Can Suunto Cobra 2 be used for deco diving?

[cvigue]

I'm looking for a dive computer to replace a borrowed comp. I don't like the wireless one I've been using so I tried a Suunto Cobra when I had the chance last year. I loved it and on the shallow dives I uses it on it didn't limit my time at all.

I'm considering a Cobra 2 since I liked the Cobra so much.

But I have a few questions. This is a pretty major toy investment for me and I'm concerned that as I dive more challenging sites this comp might not scale well. One thing I'm concerned wit is that a friend has mentioned this comp is not a full deco unit like some of the Aeris and other units.

The Suunto Site (can't link, not enough posts) seems to indicate there are 'deep dive' features built in.

So I guess in a nutshell what I want to know is at what point of dive expertise is this comp going to become inappropriate and need replaced?

 

[NudeDiver]

Yes, it does deco diving just fine.

It will go into deco mode when the NDL is violated, provide "ceiling" and related time information, and so forth. If you violate deco obligations, it will penalize you appropriately in terms of NDL for the next time, and so forth. If you violate deco obligations bad enough, it will go into "error" mode for 24-48 hours.

 

[cvigue]

My friend is actually familiar with the older Cobra, not the Cobra 2, is the deco stuff added functionality for the Cobra 2 as opposed to the old model Cobra?

 

[NudeDiver]

My friend is actually familiar with the older Cobra, not the Cobra 2, is the deco stuff added functionality for the Cobra 2 as opposed to the old model Cobra?

No, the original cobra also does deco just fine. The difference between these two, as I understand it, is that the original cobra is programmed for standard safety stops at 5m for 3 minutes. The "2" model lets you do "deep" safety stops. As I understand it, this reflects some new knowledge, with respect to the benefit of doing stops along the way, vs waiting until the end to do a stop - but I may be wrong about this. In any event, the "original" (which is what I have) definitely does deco.

 

[NorthWoodsDiver]

You would be better off getting a wrist computer like the suunto vytec (if you like suunto) as the wrist computers lend themselves to technical diving much better.

 

[cwkline]

You would be much better served by planning the deco then by just riding the computer. Even doing what I refer to as "deco lite" can eat into gas reserves. If you want to play with tech diving, get educated please.
Charlie

 

[Mr Carcharodon]

Will it work for deco? Of course it could, but that will depend on how much you are willing to invest in learning about deco. Consider taking the ratio deco course from UTD.

 

[TSandM]

I don't know much about the Cobra 2, but the original Cobra is definitely NOT a computer designed for use during staged decompression dives. It does not have any kind of staged stop capacity, and simply gives you a ton of shallow deco if you go over limits.

Most people doing staged decompression diving cut tables before their dive, and dive the tables they cut. Some do so with decompression computers, but I think it's fair to say that the majority simply use a depth gauge and timer. The Cobra does not have a gauge mode; I do not know about the Cobra 2. The Suunto computers will all go into error more if you don't do the deco they call for (and they do not give credit for deeper stops) so they aren't very useful for decompression diving.

 

[NudeDiver]

The Cobra does not have a gauge mode

The Suunto Cobra most certainly DOES have a gauge mode.

Product Features
# Air, Nitrox and Gauge modes
# Air integration
# Suunto RGBM Model
# PC interface

 

[Kern]

No, the cobra & cobra 2 are not deco computers. Their algorithm is designed for NDL diving. If you inadvertently go over your non stop limit they will get you out of trouble by giving you an overload of deco time. This is the case for almost all of the NDL computers on the market.

The Sunnto & Mares computers are supposed to use RGBM. This turns out not to be the case. They are a neo Haldanian model that has been beaten till it performs something like an RGBM. The deep stops of the current versions have nothing to do with the deeper stops inherent in bubble models. The reality is that there are very few dive computers out there that have the processing power to crunch enough numbers fast enough to cope with any of the bubble models.

The cobra can be used for deco diving if you would like to cut tables & put it in gauge mode. I did this with mine for a few years prior to upgrading to a computer capable of dealing with multi mix, multi gas, decompression diving.