My review of the Suunto Zoop

[Centrals]

There have been problems in the past related to computers (eg, uwatec aladin X circa 1995) that "held" their nitrox settings beyond some reasonable time-frame following a dive and causing users to have DCS related accidents as a result of failing to notice that fact. IIRC in the case the Uwatec recall it had to do with the computer assuming that the diver was still breathing nitrox during the surface interval.

As a result, manufactures did a "re-think" and all computers now "default" to air at some reasonable point in time after the dive. This is normal and considered to be a safety feature. R..

I believe only one certain Aladin model suffered this problem otherwise the subsequent law suit would be huge!
Aladin Pro Nitrox is one of the exception as I am still using it since 1996/7 without suffering any mishap. The set Nitrox value never default back to 21%. Which is bad/good if you are do not check the setting first!!

 

[RonR]

There have been problems in the past related to computers (eg, uwatec aladin X circa 1995) that "held" their nitrox settings beyond some reasonable time-frame following a dive and causing users to have DCS related accidents as a result of failing to notice that fact. IIRC in the case the Uwatec recall it had to do with the computer assuming that the diver was still breathing nitrox during the surface interval.

As a result, manufactures did a "re-think" and all computers now "default" to air at some reasonable point in time after the dive. This is normal and considered to be a safety feature.

R..

You are correct about the Uwatec recall. The problem was that it "held" the nitrox setting for the surface interval- when, presumably, the diver was breathing 21% O2. With a few repetitive dives, this could add up to a big problem.


On the Atomic Cobalt we do simply preserve the last selected gas settings until changed by the diver- I expect others do so as well. EAN is clearly indicated on the screen by the green EAN32 (or whatever % used) label instead of the blue AIR label, and the presence of a PO2 label and value- it would be tough to miss. But with a less prominent display one could make a strong case for defaulting back to air after a dive series.

Ron

 

[beaverdivers]

As a result, manufactures did a "re-think" and all computers now "default" to air at some reasonable point in time after the dive. This is normal and considered to be a safety feature.

R..

FWIW, I believe all current Uwatec dive computers have a programmable reset time with the default being "No Reset". IMO, the " No Reset " is the best option. In this setting the user is responsible for changing the mix. However if the user wants to set a reset time they can.

Info from the Uwatec manual:

2.3.5 Nitrox reset time(default: no reset) If you set the computer to an oxygenconcentration higher than 21% (divingwith Nitrox), you can decide whether thecomputer should revert back to 21% (air)at some point in time or if it should stay setto the given oxygen concentration until youchange it manually. This is done via the Nitroxreset time. If you set the Nitrox reset timeto no reSet, the computer will maintainthe given oxygen concentration until youchange it manually. If you set the Nitroxreset time to any value between 1 hour and48 hours, the computer will automaticallychange the oxygen concentration back to21% after the specified time interval has elapsed.



On our last live-aboard trip, we had a diver that had his Suunto computer reset to 50% before he jumped in for his dive. I had to assist him in aborting his dive. His dive computer then locked up. Since he was only diving with one computer, he had to stay out of the water for 24 hours.

Personally, I feel that a dive computer with an automatic reset time is a fault.

 

[Ricky B]

The best option, of course, is to give the user the choice of how he wants to deal with the reset. But the more options the manufacturers give, the more they seem to charge. If you're looking at an entry-level computer, for now, I don't think that kind of option will be available. Certainly not on the Zoop, Puck, or Leonardo. Absent giving the user the choice, the manufacturer has to make the decision as to whether to default back to air or keep the N2 setting.

On the Zoop, and I assume all Suuntos, it's immediately obvious from the display whether the computer is set to air or Nitrox. As you can see from the image clipped from the user manual, the icons "NITROX," "02%," and "PO2" are prominently displayed when in Nitrox mode. If not in Nitrox mode, then those icons don't appear.

CORRECTION: The image attached for the Nitrox display shows it in diving mode, where the Nitrox setting is immediately obvious. Reviewing the user manual, I see that the surface mode is not so obvious.

In a post below, I attach the images of the Zoop in surface mode for air and for Nitrox. The surface mode is what the diver will see before entering the water. The image attached to this post shows what the diver will see once in the water.

 

[mizzie]

Thank you! I'm looking at getting a computer in the next few months and I'm between thins one and the Mares Puck. Leaning toward the Suunto after reading this.

 

[Ricky B]

You're welcome. I recommend, if you can, to see what the display on the Zoop and the Puck look like. I haven't had a chance yet to see a Puck in operation.

My choice of the Zoop was partly based on the fact that I got more recommendations for it than any other entry-level dive computer when I inquired here on SB, but I have since seen other threads where the Puck gets more recommendations.

To me, the differences between the two in features are modest, and the appearance (size and legibility) of the display might tip me one way or the other if I were a new buyer.

 

[Ricky B]

I attach to this post images of the Zoop in surface mode which shows the difference between air and Nitrox. In Nitrox mode, when on the surface, the display will show the "O2%" icon, the figure for the percentage of oxygen that has been set, and the "OLF" icon. These are absent when in the air mode. Because air is 21% O2, it should be apparent to a diver who checks the surface display before entering the water that the Nitrox mode is not set at, say, 32% or 36%, but for air.

 

[DiveNav]

....... I haven't had a chance yet to see a Puck in operation....

Just equip your diver with the Puck and take it for a virtual dive in eDiving

​

 

[Ricky B]

Thanks, but I meant in terms of seeing what the display looked like (in real life) so I could compare it with the Zoop's display.

 

[andreau]

If you shine your flashlight at the zoop the backlight activates, nice feature not many people know about.