More to it than fashion?

[plclark196]

Virtually every cave diver I see (those with back mount doubles) has one or two wrist computers and an analog spg usually clipped on a left side d ring. Why do I never see a computer/spg console ? Seems that the console has the benefit of everything in one place and possibly leaving nothing on the wrist. Some computer/spg consoles are'nt that much larger than spg's. Is there more to it than fashion?

 

[NorthWoodsDiver]

I actually have a cobra currently for my air pressure, it stays in gauge mode all the time and then I run a wrist mount bottom timer as well and keep tables on a wet note book. I didn't plan things right when I started diving and ended up slowly selling and migrating to a different equipment configuration. the only piece from my first kit that is left is the cobra and I keep it for my little everyday single tank recreational needs but I do plan to order some more spgs and run wrist mount computers like you mentioned.

The reason I see is that an analog gauge is not dependent on batteries so its more reliable than my integrated computer and a plain gauge is considerably less bulky than a console. having all the important info on your wrist is the best thing since sliced bread too. I dont check my air pressure very often anyway so all I need is a little gauge. if you do a bubble check and you are not doing super deep dives where you consume air much faster there is no reason to check tank pressure more than say every time you do a jump or need to mark a line or something of that nature. once you know your air consumption you can pretty much monitor air pressure by time anyway.

 

[nereas]

Virtually every cave diver I see (those with back mount doubles) has one or two wrist computers and an analog spg usually clipped on a left side d ring. Why do I never see a computer/spg console ? Seems that the console has the benefit of everything in one place and possibly leaving nothing on the wrist. Some computer/spg consoles are'nt that much larger than spg's. Is there more to it than fashion?

The console design is actually ideal only for rental gear.

It is counter-productive for deco diving because when you have a series of deco bottles attached to your harness, a big bulky (and ugly) console sticks out and gets in the way.

I do not like consoles for tech nor NDL diving, simply because they are mostly bulky plastic that serve no purpose other than to ensure that a novice diver has his/her SPG, compass, and dive computer all in one spot.

I have never worn a console. They were invented long after I certified.

I prefer to wear my dive computer, backup dive computer, and compass all on my left arm and wrist, and my SPG clipped to a D-ring and as small as possible. The analog SPGs are nice and small, especially the ScubaPro's.

With twin tanks and rule of thirds, you rarely look at your SPG anyway. Your dive plan becomes you major gas management tool. And even then, you still normally come back to the boat with over 1000 psi (85 cu ft extra, for me).

 

[InkDiver]

Virtually every cave diver I see (those with back mount doubles) has one or two wrist computers and an analog spg usually clipped on a left side d ring. Why do I never see a computer/spg console ? Seems that the console has the benefit of everything in one place and possibly leaving nothing on the wrist. Some computer/spg consoles are'nt that much larger than spg's. Is there more to it than fashion?

I'm going to go ahead and assume that you are bored and wanted to see what you might get for responses. If you are basic cave trained as your profile indicates, I'm sure you already know the answer to the question. If you are basic cave trained and you don't already know the answer to that question, you might want to smack your basic cave instructor for not going over optimal gear configuration for cave diving.

 

[TSandM]

I think there are three things operating here.

One, most cave and tech divers like to have their depth and time information on their wrists, so that it can easily be checked at frequent intervals without any major movement.

Two, computer consoles are plastic and fragile, and subject to easy damage if one is carrying a deco bottle or stage.

And three, there is a belief (which may or may not have any real data behind it) that an analog SPG is more reliable than an electronic one. It's certainly an appealing argument that electronics and salt water have significant potential failure modes, and batteries do die . . .

And having said all of that, my husband is TDI full cave and dives with a Cobra for his SPG (and a Vytec transmitter as a backup), and his instructor had nothing to say about it.

 

[nereas]

I think there are three things operating here.

One, most cave and tech divers like to have their depth and time information on their wrists, so that it can easily be checked at frequent intervals without any major movement...

Exactly, both of them right next to each other so that I can constantly compare them both at all times!

...
Two, computer consoles are plastic and fragile, and subject to easy damage if one is carrying a deco bottle or stage...

Not to mention sticking out like a sore thumb!

...

And three, there is a belief (which may or may not have any real data behind it) that an analog SPG is more reliable than an electronic one. It's certainly an appealing argument that electronics and salt water have significant potential failure modes, and batteries do die...

I have not even tried these newfangled devices, so I would not know. They do strike me as failure prone, but even HP analog SPGs can fail. If I were truly worried about a failure at this point, then I would mount 2 of them, one on each tank, like some old school divers whom I know, so that I would have the classical 2 of everything with this also. But in truth, I rarely check my SPG on a dive where I have twin tanks and am planning with the rule of thirds.

...And having said all of that, my husband is TDI full cave and dives with a Cobra for his SPG (and a Vytec transmitter as a backup), and his instructor had nothing to say about it.

I have to admire his individualism. I also think it is good that he is in a TDI program. He would also like NAUI Tech as well, I am sure. Freedom to think!

 

[plclark196]

I think that there are too many lemmings headed off to the pool with very little thought into the why and too much thought into the fashion.

 

[contender]

I think that there are too many lemmings headed off to the pool with very little thought into the why and too much thought into the fashion.

Not using a console has more to do with drag in my opinion, since the goal of the Hogarth config is to be as streamlined as possible. If you desire to use a console by all means use it, you are free to dive however you would like. Just accept the fact that console's will generally not be favored by the tech and cave community.

 

[Tigerman]

My console is anything but fragile plastic.. Its mored like hard, resilient rubber. And its BLACK!

 

[PerroneFord]

I think that there are too many lemmings headed off to the pool with very little thought into the why and too much thought into the fashion.

I agree.

Get back to us after you do some dives with a couple slung 80s, or a stage and some deco gas.