computer.

Nitrogen is absorbed while diving at depth . . the actual rate is never finitely determinable and all computers are merely guessing. Want to be safer - then decrease your bottom time and increase your surface interval. Want to live closer to the edge - then do the opposite. It's a personal choice. DCS is not that prevalent but it is also not necessarily fun - or survivable.

 

[jlevine]

I have a Suunto Cobra version 1 computer (not version 2, not version 3). There are no adjustments that make it less conservative. I like the user interface and am quite comfortable with it but it is extremely conservative. When I do the second dive of the day I have much less bottom time than other folks. I end up staying 10-20 feet above everyone else. I am leaning towards buying a new computer, either a newer Suunto or perhaps another brand because it is getting really annoying.

 

[Tunaman68]

Sold my Cobra 2 and bought a VEO 2.0 after a two week trip to Hawaii. I was always coming back to the boat with lots of air in the tank, or I was doing a 6 minute stop while everyone else was back on the boat getting snacks and chilling out. If you go over the limits and then ascend too quickly - watch out - the dreaded triangle and then you will really have a short repetitive dive! As was pointed out, the NDL limits are the limits, and incurring a deco penalty and exceeding your max ascent rate is just sloppy diving, but having your computer pad those limits to a point where it's seriously changing your dive profile compared to the DM and others doing the same dives, I started to object.

The first dive of the day is very similar to everyone else, but the repetitive dives are really shortened especially if you've come up and over a rock, or gone chasing an eagle ray and happened to change depth too quickly.

I really did like the Suunto's features (compass was useless, but the rest was good) and if you're a weekend warrior or don't do multiple deep dives then it really is a nice computer. As a new diver, you'll probably be happy for a while - take it easy as your experience grows. However, long term I'd rather have the option to make it more conservative myself if I choose. VEO 2.0 so far so good - I'll let you know after the week in Cozumel!

Be Safe!

 

[Lorenzoid]

I end up staying 10-20 feet above everyone else. I am leaning towards buying a new computer, either a newer Suunto or perhaps another brand because it is getting really annoying.

I've found myself doing the same thing when diving with my Suunto D6, but I don't find it annoying. My diving tends to be almost exclusively tropical reefs where we spend maybe 80% of our time on any given dive at a depth in the range of maybe 30-50 feet. I find that it's only when I'm at a depth in the range of, say, 70-100 feet, that staying 10 feet or so above others in my group for a few minutes really helps me avoid getting too close to the indicated no-deco limit for my comfort--and it's never the first dive of the day but rather after repetitive diving that this even arises. . But I find that doing that for just a few minutes during an hour-long dive is sufficient. Once the group is back up at, for example, 50 feet or less, it seems to make much less of a difference whether I'm at their depth or shallower. Really, for many of the shallow reef dives I do, toward the end of my dive my Suunto indicates I have infinite no-deco time left.

An anecdote: Once, when my computer indicated I had incurred a deco obligation of a couple of minutes, after duly doing the stop and exiting the water, I had to explain to the divemaster why I took a few more minutes than everyone else to get back on the boat. He chuckled and said, "that's why I don't wear a computer." I guess the moral of the story is that if you so are afraid of incurring a deco obligation, then hey by all means use what you perceive to be a more liberal computer ... or use no computer at all, which is the most liberal way of all to dive.

 

[Hatul]

I've had my Suunto Vyper go into deco mode and on the way up the deco clears as long as you don't overdo it and you do a nice multi-level dive.

Adam