Suunto Zoop vs Hollis DG03

[jmartel]

I own the DG03 and would recommend it. It is a bit difficult to figure out when your first start playing with it, but read the manual and it's simple enough. It is a much better value than the Zoop giving you multiple gas mixes up to 100% O2 plus gauge mode (so you are covered for any type of tech diving if that is what you decide to do in the future). I've used the Zoop before and it is also a solid computer. Only criticism is that it really bugs me not having the safety stop countdown in minutes and seconds (Zoop only shows minutes). I know that sounds silly but if my buddy was done with his stop and asked me how long I had left, I wouldn't know if it was 5 seconds or 59 seconds. Not a huge deal though.

Are you saying the dg03 doesn't display in seconds or just the Zoop? The last computer I used on vacation was like that and it was an annoyance.

 

[NCadiver]

You may want to go with a Vyper Air it all the things that the DG03 wants to be. Since the few place that still have the DG03 are piece milling it out since hollis is discontinuing the unit I know pricing is a factor. But think compass, gas switching, air integration, download on a current model computer.

 

[chrpai]

Are you saying the dg03 doesn't display in seconds or just the Zoop? The last computer I used on vacation was like that and it was an annoyance.

The Suunto Zoop will just say 3 minutes 2 minutes 1 minute.... The Hollis DG03 will count down 3:00 2:59 2:58...

I've had both (Mosquito not Zoop though) and the minutes only never bugged me. Maybe it did a little because it made the stops feel like longer. The Hollis felt a little wierd at first (information overload ) but I like it now. Although I still need to figure out how to get total dive time while at the "stop" (I'm actually on the move...) I'll have to play with this on my next dive.

 

[simonru]

The Zoop is now available in black.
Now will become popular with those who want to LOOK like technical divers.

Seriously though, for recreational diving the Zoop is cool. I have a Gekko on my guages and a D4i on my wrist for "Self Reliant" diving. I think the Gekko is much more conservative than the D4i, but I am happy to use the most conservative of the 2 and it hasn't caused me any problems.

Wanting a less conservative computer, to me, is like wanting to go rock climbing with a slightly thinner rope. ;-)

 

[chrpai]

The Zoop is now available in black.
Now will become popular with those who want to LOOK like technical divers.

Actually, I think the Orange looks cool but maybe that's because I'm from Austin, TX...

The tech divers I know either cut tables and write them down on wet notes or use something way more expensive then the Hollis and the Suunto. I don't care about "looking" like a tech diver (in fact if someone gets that impression I always correct them that I am a rec diver) I just dive a rig like that because it works really well.

 

[Pearlman]

What bugs me is it doesn't show total dive time while displaying safety stop time. I use this for navigation.

What doesnt? The Mosquito or Hollis?

--P

 

[lsutigers]

So, my wife and I are looking for our first computers. The instructor we got both OW and AOW certified with, as well as taking a trip to Grand Cayman with, recommended the Zoop. There seems to be a lot of reviews on the Zoop out there. After doing some research, I've also found the DG03 recommended by others. I like that it can be paired up with a transmitter should I want to go AI in the future. I like that the DG03 has a backlight, but it's also a simple enough task to just shine a light on the Zoop. From what I've read, the DG03 is less conservative than the Zoop is, as well (Good and bad). Both computers are found for the same price online. If it were your money, what would you get? Thanks in advance.

Oceanic / Pelagic Pressure Systems, makes computers, hardware, microelectronics, etc for many other dive computer companies. I don't know about Suunto specifically, but for some companies they custom build the entire computer and rebrand it, for others they make components. Either way, both are great computers and as mentioned before, the Hollis is more versatile and a better bang for your buck.

 

[chrpai]

What doesnt? The Mosquito or Hollis?

The Suunto Mosquito showed total dive time and stop time concurrently.

The Hollis DG03 you have to press the button to cycle through various screens to get the stop time and the total dive time.

 

[milbournosphere]

Here's what the Hollis looks like in Safety Stop Mode:

You get:
- Stop depth (10ft, in the case of this example)
- Cylinder pressure (if you have a tank tx)
- Stop time (counting down by the second)
- Dive time remaining (in minutes) based on nitrogen buildup or air
- Current depth

The same holds for the deep stop. The alternate screens when the computer is in deco mode are the same as normal. Like chrpai says, you have to advance to another screen to get total dive time.

 

[fnfalman]

I'm definitely curious now, but how do you use total dive time for navigation?