yen once bubbled...
My budget for the DC is around $400.
Any suggestions for models around that price range?
Don't intend to spend as much as $1K for a DC since I'm not a very frequent diver. So far, could only afford about one dive trip every 2 months. Would rather spend any extra $$$ on more dive trips.
I would opt for a Suunto moskito. I have used suunto's for years and find them very reliable and easy to read (despite small size). Currently using a stinger, however the draw back is although it does look very cool the batteries need a profesional to change them, the moskito does not and is also cheaper.
It comes with nitrox as standard and although nitrox divng maybe a few years away for you it will save you buying another computer later on. I dont dive nitrox myself but it is becoming more common.
The aladin's seem to work fine and many people use them, but they are huge, and next trip you are on look at them all lieing around after dives. Get a small suunto and you wear it all weekend no chance of losing it or leaving it behind. Have seen several divers realise after starting their dive that computer is still topsides!!!!!!!
Lastly the Suunto's are definitley the most conservative, both my GF and i use Suunto's and where deep dives and or extended dives over a number of days are concerned our computers are always the first to say go up, which isnt a bad thing. Computer softwear is still developing and each new generation of computers are a bit more conservative, better to be at the front of the pack where this is concerned.
I konw that it can breed a laziness and sometimes a lack of understanding of dive tables (to begin with I would always check my dive against tables even when diving on computer to monitor the difference) but i think a computer can be a good investment.
If you go divng away from your normal sites and buddies, many dive groups will insist on a computer and even if they don't you may find it difficult getting a buddy if everyone else on the boat has a computer, they won't want their bottom time dictated by your tables.
The middle dive shop (don't remember the name but its right by the spiral staircase) in the basement of lucky plaza has some good deals on Suunto's have bought mine from him, but not sure what current pricing on the moskitos are.
