SUUNTO Cobra

[buff]

You can get a Cobra at DiveInn.com from Spain OR I believe they have the Cobra at SimplyScuba.com

I paid $395.00 for mine at Divinn.com and I really like it.

 

[ScubyDoo]

I also got mine from Diveinn.com (with the compass) for $442 U.S. dollars....plus $12 U.S. dollars for shipping. They shipped direct from Spain to U.S. in just 4 days (amazing). I also ordered the Dive Manager PC interface and Quick Disconnect from them as well. The quick disconnect however was not in stock and had to be backordered. Still waiting for that one

 

[Warhammer]

I also have a Cobra w/SK7 compass attached. But the attached compass is soon to be retired, or I should say passed on to my Mrs. Reason being, it's pain to have to unhook the Cobra to use the compass. I run the hose for my Cobra under my arm and attach it to my upper right D-ring, so it's nicely tucked out of the way. To use the compass, I have to unhook the console and then rehook it after I'm done. I'm going to Suunto's retractor mounted SK7 instead. That'll tighten up the Cobra's fit more and get rid of the unhook/hook problem at the same time. I must admit though that the retractable compass is a tad pricey. I seem to remember it listing for $110 or there abouts at the LDS. And yes, Suunto does make one on a retractor.

As far as the Cobra goes, I like mine fine for the most part. I don't use it much though as I tend to rely on my wrist mounted Vyper instead. But the air-intergration is a nice feature to have. My biggest complaint about the Cobra, and whole Suunto line for that matter, is the lack of a true Nitrogen Loading Graph. Suunto's use what they call a Consumed Bottom Time graph instead and it only provides you with the time left at what depth you happen to be at, whatever that depth may be. For instance, if you dive to 100' for the around the limit and then ascend to 20' - 15' to begin your safety stop, the CBT graph is going to have you way in the green and will not reflect the nitrogen that your tissues have loaded at 100'. Don't get me wrong, I like coming up in the green, but that's just a tad too much green for me. I'd rather have a computer that whose graph reflects the whole dive, not just the depth that I'm presently at.

 

[AviZ]

Thanks for the input sofar everyone ...its give me quite a good idea, just one thing..only little but i want it ...for some reason or other.
does the cobra give you the temp of the water? is it a standred feature or does it only appy to some computers?
(first time buyer of a computer & i want a good one )

Thanks

 

[neticen]

Originally posted by AviZ
does the cobra give you the temp of the water?

Yes, the cobra does give the water temp, and the air temp for that matter when you are on land. The thermal diode that measures the temperature is not great, tho. It is also (IMHO) pretty slow. It is within a couple of degrees F, and takes a few minutes to update.

The computer also saves a temperature in the log. Many folks think it is the coldest temp, but it is not. It is the temperature reading at the DEEPEST depth of the dive.

BTW, I believe my statements above apply to all the current Suunto computers.

As for other dive computers, I know the UWATEC computers (at least my buddy's Air Z) record temp. The thing that sucks about them is that it is not onscreen. You have to do a PC download to get that data.

--
Jeremy

 

[MNScuba]

My Suunto Mosquito works that way too... thinking about getting a Cobra someday, but I like my little Mossie!

 

[AviZ]

Cheers for that ...i think the cobra is good ..my local dive store are quoting me £354 quid - but i seen it o simplyscuba.com at £324 so i think i might get it from there...when i get my dosh
thanx again

 

[SpyderTek]

Originally posted by Warhammer
My biggest complaint about the Cobra, and whole Suunto line for that matter, is the lack of a true Nitrogen Loading Graph. Suunto's use what they call a Consumed Bottom Time graph instead and it only provides you with the time left at what depth you happen to be at, whatever that depth may be. For instance, if you dive to 100' for the around the limit and then ascend to 20' - 15' to begin your safety stop, the CBT graph is going to have you way in the green and will not reflect the nitrogen that your tissues have loaded at 100'. Don't get me wrong, I like coming up in the green, but that's just a tad too much green for me. I'd rather have a computer that whose graph reflects the whole dive, not just the depth that I'm presently at.

Im not sure I follow here. Isnt the Suunto line considered a "conservative" computer? that is to say more likely to err on the side of caution?

If I am reading what you are saying here properly, You are saying that the suunto ignores your nitrogen load at depth while calculating durring your deco stop? Im confused. Please help.

Mind boggledly,

Spydertek

 

[AviZ]

two last questions...i think its the last anyway
can you only upload your dive to a computer (PC) if you have the quick dissconnect feature on the computer or doesnt it matter ??
may sound stupid to ask but im still learning ..so what the heck... if the cobra does become dissconnected u/w (most unlikly but allways possible) will the air flow out or is it just like your low presure valve and prevents it from flowing?
..but as say if you dont ask you don't find out
Thanx again......all of your helps been very usefull to me.

 

[Warhammer]

Originally posted by SpyderTek


Im not sure I follow here. Isnt the Suunto line considered a "conservative" computer? that is to say more likely to err on the side of caution?

If I am reading what you are saying here properly, You are saying that the suunto ignores your nitrogen load at depth while calculating durring your deco stop? Im confused. Please help.

Mind boggledly,

Spydertek

Suunto's are considered one of the more conservative computers, but the graphs just work different. On most other computers, if you put the graph into the yellow and then start your ascent, the graph will only start clicking down as you offload nitrogen. This is where the saying, "Come up in the green", comes from. meaning you alwasy want the computer to be in the green before you surface. On Suunto's newer computers that isn't the case. The graph only represents the amount of bottom time you have left at whatever depth you happen to be at. It does not maintain a "nitrogen load" per say. That doesn't mean they are any less safe, it's just something I don't like. Even through I have 2 of them.

If you've ever dove with most any non-Suunto computer you'd know what I'm refering too with the graphs. But let me see of I can explain it a little better with a "test" dive. Let's say we dive to 100ft for 16 minutes with the Suunto in it's least conservative mode. Let's also assume our backup computer, say an Oceanic Data Max, gives us the exact same amount of time at 100ft as does the Suunto. It doesn't, but for simplicity sake, assume it does.

After we have been down for 16 minutes we the both computers graphs will be in the last yellow notch of the yellow zone. Now we start our ascent and ascend all the way to 15ft, at a safe rate, for our safety stop. The Oceanic's graph will most likely still be in the yellow, meaning you shouldn't ascend to the surface. The Suunto's graph, on the other hand, will most likely be in the very low green section of the graph. It may be up 1 or 2 notches into the green, but not above that. That doesn't mean it's safe to skip the stop and ascend to the surface. It just means that you have a virtually "unlimited" (depending upon air of course) amount of no-deco time left at 15ft. Hince CTB = amount of time left at that depth, not amount of nitrogen you have loaded. It's just my personal preference for a computer to reflect the nitrogen that I have loaded into my tissues. Make sense?