Petrel pricing, helo2

[Centrals]

I have seen a lot of people driving, for example, low end BMWs. Say a 320i. Hardly the kind of thing that would make you think of a hedge fund manager or an Internet billionaire, plenty of them being driven by ordinary folks. So that costs $40,000, and you can get a new Hyundai for about $15,000. Yet I never hear anyone loudly objecting to those cars, saying that they could have used that extra $25,000 for gas, or vacations, or whatever.

A fast car can get you from A to B quicker and safer.
But a Petrel won't out perform my 18 yrs old Aladin in recreational diving.
I hope you will be still using your beloved Petrel in 18yr time.

 

[tbone1004]

oh, one very important thing that needs to ring home *pun intended* is that the Petrel does not have ANY bells, or whistles *again pun intended*. Most rec divers are used to having computers beep at them if their ascent is too high, or any other sorts of things go wrong. The Petrel does not have the ability to make any noise at all, so if you like that feature, it is one that was intentionally left out. It will not warn you as you are approaching NDL's, it just starts racking up the deco, if you are ascending too fast, it will flash at you I think, but it doesn't have an alarm. Diving Nitrox and go past your MOD? It will turn red and get angry with you, but if you aren't looking at it, it has no way of yelling at you.

Most of us don't need or want that feature for technical diving, but it is something to weigh in if you are used to those features and value them. I believe the DG03 has alarms.

Company has only been around since 2004, but all of the legacy products are still working and supported by Shearwater if you need it. I fully expect these things to be fully functioning in 10+ years, even if they are relegated to gauge mode.

 

[Centrals]

But the Petrel really shines as a basic recreational dive computer, because it does really well those things that you want a dive computer to do - be readable in all sorts of visibility and ambient light levels, present information in an organized way, be reliable, have an easy battery to change. So those aren't bells and whistles, those are basic functionality.

My Aladin have been providing all the info that I need for a rec dive in any conditions diligently over 18 yrs. No service ever required except changing battery and when I learn how to change the battery eventually, the advantage of user battery replacement offered by the latest computers would be the thing of the past.

 

[doctormike]

A fast car can get you from A to B quicker and safer.
But a Petrel won't out perform my 18 yrs old Aladin in recreational diving.
I hope you will be still using your beloved Petrel in 18yr time.

That's why you would buy a BMW? To shorten your commute? 150 mph top speed vs. 125 mph for the Hyundai Accent.

I guess that's worth $25,000!

As far as dive computers, maybe you have younger eyes, or maybe you have a different definition of "out perform".....

 

[Centrals]

Company has only been around since 2004, but all of the legacy products are still working and supported by Shearwater if you need it. I fully expect these things to be fully functioning in 10+ years, even if they are relegated to gauge mode.

How could that be? Do you foresee any break through on decompression theory over next 10 yrs.

---------- Post added September 17th, 2014 at 10:26 PM ----------

As far as dive computers, maybe you have younger eyes, or maybe you have a different definition of "out perform".....

Do you honestly believe Petrel can provide more useful information related to diving than Aladin under water in recreational diving. BTW, Aladin has alarm!

 

[jale]

Well we don't know the OP but for most new divers, the tank is empty before reaching the ndl
And even, an ow is limited at 18-20m. What is the ndl for this kind of dive? Do you need a computer for that?!
After, is aow and 30 meters. In a few nicely planed dives you know already how long you have before you reach your ndl and start going up back to your ow zone and so on...
Come on, you (general "you" ) spend hours reading and asking questions about gf and conservatism settings understanding that deco is not really about being exact but about quality. and that in fact it is a bit a "woodoo" if I may say
So why making a new diver believe a computer is the way to optimize his diving? A computer is just a tool giving you information and you are the one deciding what to do with this. Unfortunately, most of the new divers (an quite a few "experienced" divers) just follow the computer blindly...

The OP is an open water diver, his limiting factor will be his NDL which will be much longer on the typical multi profile OW dive using a computer than if he is using a bottom timer and tables. If you know at which depth you are going to be at each minute of the dive you can maximize your time with BT and tables but I can't remember any non deco dive that I have done where that would be the case.

---------- Post added September 17th, 2014 at 09:43 AM ----------

How could that be? Do you foresee any break through on decompression theory over next 10 yrs.

---------- Post added September 17th, 2014 at 10:26 PM ----------


Do you honestly believe Petrel can provide more useful information related to diving than Aladin under water in recreational diving. BTW, Aladin has alarm!

Exactly
Computers are numerous, diving theories...

 

[tbone1004]

How could that be? Do you foresee any break through on decompression theory over next 10 yrs.

---------- Post added September 17th, 2014 at 10:26 PM ----------


Do you honestly believe Petrel can provide more useful information related to diving than Aladin under water in recreational diving. BTW, Aladin has alarm!

no new deco theory expected, but there might be newer nicer technology that would cause it to go to gauge mode duty. I also plan on diving mostly CCR in the next 5 years, so it will be in gauge mode for that anyway.

More useful info, absolutely. Has automatic altitude compensation, shows you a graph of your tissue loading which is a good visual if say, you're going to be flying, also allows for you to make judgement calls on omitted or shortened deco stops due to emergencies, but more importantly it has an easy way to download dive logs, and a lot easier screen to read.... The old Aladins are good computers, but this has better build quality and more information that makes it a lot better computer. The Nitek Q is something more inline with the current run of Aladin Squares, and it is worth an extra $200, it's no comparison.

 

[Water Boy76]

oh, one very important thing that needs to ring home *pun intended* is that the Petrel does not have ANY bells, or whistles *again pun intended*. Most rec divers are used to having computers beep at them if their ascent is too high, or any other sorts of things go wrong. The Petrel does not have the ability to make any noise at all, so if you like that feature, it is one that was intentionally left out. It will not warn you as you are approaching NDL's, it just starts racking up the deco, if you are ascending too fast, it will flash at you I think, but it doesn't have an alarm. Diving Nitrox and go past your MOD? It will turn red and get angry with you, but if you aren't looking at it, it has no way of yelling at you.

Most of us don't need or want that feature for technical diving, but it is something to weigh in if you are used to those features and value them. I believe the DG03 has alarms.
.

Bingo for me. I'm not a tech diver, so I like the fact that I get a reminder if my PO2 is too high or I'm reaching deco on my $250 computer. It's not an excuse to be lazy, but is helpful.

Some will buy Petrel because SB thinks it's the best. Others will choose it for the right reasons, others will not choose it for the right reasons.

 

[jale]

It seems we would have quite a similar conversation if we were comparing smartphones
Who needs the new Iphone 6?

 

[victorzamora]

A fast car can get you from A to B quicker and safer.

I drive a BMW because it will last the best the longest. Yes, a Kia will also last 200,000miles.....but my car will feel BETTER at 200,000miles and have less issues along the way. I paid extra to have the better quality throughout its lifespan, and I was glad to do so. The same thing goes for my Petrel. The only reason it won't be my primary computer in 16 more years is if I make a ton of money and buy the prettier one later or if I stop diving. I'm sure it'll continue diving along side me forever.

One note on your Aladin: There are PLENTY of Aladins failing after far less than 18 years. So, I'm glad yours have worked well.....but for the hundreds that have failed, what do you say to them? Yours work so clearly theirs should, too?