Looking to buy a dive computer

[DewTheDewDude]

Hey fellow boarders!

Had a few questions on what computer to get. Have a few things I'm truly looking for, and hoping you guys can point me in the right direction of that watch, if it even exists.

I'm doing my Divemaster course in Honduras this winter, so I'm going to need a tip top computer. I'm trying to get a very nice one that will last me a while, not just a beginners only.

There are a lot of bells and whistles that I've looked into with other smart watches, and was trying to get a watch that incorporates most/all of them. Not sure if the watch I want actually exists, but I'm trying to get all the help I can get.


What I'm looking for:
Nitrox or even Trimix (Will be taking the specialized courses down south as well)
Compass
Barometer (weather trends, storm alerts, temperature, etc)
Basically a mini weather station ^^
Apnea Mode, Settings for Free Diving (I do a lot of spearfishing, so I'd like to be able to incorporate this computer for that too)
Flash Light (For Cave Diving, and adventuring)


A Huge Plus:
Altimeter
GPS
Tides
Route navigation and track back
Sunrise/Sunset times
AI/Wireless Transmitter
Logbook



Definitely want to get a bang for my buck. Trying to get the whole package.

Any makes or brands would be great!

I really don't want to to be too huge either.

Price ceiling at max would be $1000.

Thanks in advance guys!

 

[buddhasummer]

No such such diving computer exists with the features you want. I think you're going to have make some pretty big compromises.

 

[drrich2]

GPS signals don't penetrate underwater. No dive computer is going to give weather reports. None will navigate for you aside from a compass function, aside from the locator function with the Liquivision Lynx, and that would be expensive with a rep. for short battery life.

Some of what you want is done via smart phone with app.s. And you will probably have a phone.

---------- Post added October 31st, 2015 at 08:29 PM ----------

Such is my understanding, anyway.

 

[uncfnp]

https://www.divenavstore.com/product/872

Well... No AI yet.

 

[drrich2]

Here's the stuff you want I don't think you can have, off-hand:

Barometer (weather trends, storm alerts, temperature, etc)
Basically a mini weather station ^^
Flash Light (For Cave Diving, and adventuring)
GPS
Tides
Route navigation and track back
Sunrise/Sunset times

I have no idea about an altimeter.

Richard.

 

[DewTheDewDude]

I appreciate the info, thanks. I had a feeling it would come to that. So anywho..what brands would you recommend? I've been looking a lot into Suunto, and starting to peek at Oceanic. Thoughts?

 

[fdarden]

I appreciate the info, thanks. I had a feeling it would come to that. So anywho..what brands would you recommend? I've been looking a lot into Suunto, and starting to peek at Oceanic. Thoughts?

Wow, I get to be the first one to start the "I recommend buying a Shearwater Petrel" thread again. This is hands down the last dive computer you will likely ever need to buy, but most people looking to buy their first dive computer do not have the dive experience to understand why a dive computer with seemingly so few "bells and whistles" is so popular. It's because the DIVE features work great, it's easy to use, dependable, durable, and their customer service is amazing. Reliability, and usability are key. You cant do much diving on a computer that you cannot use. I had a used one on here for sale for about a month, it sold Friday for $550.00 plus shipping. The features it has are useful and meaningful for your dive. For most of those other features, buy a smartphone and use it on the surface before your dive. Thanks for the chuckle though. Visions of reading the weather forecast on the deck of the Lowrance, LOL

 

[doctormike]

It doesn't take much work with the search function here to find the vast number of SB members who swear by the Shearwater Petrel (me included). Even if you were never going to do technical / trimix training, it's an awesome computer from an awesome company. Extremely readable, reliable, customizable, with a user replaceable AA battery. If you ARE going to do advanced training, it's even better. Built like a tank, and the customer support from Shearwater is better than I have seen for any product in any industry. Not sure what "bells and whistles" apart from wireless air integration it lacks, actually.

However, there actually ARE four types of divers for whom the Petrel wouldn't be appropriate. If you aren't one of these, then get the Petrel.

1) Divers who absolutely have to have wireless AI (a debate in itself, but if you must have WAI, then the Petrel isn't for you)

2) Divers who have a very limited budget, and can't even swing the price of a used Petrel (the OP isn't in this category)

3) Divers who must have a very small "watch style" DC (I can't stand these, they jam a lot of critical information together into a small, poorly illuminated space, but that's a personal preference)

4) Divers who must have a console DC (again, I think that this is a poor option, but if wrist mounted is a deal breaker for you and you want your SPG integrated into your DC, then don't get the Petrel).

 

[Steve_C]

Two comments
- You have to be able to read the computer quickly. This includes stuff like deco stop information etc. Tiny display is not good.
-I had a puck style computer for a while with a compass function. I found it a pain. Much easier to look at the compass on my console leaving the computer for NDL, depth, etc.

You should distinguish between what you want available on the surface which can be relegated to a smart phone and what you want under water.

You should note that some boats that run to sites they have found that are special are grumpy about folks using gps near the site.

 

[KevinNM]

I have a couple of Suunto computers and have dove with a few people using Shearwater's. The display is vastly more visible than my Viper or Vytec. I can read the shearwater 5+ feet away. Most of the people I saw while diving were just using it as a very nice bottom timer, but nobody has regretted their choice. It isn't an economy model, but if you are looking past the lower end (which actually typically will work fine for the average recreational diver and probably you too) I'd look at it very seriously.