Who dives with 2 computers?

[vladimir]

I dive with 2 computers. I am a vacation diver, generally off liveaboards, so I will have 3-4 dives a day planned, sometimes 40 or more. The redundant computer is not to save today's dive, it is to save the dives I have planned for tomorrow. Every diver can easily and safely surface from a no-deco recreational dive with no trouble. If you did the bare minimum of planning (which is what I do) you can continue the dive after your computer fails, as well. But unless you've been carefully tracking your nitrogen load you're looking at a day off if your computer fails. The second computer is cheap insurance for an expensive vacation.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I dive with 3 computers. The one on my wrist, the one on my buddies and the one between my ears. I really don't see the need to go beyond triple redundancy for NDL diving.

 

[Kim]

What percentage of non-newbie divers would you guess use 2 compters for redundancy sake?
I've been saving up for my first dive computer for ever(almost had it, then learned my baby girl needs braces).
ANyway, was talking to my neighbor , who is an experienced diver, about spg's and what not. He said I should have a dive watch so I would have a backup time piece to the watch in my computer.
I'm guessing a decent watch is going to run around $100. For $50. more I could buy a less expensive additional computer!!
ANyway, I was just wondering what others do.
(This is exactly how that old tally dial keeps running up the bucks, isn't it?:11
Thanks,
Spencer

I started with a Casio dive watch that kept dive time, depth etc..... and then got a Suunto Vyper. I use both of them now.

Back up is good.......but my baby girls will always come first.

 

[Sylvain]

i do one on my left arm and the other one in my buddy's right arm, but when i solo i use my computer on my left and my wife's computer on the right.

 

[caymaniac]

Here's what happened to me - While making the second of the day I was monitering my computer when at 110ft. it turned off, I had purchased new batteries. I aborted the dive as this was on a dive vacation and this was the first day of the trip. I had taken another new set of batteries along and replaced the first new set. I continued to dive the second day (nearly 24 hrs. out of the water) and had no farther problems with the computer.
When returning home I then purchased another computer A.I type and kept the spare in my BC pocket as a backup.
Now, I've had two computers for diving over ten yrs. and a couple of times I've forgot to turn on the redundant one in my BC pocket but have liked the thought of the spare and feel it is saftey neccessary.

 

[Kim]

.....and the one between my ears.

You're so screwed if that battery runs out.......

 

[Lucy's Diver]

Consider "vacation saving redundancy." This is why I dive two computers. I know I could just safely ascend as my recreational dives are no D dives. If a computer fails, however, you're not diving for the rest of the day (at least) or the the rest of the vacation. Don't start with "I'd dive tables" if you think you can do that fine. Not for me in a warm water 4 or 5 dive a day tropical dive vacation.

In any case if I'm in Honduras or Bonnaire or some liveaboard and one computer fails I just dive the one remaining good comuter for the rest of the day. If I can fix the bad one before the next day great, if not I'm diving with one computer for the rest of the trip.

BTW, specifically I dive a Stinger (wristwatch style computer) and a Pro Plus II air integrated for singles diving, and carry a simple SPG to replace the whole HP line if the PP2 goes down. For the doubles diving I do I use the Stinger and a second wrist mount computer and use an analog SPG.

 

[thomjinx]

I like a very lean and light setup for my vacation dives, but it does include 2 computers, both wrist-mount Oceanics. I wear one and carry the spare in a small pocket. They are small and light and since they are the same type, one set of spare batteries and O-rings will work for either. I have a small spg for my gas and I generally carry a loose depth gauge in a small pocket as well. I will also wear a dive watch that I use for everyday wear.

Since I often travel solo and get insta-buddies, one added benefit of my spare is that I can loan it to a buddy who may not have one. I always explain how to use it and make sure they understand. It saves me from having to dive tables if my bud doesn't have a computer.

 

[diver_alvir]

I dive with a DR Nitek Duo and a Suunto Mosquito. The DR is my main computer because it is easier to read underwater. The Suunto acts as my back up and since it's also my watch it is less likely for me to forget it at home.

 

[RAWalker]

I still consider myself a relative newbie. I started diving 2 years ago and in the last year have attained my OW, AOW, 4 specialty certifications and logged 21 dives. I started wearing my first computer during my OW checkout dives. I started wearing a second computer at dive #19 and intend to continue the practice. Both my computers are Oceanics, a VT3 and an Atom. They both use the same model and have similar features. As for a newbie having too much info I have to strongly disagree! When I started using the computers I was only concerned with the depth, pressure remaining and time using the computer as a gauge set until I became more familar and comfortable with it's more advanced features. I still travel with dive tables but I have been completely satisfied with the function of the computers. Like others I travel and would rather not be required to sit out dives due to equipment failure. I also do understand that in the event of a failure a divebuddy's computer could be used to attain data that could be used to generate effective worst case data to be used to continue later dives using tables in relative safety.