I haven't been particularly gentle with my Scubapro Galileo, however it's only about 5 years old now. I also have a shearwater petrel, but it's even younger at 3 years old.
Most Durable / Best Quality Dive Computer
- Thread starter serrada
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Bought a Uwatec Aladin Pro Air in 1996, died couple of yrs ago.
Bought a Uwatec Aladin Pro Nitrox in 1997 and is still working but the display has gone dime over last 2 yrs.
The cost to replace the battery was on the expensive side until SP got really really greedy so I learnt the trick from the good folks in SB. Save myself and my buddies min of US$80.00 every time!
Bought a Uwatec Aladin Pro Nitrox in 1997 and is still working but the display has gone dime over last 2 yrs.
The cost to replace the battery was on the expensive side until SP got really really greedy so I learnt the trick from the good folks in SB. Save myself and my buddies min of US$80.00 every time!
CWK
Contributor
Had a Orca Edge years ago which I loved, but is too large by today's standards.
Had a Suunto Gecko that gave me an error message after multi day multi dive trips even though I was diving within NDL. This happened on two seperate dive trips so I threw it away as I lost all confidence in it. Thankfully I was using it as a backup computer (to the Suunto Zoop Novo) when these incidents happened.
Have a Suunto Zoop Novo which I now attach to my BCD as a backup. I don't like the buttons for changing settings and the display can be difficult to read, but it is small and cheap enough as a backup.
Have a Shearwater Perdix AI which I bought in July this year and use as my main computer. Have done some 30 dives with it in the month since purchase. Best computer I've had since the Orca Edge.
I don't really worry about most durable as the NDL algorithms have changed a little over the 30 years that I have been diving. I presume that they will change a little more over the next 30 as the sport gains greater understanding of DCI. Besides, I hope to have an excuse to buy a new toy.
If I had to do it all over again and buy any computer currently on the market, I'd buy the Perdix.
Had a Suunto Gecko that gave me an error message after multi day multi dive trips even though I was diving within NDL. This happened on two seperate dive trips so I threw it away as I lost all confidence in it. Thankfully I was using it as a backup computer (to the Suunto Zoop Novo) when these incidents happened.
Have a Suunto Zoop Novo which I now attach to my BCD as a backup. I don't like the buttons for changing settings and the display can be difficult to read, but it is small and cheap enough as a backup.
Have a Shearwater Perdix AI which I bought in July this year and use as my main computer. Have done some 30 dives with it in the month since purchase. Best computer I've had since the Orca Edge.
I don't really worry about most durable as the NDL algorithms have changed a little over the 30 years that I have been diving. I presume that they will change a little more over the next 30 as the sport gains greater understanding of DCI. Besides, I hope to have an excuse to buy a new toy.
If I had to do it all over again and buy any computer currently on the market, I'd buy the Perdix.
Clark Fletcher
Contributor
I have a Sherwood Amphos Air that I've been very happy with. And, the Sherwood Widsom 3 is a pretty solid, very reliable unit.
Knowing what I know now, if I were purchasing a new computer, it would definitely be the Shearwater Perdix AI. When I bought my Amphos Air, I didn't want something really big hanging on my arm. While I liked the Shearwater Petrel, the size caused me to shy away from it. Having not seen a Perdix unit at that time, I was under the mistaken impression that is was similar in size to the Petrel. Additionally, most LCD screen computers were/are difficult to read on the surface. After actually seeing a Perdix, I'm sold. It's not nearly as big as a Petrel and a lot easier to read on the surface than most computers with similar style screens.
I like the Perdix AI so much that, when I can afford it, I'm going to buy one and retire my Amphos Air to a backup role. The good news is that the Amphos Air transmitter is compatible with the Perdix AI. And, as many have already pointed out, it's the last computer you'll ever need.
Hope this helps.
Knowing what I know now, if I were purchasing a new computer, it would definitely be the Shearwater Perdix AI. When I bought my Amphos Air, I didn't want something really big hanging on my arm. While I liked the Shearwater Petrel, the size caused me to shy away from it. Having not seen a Perdix unit at that time, I was under the mistaken impression that is was similar in size to the Petrel. Additionally, most LCD screen computers were/are difficult to read on the surface. After actually seeing a Perdix, I'm sold. It's not nearly as big as a Petrel and a lot easier to read on the surface than most computers with similar style screens.
I like the Perdix AI so much that, when I can afford it, I'm going to buy one and retire my Amphos Air to a backup role. The good news is that the Amphos Air transmitter is compatible with the Perdix AI. And, as many have already pointed out, it's the last computer you'll ever need.
Hope this helps.
OP
serrada
Contributor
What my gripe is i've had Oceanic VT3, Veo, ScubaPro Aladen Tec and Aris Manta in the last 10+ years and none of them are working. My dive gear is stored in conditioned space in a second bedroom and rinsed off every dive. Batteries replaced frequently.
I dive with just a pressure gauge and a wrist mounted depth. My old school depth gauge gets more use than any computer I've ever had because every time I'm about to go diving there goes a computer.
The Shearwater products look outstanding and well made. I like Perdix AI after what i've read and the recommendations from above. However, like mentioned above they have not been around long enough to make any durability claims.
Leaning towards a Suunto something since I've never owned one and hear mostly positive things about their quality and durability.
I dive with just a pressure gauge and a wrist mounted depth. My old school depth gauge gets more use than any computer I've ever had because every time I'm about to go diving there goes a computer.
The Shearwater products look outstanding and well made. I like Perdix AI after what i've read and the recommendations from above. However, like mentioned above they have not been around long enough to make any durability claims.
Leaning towards a Suunto something since I've never owned one and hear mostly positive things about their quality and durability.
Another vote for Shearwater. In my case a Predator. Easy to read, excellent user interface, nice mix gas functionality. Zero problems, good support, downloads easy, user replaceable battery.
I started with a ScubaPro Uwatec smart pro wrist mount. Used it for over 10 years. Rugged, but simple functionality. When I moved to the Predator, I ran the Uwatec as gauge mode for backup tables. (Actually began mix gas with tables to be mentally engaged before switching.) Changed battery once under their program which was a hassle and relatively expensive. It is now a paperweight needing new battery.
fwiw, my mixed gas diving is over, so the Predator is for sale if interested contact me.
I started with a ScubaPro Uwatec smart pro wrist mount. Used it for over 10 years. Rugged, but simple functionality. When I moved to the Predator, I ran the Uwatec as gauge mode for backup tables. (Actually began mix gas with tables to be mentally engaged before switching.) Changed battery once under their program which was a hassle and relatively expensive. It is now a paperweight needing new battery.
fwiw, my mixed gas diving is over, so the Predator is for sale if interested contact me.
We have no idea what will be released in the coming years but it will not be insignificant and I would guess there will be some amazing feature that will make today's darling seem so 2017.
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