Purchase Help

[eotm]

I just got certified last year, and am ready to buy some of my own equipment, including a computer. I'm looking for an air-integrated wrist mount (ideally hoseless). Good logging (ideally some sort of PC software) is also important to me. The Cressi Leonardo looks great and costs about what I want to pay, but no air. I'm thinking maybe the Oceanic Atom 2, but that is $600. The cheapest I found was the Aeris Elite (http://www.leisurepro.com/Catalog.a...escSort=0&Page=1&Term=hoseless computer&Hit=1) on closeout.

I never plan to dive nitrox and probably would prefer a conservative computer to leave myself some room for error, but at the same time don't want to be dealing with decompression mode alarms all the time.

 

[SrLagarto]

Welcome to SB, buddy - you'll get a lot of opinions and advice regarding your question here.

I imagine you'll probably have a hard job buying a computer that doesn't do Nitrox these days, especially if you're looking into the hose-less price-range of the market. I haven't personally tried all brands, so my advice here is obviously a little biased - but, if a conservative algorythm is what you're after, then a Suunto would probably be a good investment. The Suunto Vyper Air has lots of useful features and good logging software for your PC, too.

Personally, I think it's important to consider would be how easy your chosen brand is to get serviced as and when it requires it - i.e. can you get it done locally, or would your DC have to be mailed to a service centre? Also, having the facility to change the battery yourself is a dive-saving advantage (provided you keep a spare in your kit-bag, obviously!) and will save you money in the long-term.

You'll find separate sub-forums for all the main DC brands right here on SB, so good luck with your search!

 

[DiveNav]

Welcome to SB.
As far as I know, all the dive computers models recently introduced in the market (past ~2 years) have Nitrox capabilities.

To help in your research, you could use our Dive Computers Research Tool or check them out with our simulators.

Also, when you purchase a dive computer from LP they will send you a free Activation Code for dive computer online class (if it is available ... and we have online classes for lots of dive computers).

Alberto (aka eDiver)

 

[epointer]

You are not going to get a AI wrist mount computer new for the price of the Cressi Leonardo. If you have to get a hosless wrist computer the Aeris Elite looks good for the price. Leisure Pro had the Oceanic Vt3 on sale a few weeks ago for $550 also. Both the VT3 and Aeris Elite are older models that are being closed out. I was going to get the VT3 but I decided to go with the Aeris t3 Elite because I liked the display better on the Aeris (they are both the same computer just the display is a little different). I think the only difference between the Aeris Elite and T3 Elite is the T3 can handle 3 transmitters. For the price range you are looking at you may be better of just getting a spg and a puck style non AI wrist computer.

 

[naim06]

Zoop will do everything but no air-int. There is no need to insist on wireless ari-int, I believe analog is always safer, in fact, I feel that way.

 

[Teller]

I would put alot of thought into buying a computer with hoseless air integration or one without nitrox. Ive known a few divers who bought expensive air integrated computer right after getting OW ceftified. Most of them now use simple bottom timers. The transmitters on these computers are known for loosing signal leaving you not knowing your pressure unless you have a backup SPG.

Nitrox is so common today that youll find even the most basic computers having a nitrox function. I dont even know if there is an air integrated computer without nitrox capability.

When buying gear its not always about what type of dives your doing now. You need to ask yourself what type of dives are in your future. When I bought my first set of gear I thought I would just do a few dives a year while on vacation. Now I am Trimix certified and a Instructor candidate. Just something to think about.

 

[scubasam1212]

Oceanic and aeris are the same company. Its hard to find a great wireless air integrated copmuter down in the 500-600 price range. If you go to the hoseintegrated computers you would go down in price and still get your pressure read-out just not in a wrist mount. The subgear XP-H is a great little computer under 500. Also almost all computers come with the nitrox features because it doesnt add much to price if any and people like to have the options. The luna is a great hoseless air integrated computer with lots of extra features including the digital compass. Use the infrared downloader and you can change settings and get a nice dive profile.

 

[ed.hamilton1]

My advise would be to stick with a computer without integration and instead just get a single gauge console simple is always better and after having colleagues desperately searching foreign countries for replacement batteries for their transmitter I needed no more convincing of that.