VT3 or Galileo Sol???

[TSandM]

However, that is getting into the range of what it costs to get Danny or Chris to spend a week cave diving with you.

Oh, RTodd, what a wonderful metric! From now on, every time I'm tempted to spend money on something (anything!) I'm going to measure it in Danny-days of diving, and see if it still seems like a good idea

 

[rjack321]

Oh, RTodd, what a wonderful metric! From now on, every time I'm tempted to spend money on something (anything!) I'm going to measure it in Danny-days of diving, and see if it still seems like a good idea

Jeesh have I taught you nothing? :shocked2: I thought you were already doing this? How many Danny-cave-days was latest the Tahiti cruise gig?

 

[Clammy]

Much like thanksgiving, having gravy there, while not actually eating it, is comforting to me! ha ha ha ha! It's just wrong to not have the gravy there!

 

[David P]

Much like thanksgiving, having gravy there, while not actually eating it, is comforting to me! ha ha ha ha! It's just wrong to not have the gravy there!

the whole idea is what happens if you get lazy and rely on the gravy to fill you up, then one day there is no gravy, only the god blessed green bean casserole (which may be the perfect food with gravy on it...) and then what your F'd!

For dives without gas switches and mandatory deco, I dive a BT and a DUO (well ok I did, the computer just bit the big one) I refer to the BT but have the DUO there as a sanity check. But on the other side of the same handed coin in the shoe..... I have done safe dives within MDL and the computer wasn't too happy after 2+ hours....

 

[mikeguerrero]

Mike,

I seem to recall that you already had a computer. Maybe a VT3 or something like that. Do you really need another computer - one that costs almost $1500? Do yourself a favor and cancel that order. Even if for some reason you need another computer, you need not spend any more than $200 on the Uwatec bottom timer. That bottom timer has everything you will need in a computer to do tech dives/cave dives. If you want something fancy, the Uwatec Tech 2G at ~$500 has everything you might find useful.

You've asked several questions looking for answers in the DIR context (including this one) so let me put it to you plainly - You are throwing money away by buying a Galileo SOL. From the DIR perspective, the Galileo SOL offers zero features that you will find useful beyond what you already get with the VT3. Zero.

For DIR diving, you need a computer that tells you your depth, your bottom time and perhaps provides backlighting. Those are the only "must haves". Things like temperature and computer logging are nice to haves. NDL time remaining, heart rate, compass, air integration, etc. are all pointless.

Believe me when I say that there are far more interesting and important things to spend your money on, especially if you are going to move to technical diving. Examples include:
- a primary light
- backup lights
- SMB and spool
- training (gear is only maybe 20% of DIR diving. The stuff that is actually interesting and makes you a better diver is the approach that DIR divers take)
- dive trips/boats
- doubles
- scooter

If you really want to spend over a $1000 on something, start with a primary light.

Wow,

I'm going to have to back out of diving DIR because I already placed my order. I see your point and I take it that I'm not ready for DIR, not yet.

I am a recreational diver at best and I really enjoy that. I live on the California coast and dive Monterey and have only been diving one year.

I have a problem with the small display on the VT3 for me and my age. I feel more secure with the Galileo and have seen one up close and personal.

I hope not to upset anyone on the board that I choose this route, it wasn't a point that I was trying to make, please understand that.

Just that I got the opportunity with some store credit to purchase this large display computer; just a preference for me.

DIR is in fact to me an elite set of divers that takes diving serious no doubt...

Thanks for your feedback...

MG

 

[Adobo]

I dunno about being serious about diving.. I am however serious about money. You might not appreciate my feedback but generally speaking, when I give it, it is for your benefit (i.e. here is how you can save your money).

If this issue is really about the size of the display, then I am surprised that you did not mention it as a driver for choosing a new computer. Someone could have at least pointed out that the Galileo Terra offers the exact same display size for half the money (that equates to $750 in retail price terms) and still has everything you would need for DIR diving, recreational diving or otherwise. I am sure there are several other choices for computers with big displays but I suspect that wasn't the information you were looking for anyway.

On the bright side, the economy does need more consumer spending.

 

[mikeguerrero]

Adobo,

I will look into the Terra... I placed my order already but I can change my mind within the 30 day period...

Thanks,

MG

 

[Gombessa]

I hope not to upset anyone on the board that I choose this route, it wasn't a point that I was trying to make, please understand that.

Hi Mike,

I hope you realize that people aren't trying to bash you here, and nobody is upset that you decided to take another route. Just understand the context and perspective of this thread. You asked for advice in the DIR forum on dive computers that don't tend to fit the DIR philosophy, and then appeared to miss the point of the near uniform response to your question. Getting a Galileo is itself perfectly fine, as nobody here is insisting that you dive in a DIR fashion (or that any other way of diving is, ahem, wrong), but it sounded like you were expecting the Galileo to be a DIR solution. It was a bit like a guy walking into Harley dealer and saying: "Hey, I really want a hog, so should I get a Ducati or a dirt bike?" When everyone details why neither is a hog, he says "thanks guys, I guess that means I should get the Ducati." At that point everyone in the shop just kinda throws up their hands.

I think if the thread participants knew earlier that you weren't going the DIR route, then 1) it would have made more sense to people here why you "went with the Ducati" and 2) people would have just wished you well instead of appearing as if they were reading you the riot act (that's not what Adobo was doing, of course).

 

[mikeguerrero]

Hi Mike,

I hope you realize that people aren't trying to bash you here, and nobody is upset that you decided to take another route. Just understand the context and perspective of this thread. You asked for advice in the DIR forum on dive computers that don't tend to fit the DIR philosophy, and then appeared to miss the point of the near uniform response to your question. Getting a Galileo is itself perfectly fine, as nobody here is insisting that you dive in a DIR fashion (or that any other way of diving is, ahem, wrong), but it sounded like you were expecting the Galileo to be a DIR solution. It was a bit like a guy walking into Harley dealer and saying: "Hey, I really want a hog, so should I get a Ducati or a dirt bike?" When everyone details why neither is a hog, he says "thanks guys, I guess that means I should get the Ducati." At that point everyone in the shop just kinda throws up their hands.

I think if the thread participants knew earlier that you weren't going the DIR route, then 1) it would have made more sense to people here why you "went with the Ducati" and 2) people would have just wished you well instead of appearing as if they were reading you the riot act (that's not what Adobo was doing, of course).

Point taken...

I should've taken the time to explain my wanting a bigger screen in the beginning... I'm learning a lot in the short time I've been a diver...

I've discovered that I'm a recreational diver and will be for some time to come... I respect the DIR philosophy and hope to dive it some day in the future...

Safe diving...

MG

 

[TSandM]

I don't know how it compares in price, but the Suunto Vytec has a beautiful, large display.

Mike, DIR and recreational diving aren't incompatible, not at all. DIR is an approach to diving that works for recreational AND technical dives. Although I have gone on to cave training, the vast majority of my diving is and has been within recreational depths and times. Someone is "ready for DIR" when they decide that that approach to diving makes sense to and for them, and that they're willing to commit some time and effort to mastering the skills. Eventually, one has to bring one's equipment into line as well, but for example, many people begin their DIR training with a computer, and only switch it to gauge mode after some time.