Setting out to by a new computer

[pisc]

I am out to by my first computer, I have got certified and I want to continue learning and advancing in diving. I want to buy a good wrist mount computer but have got overwhelmed with all the choice available. I am not sure wether I should save up and immediately go for the shearwater petrel or whether it would be a better idea to start small and have more funds available for other equipment for now. What do you suggest??

 

[TampaScuba]

I have a Oceanic ATOM 1.0 with wireless transmitter for sale if you want to start with something cheaper that is still AI.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

Depends on how much other gear/diving the coin for a new computer will cost you. There's not a thing wrong with a high-end tech computer early on, assuming buying it won't limit the amount of diving you do. A Petrel will be as great a computer on a single tank shallow reef dive as it will on a 300' multi-gas wreck dive, because even though you're not using the "tech" features yet, you're still benefiting from having an extremely easy to use, easy to read computer that eats generic AA batteries and doesn't try to do your job for you with a bunch of audible alarms and limitations... and from having Shearwater customer support backing it up. Still, what you really need is to go dive a lot; if you can't do that and buy a high end computer, go for the cheaper option and dive more.

Have you actually used a Shearwater yet? I think they're great, as do a lot of others, but you should play with one first to make sure it's really for you. Read the manual online, too, very informative. If all you want is wristmount and simple/workable, there are some much cheaper computers that fill the bill: the Zoop and DG03 come to mind.

 

[pisc]

Cheers for the advice yes i'll start by reading the manual and move on from there.

 

[HIGHwing]

Shearwater Petrel. /end thread

 

[Imla]

Get a computer with Nitrox and Gaugecapabilities.

 

[boulderjohn]

I am a fan of Shearwater computers--I use a Predator myself. On the other hand, I am not big on advising a new diver to get one right off the bat. You will do just fine with much less computer at a quarter the price for a long time until your diving has advanced to the point that a Petrel will truly serve your needs.

I agree with everything Dr. Lecter says about the quality of the computer, but I just think you should save the money for now and get something much simpler, including especially any computer that will be able to go into gauge mode. If you do that, you will have all the computer that you ever need until you decide to go into technical diving--if you ever do. In that case, at least 90% of all tech instructors will want you to do your early training (at least) with no computer at all--just some kind of bottom timer. Your original computer in gauge mode will fill the bill for that.

What happens next depends upon the tech training you get. In some cases, you will be told NEVER to use a computer, in which case the Petrel money will have been wasted and the gauge mode computer will be what you use. In other cases, you will either use a decompression computer for backup to a table-based plan (using your gauge mode computer as your primary device), or you will use a decompression computer to plan and guide the dive. If you are in one of the latter situations NOW, the Petrel is your best choice. Will it be the best choice years later when you are ready for a computer with that capacity? Who knows?

In any event, even if you finally decide to use a decompression computer for tech diving, then that old computer in gauge mode will still be with you as a backup device.

 

[AwkwardSwimmer]

Shearwater Petrel. /end thread

Petrel is awesome, but starting small? If you are fine upgrading later down the road a cheaper wrist mounted Suunto or Oceanic always works.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

I am a fan of Shearwater computers--I use a Predator myself. On the other hand, I am not big on advising a new diver to get one right off the bat. You will do just fine with much less computer at a quarter the price for a long time until your diving has advanced to the point that a Petrel will truly serve your needs.

I agree with everything Dr. Lecter says about the quality of the computer, but I just think you should save the money for now and get something much simpler, including especially any computer that will be able to go into gauge mode. If you do that, you will have all the computer that you ever need until you decide to go into technical diving--if you ever do. In that case, at least 90% of all tech instructors will want you to do your early training (at least) with no computer at all--just some kind of bottom timer. Your original computer in gauge mode will fill the bill for that.

What happens next depends upon the tech training you get. In some cases, you will be told NEVER to use a computer, in which case the Petrel money will have been wasted and the gauge mode computer will be what you use. In other cases, you will either use a decompression computer for backup to a table-based plan (using your gauge mode computer as your primary device), or you will use a decompression computer to plan and guide the dive. If you are in one of the latter situations NOW, the Petrel is your best choice. Will it be the best choice years later when you are ready for a computer with that capacity? Who knows?

In any event, even if you finally decide to use a decompression computer for tech diving, then that old computer in gauge mode will still be with you as a backup device.

Like I said, if the cost would significantly limit his diving now, the $950 Petrel isn't the best choice.

However, if what the OP wants is the best wrist-mount computer available and doesn't mind paying for it, I don't think there's a better option. "Save your money" is fine as a concept, but it's rare that anyone goes out looking for the bare minimum possible in a piece of dive gear. 'What's the cheapest reg I can get away with?' and 'Gee, wouldn't I save a couple hundred bucks just getting a used BT and diving tables?' aren't really that different from 'Couldn't I save some money by buying a less well designed, built, and supported computer than a new Shearwater?'

 

[SandPhantom]

Like others have said....Shearwater Petrel!