Need a new dive computer

[gizmo1972]

hey there i would look at the suunto range as your used to the displays and menus mabe a D4i D6i ??
nice and easy or the other opion is the sherewater pretzel but its a bigger unit and not air intergrated yes the suuntos are conservative but we arnt getting any younger so thats not a bad thing
im diving 4 times a day every day on 2 x D9txi computer s no problems

 

[ganu76]

I'll second the SubGear XP-10. It *IS* the Uwatec Aladin Prime. (When ScubaPro bought the line they changed the color of the face then sold it under their SubGear name.)

Now that ScubaPro owns the Aladin name maybe there's something special with the Aladin 2G; I don't know. I do know that I haven't had any regrets with rhe XP-10.

My review of it is the longer one on Leisure Pro.


Sub Gear XP10 Wrist Dive Computer | LeisurePro

 

[Tigerman]

I'll second the SubGear XP-10. It *IS* the Uwatec Aladin Prime. (When ScubaPro bought Uwatec they changed the color of the face.)

Now that ScubaPro owns the Aladin name maybe there's something special with the Aladin 2G; I don't know. I do know that I haven't had any regrets with rhe XP-10.

My review of it is the longer one on Leisure Pro.


Sub Gear XP10 Wrist Dive Computer | LeisurePro

I havent had the XP10, but it is infact the same as the aladin prime, I HAVE had some regrets with it. It dont have freshwater settings, nor altitude settings - which was kinda annoying as I live in the inland, but not much more. The issue is however that the irda port has a tendency of failing after some use and the only fix is to replace the computer. I suspect this weakness to also be present in the aladin 2g (which Im otherwise happy with).

 

[halocline]

Dove last Saturday and my computer has still not turned off. I have a Sunto Viper...... Once I have a problem with my life support I don't consider it to be dependable. Besides my computer is older, has about 800 dives on it,.......I always stay within NDL. Any recommendations?

I wouldn't consider a dive computer 'life support', I guess it's a matter of opinion, but 800 dives on a recreational dive computer is excellent, yours has really lasted. I've had good luck with aeris computers, I still have an older atmos 2. If I had to replace it I'd consider the XR1 NX, on sale for less than $200, or maybe the suunto zoop, which looks to be like the old gekko with a new name. Both are simple, easy to read, and have a good reputation for reliability. The aeris is less conservative, but that does not mean that the suunto safer in any proven way. It's really just a matter of preference.

As much as you dive I'd recommend reading a bit about N2 loading, basic decompression theory/modeling, maybe something a bit in depth about O2 exposure. There's a good chapter in the PADI encyclopedia of recreational diving, believe it or not, on basic deco theory. That's a good place to start. Having a basic understanding of this can really change the way you dive, and feeling less dependent on a computer is liberating. To me the wireless air-integrated, heart monitoring, 'feature' laden dive computers are absurd for recreational diving, but to each his/her own. I'd be happy with depth/time/N2/O2 loading and that's it. I don't even pay much attention to NDL, I find the graphic representation of N2 loading much more useful at the end of the dive when it really counts.

 

[Peter69_56]

I had a Liquivision and sold it for a Petrel. Best decision I ever made and I am very happy with my Petrel.

 

[Foxfish]

You have a Suunto Vyper. Maybe consider the Suunto Cobra. In my part of the woods they are pretty much the benchmark. They're a console style computer, rugged and reliable. Sounds like that is what you want. I've also got the D4 which gives a dive profile graph on the watch screen. It would be nice to have that on the Cobra but I download the profiles onto the Suunto Dive Manager software and it gives me all the details I want.

It's got all the normal stuff. You can set FO2 and PPO2 levels for Nitrox diving and it gives you an OLF reading. It gives you an estimate of how much time you have left on a dive (until you reach 30 bar). I have a separate compass.

It may be a little more conservative than you would like. Personally, if I was doing 5 dives a day on Nitrox and the computer said I was getting close to oxygen exposure limits I'd change my dive plan rather than the computer.

 

[corvettejoe]

More computer than necessary for just EAN NDL dives, but a Shearwater Petrel won't lock you out for any reason, O2 included. Shearwater has great support. I think it's easy to read, but YMMV.

I'll chime in as well and +1 the Petrel. Everyone is spending $1000 on these AI nitrox only computers with almost no options or features, when one of the absolute best computers on the market today is $100's less and will scale from OW diving up to multi-gas and CCR diving. It's simple and easy to use, you can customize the display to have whatever data you want wherever you want it. It also comes with the ability to pull the logs off without charging you an arm and a leg for more "sync accessories". I couldn't be happier with mine. One of the main few reasons I got my Petrel was because it will never lock you out, and as you said, I also think it's the easiest to read. It's built like a tank too, and will be the last computer you will ever need to buy (well, except I want a backup Petrel now too LOL). I usually keep it's display on a minimum brightness since I mostly cave dive lately, but even in OW ocean diving with the sun on it, its still easy to read...even at the dimmer settings (full brightness is like a light saber and totally awesome though, but I like saving my battery). Battery replacement is easy too...simple AA swap and good to go. EVERYONE has AA's, so you will never be stranded without being able to swap the battery out in the middle of nowhere.

I absolutely LOVE my Petrel

 

[logansar]

Galaleo Sol. Great computer! You can turn on or off many of the alerts


Sarge
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[geoff w]

My 8 year old Vyper died within the past year (died, as in the pressure sensor went kaput and it kept thinking it was still diving). It's one of those random failures, and all you can do is replace the whole puck (which Suunto sells as just the replacement without any accessories). I looked around and didn't find anything much better than the Vyper without spending tons more $$, so I just bought a replacement Vyper. Mine is console mounted, which was also part of my selection decision. My wife has the same dive computer and wants the same as me, so anything different would entail purchasing two dive computers. The less expensive Zoop is essentially the same as the Vyper, but the screen display is slightly different. The Vyper isn't the fanciest dive computer, but it does pretty much everything I need in a recreational dive computer

 

[hroark2112]

My wife dives with the Leonardo and finds it very simple to read & use. It's not AI and you don't have to buy the computer interface

It was right around $300 in pink.