Multi gas computer

[theskull]

Good answers so far. Want an easier one?

First, pick the tech instructor you are going to use and get his/her opinions and maybe even borrow one from the instructor during class--you will probably mostly dive by tables while training anyway.

Next, pick the people you plan to do dives with and determine whether you will be doing mostly air/nitrox or trimix dives, and whether you will be doing light deco a little past recreational depths or doing heavy deco at depths past 200 ft. Then go through the computer decision-making process with your dive buddies.

Note: The Vytec is the least expensive and easiest to use, and is perfect for deco dives not too far past recreational range. And the bonus is that you can use it in gauge mode as a back-up if you later decide you need one of the more expensive units.

Just my opinions.

theskull

 

[Dive-aholic]

Thanks for the responses. The advice is definitely helping me make my decision.

Good answers so far. Want an easier one?

First, pick the tech instructor you are going to use and get his/her opinions and maybe even borrow one from the instructor during class--you will probably mostly dive by tables while training anyway.

Next, pick the people you plan to do dives with and determine whether you will be doing mostly air/nitrox or trimix dives, and whether you will be doing light deco a little past recreational depths or doing heavy deco at depths past 200 ft. Then go through the computer decision-making process with your dive buddies.

Note: The Vytec is the least expensive and easiest to use, and is perfect for deco dives not too far past recreational range. And the bonus is that you can use it in gauge mode as a back-up if you later decide you need one of the more expensive units.

Just my opinions.

theskull

The problem with this is I plan on doing tech deep and cave. Different instructors like different computers. I've already talked to a few and gotten different advice from each one. Here in Tucson, AZ there aren't many tech divers and no tech instructors. So there's no one to discuss this with. I know the type of diving I want to do - heavy deco past 200'. There's a lot of stuff down there I want to see. I can do the light deco dives now with what I have, but it's time to move on. I've looked at the Vytec and can get a decent deal on it from my LDS, but I know it won't suit my future needs. At best it will become a decent back up, but I don't think I want to spend that much on a back up. A guage and bottom timer is a lot less and will do the same job if I'm doing lots of gas switching for decos.

 

[J1M1]

i like my Diverite He. Very easy to use. Supports mix. Does NOT penalize you all that much for deeper stops. Made by a company that will prob. replace it if something go's wrong

 

[diverbrian]

I just ordered a VR-3. I will see how difficult it is to use, but as I have the same tech buddies that Ber refers to, it makes our dive planning that much easier if we are using the same computer. Typically, I don't have an issue figuring out new computers, and that includes the "complicated" ones. The manual that I am most worried about is the "common sense" one that will tell me if the numbers "look funny" anyways. That means the bookwork for my Normoxic class, LOL. The cost is something that I don't like to think about, but I shouldn't need another computer.

The VyTec that I currently use will become a bottom timer on my mix dives when I start that in a couple of months and a regular computer (same as I use it now) for my dives on nitrox with deco on one mix or one mix and a hanging reg of O2.

 

[standrod]

I use the VR3 and don't have problems with it other than I wish it were a little more ergonomic.

It has 10 gases + air capability. That is nice because you can program in 10 different gases + air and then just select the ones you want to use on the dive. Just because it can store 10 gases doesn't mean you have to use all of them.

I have the 10 most common mixes that I use stored.