What is the most conservative computer out there

[scuba newbie]

Hey, I've been looking at purchasing the Suunto Cobra for my first dive computer. I've read quite a bit about it being a conservative computer which is what I want until I feel extreme confidence (I'm done PADI course, waiting to do O/W dive to being confident at 200+ dives). Is there any other computers, console or wrist, that are on the same level or better for conservatism? Thanx for input.

 

[Tamas]

The most conservative computer is your brain....follow that with some diving aids and you got yourself one helluva dive puter!

 

[triton94949]

I have compared the Suunto Vyper with a very conservatively set V-Planner decompression program, for air and nitrox data, and the Suunto comes out quite conservative, virtually equal to the V-Planner software.

I cannot speak for any of the other dive computers however.

Having said that, I do not believe the dive computers are intended to push limits of diving. I always dive with nitrox and always shallower than 100 ft when with nitrox, and always with a full 1 hour surface interval between dives. And then Suunto and V-Planner both tell me that I am well within the NDL limits.

I have not always dived like that in years past, but that is how I dive now and have been for the past several years. One of the local dive boat captains put it like this: "We were all stupid once, but hopefully not anymore."

 

[meisburger]

Rodales Scuba Diver magazine does evaluations and ratings of dive computers. See their website.

Tim

 

[Bob3]

The Cobra should serve you very well not only now but down the road; having a bit of conservatism is a good thing.
Using tables with square profiles is more conservative yet.

 

[AC Boy]

Rodales Scuba Diver magazine does evaluations and ratings of dive computers. See their website.

Tim

Just received the May issue of Rodales and they did a comparison test of some of the latest dive comps around e.g. Mares Nemo, Suunto D9. Based on the test results, the Mares Nemo came out being the most conservative.

 

[StSomewhere]

Just received the May issue of Rodales and they did a comparison test of some of the latest dive comps around e.g. Mares Nemo, Suunto D9. Based on the test results, the Mares Nemo came out being the most conservative.

That's the one where all 12 computers were Rodales "Testers Choice". If you read that issue, the Mares came out the most conservative but for reasons that aren't quite clear (hmmm) the Suunto computers weren't included in the conservatism tests for this go-around.

FWIW, I had the Cobra and quickly wound up hating the console design and I wasn't as impressed as I thought I'd be with the AI functionality (and it looked so good in the store, too, classic case of surface logic). The problem with hose-based AI computers like the Cobra is that you can't convert them to a wrist mount later. Something to think about. As always, YMMV.

 

[latitude]

Hey, I've been looking at purchasing the Suunto Cobra for my first dive computer. I've read quite a bit about it being a conservative computer which is what I want until I feel extreme confidence (I'm done PADI course, waiting to do O/W dive to being confident at 200+ dives). Is there any other computers, console or wrist, that are on the same level or better for conservatism? Thanx for input.

The Cobra (like most other computers) can add conservatism by setting a "personal" level (P0, P1, P2). Even on P0, it is a fairly conservative computer and will penalize you (with extended safety stops, longer surface intervals, shorter repetative dive NDL's) for things like sawtooth profiles, extreme accent rates, multiple moderate accent rates, etc... This comes from it's algorythms based on the RGBM model (do a search here, lots of good info).

Good newbie computer! (although the AI is a hotly debated topic on this board) You could put it on P1 (or P2 if you meet some of the other higher risk categories described in the manual) and drop it to P0 (or P1) as you feel more comfortable later on... It'll also leave you room to grow if you intend to get into Nitrox later on.

 

[scuba newbie]

Man I love this site. I can ask silly questions and get silly answers (like wow, using my brain, I never thought of that) but I also get the solid answers that I want and that is where it's at!!

I'll never know if I don't ask!

 

[redrover]

....I can ask silly questions and get silly answers (like wow, using my brain, I never thought of that).....

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!