Multi Gas Computers...worth it?

[Jimmer]

I'm shopping around for my first dive computer, with my LDS carrying Oceanic and can get Suunto. My question is are multi mix capable computers worth the extra money? I am an advanced OW diver, and will be taking my deep and Nitrox course in the near future, with plans to get into at least extended range tech diving down the road since I'm told most of the nicer wrecks in my area are between 130 and 165 feet. Will the gas switching ability be worth going to something like the Oceanic VT3 versus the VEO 180 or 250, which are nitrox compatible but only single mix?

 

[H2Andy]

down the line, the ability to have several mixes dialed into your computer will
help you do deco dives.

for example, you can simply switch from 32 Nitrox to 50 Nitrox for medium deco,
and then switch to 100% O2 for shallow deco. for recreational diving, multi-gas
computers don't really add much of value.

another consideration is computers that can handle Helium (ie. trimix). if you end up doing tech diving, you'll likely end up doing trimix.

a computer than can take you all the way there for a minimum investment is the
Nitek He (i use it). you can get it for about $560 right now. it has 7 gas mixes and
it can do Helium.

http://www.diveriteexpress.com/computers/nitekhe.shtml

 

[rongoodman]

On the other hand, by the time you get into technical diving there might be more capable or cheaper(or both) computers to choose from. A Veo 180 or 250 will be fine in the short term and will work as a back-up bottom timer later on.

 

[SDAnderson]

Look for a computer that (a) can handle nitrox, and (b) that can be run as a bottom timer, and (c) that can be downloaded. You'll pay a lot for a computer that can handle gas switches and you should be learning how to cut your own tables, anyway.

 

[Fotoz4FX]

I'm shopping around for my first dive computer, with my LDS carrying Oceanic and can get Suunto. My question is are multi mix capable computers worth the extra money? I am an advanced OW diver, and will be taking my deep and Nitrox course in the near future, with plans to get into at least extended range tech diving down the road since I'm told most of the nicer wrecks in my area are between 130 and 165 feet. Will the gas switching ability be worth going to something like the Oceanic VT3 versus the VEO 180 or 250, which are nitrox compatible but only single mix?

I'm thinking that since you mentioned taking a Deep Diver Course, you are thinking of trimix and staging bottles for your deco. I don't know how much you are thinking of going into this technical aspect but consider this... below 218 feet oxygen becomes toxic so trimix is common sense with a downside... you have to follow stringent guidelines, carry staging bottles and your emergency escape bottle MUST conform to your mix at the level you are in. There is no grabbing your 70% O2 at depth to get out of a SNAFU.

Consider Dive Rite's own HeTech... multigas and multi mix capabilities but if you are not planning to use it, why spend the money? What IS necessary is backup and that alone can get costly... extra computers (because batteries and computers can fail), and the ever present Murphy. Most know the first part but adding on the end and the Law gives in to a more appropriate venue "... and at the most inappropriate time".

If you need to ask the questions you are, don't consider deep diving at all. It's expensive and short cuts and finances are not part of the equation. If you can't provide your life support... don't dive deep. The world is full of water... deep gets darker, darker gets colder, colder gets uncomfortable and uncomfortable is dangerous.

Nuff Said.

 

[wedivebc]

My suunto vytec is now a very expensive bottom timer. My HS explorer does not always work so in the end I cut tables anyway.

 

[SDAnderson]

My suunto vytec is now a very expensive bottom timer.

At least it records a lot of data and allows for downloads...

 

[Jimmer]

If you need to ask the questions you are, don't consider deep diving at all. It's expensive and short cuts and finances are not part of the equation.

It's not the expense itself that I am concerned with, every sport I've been involved with is pricey, Bicycle racing, auto racing, and I dont skimp on equipment, but I've learned enough from those sports as well to know that I dont want to spend money unnecesarrily in one area when the investment would be better spent in another. Maybe I need to clarify my question a little more, I've read posts for a while now where tech divers talk about running their computers in guage mode and run off of tables exclusively when deco diving. If this is the norm, then why is a multi gas computer needed? Secondly if I did keep my investment low at this point in time getting something like a VEO 180, could I not use that as a backup bottom timer which I understand is another required piece of kit for deco diving, and save the investment of the high end helium capable computer for later. As I said its not the price itself that is the concern, its whether I NEED to spend that money now, rather than spending it later and flipping a lower priced unit that will handle my current needs onto backup bottom timer use?

 

[wedivebc]

It's not the expense itself that I am concerned with, every sport I've been involved with is pricey, Bicycle racing, auto racing, and I dont skimp on equipment, but I've learned enough from those sports as well to know that I dont want to spend money unnecesarrily in one area when the investment would be better spent in another. Maybe I need to clarify my question a little more, I've read posts for a while now where tech divers talk about running their computers in guage mode and run off of tables exclusively when deco diving. If this is the norm, then why is a multi gas computer needed? Secondly if I did keep my investment low at this point in time getting something like a VEO 180, could I not use that as a backup bottom timer which I understand is another required piece of kit for deco diving, and save the investment of the high end helium capable computer for later. As I said its not the price itself that is the concern, its whether I NEED to spend that money now, rather than spending it later and flipping a lower priced unit that will handle my current needs onto backup bottom timer use?

The point that you may be missing here is a properly trained tech diver doing serios dives will seldom rely entirely on a single computer, If you are looking to buy a multi gas computer that will be suitable when you transition to more technical diving I would suggest waiting. My recommendation would be to use a computer that is suitable for the style of diving you are currently doing and choose one that will allow you to use it as a bottom timer. As reefraff pointed out my expensive BT has profile download capability which makes it somewhat more usefull than a regular BT. I do have a helium based computer but since I need total redundancy for deco diving I still have to cut tables so my explorer usually ends up just validating my tables.
The issues of how to use a deco computer will be covered in your tech training and you may find it better to make your choice after you are trained for that style of diving.
I am not saying this to belittle you I just think dive planning and deco is a very serious and involved subject and there are as many 'correct' answers to your question as there is dive objectives.
Bottom line, get yourself a rec computer/bottom timer (areies atmos II sort of thing) and wait for the expensive toys until you are ready to make an educated purchase choice.

 

[Jimmer]

WediveBC:

That's where my mind has been hovering lately, get something recreational in nature for now, and a more involved computer down the road. I've had some people suggesting I just bite the bullet and buy the multi gas computer right now, and of course a few of these people have been LDS employees or owners, hence why I was looking for opinions from divers who aren't going to get making profit from me. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I understand most tech divers cut their own tables and only use the computer as a backup to those tables in the event of an emergency? In which case a multi gas computer can definetly wait.