Uwatek Sol vs Suunto Vitek

Did the obligatory search and found nothing on the Uwatek Sol...a state of the art wrist computer with transmitter that does, it seems, everything but defog your mask for you. Since my Suunto Cobra crashed a mere three months after the five year warranty on major parts ran out..sigh...I"m in the market for a new 'puter.
And it's between these two.

My question is this:
Does anyone 'out there' have a Uwatek SOL (it's been out about one year), and if so, what do you think of it?
Ease of use, any problems, what you like about it, etc.

Also, same questions for the Vitek.

Sol is more expensive, but my dive shop will make me a good deal so the price between the two is not too far off. The Sol monitors heart-rate, has digital navigation (tilt does not affect it either), really really nice, large readouts, and all sorts of interesting whistles and bells. Pretty easy to use, it seems.

Vitek is very similar in "face" to the Cobra..a little harder to work, read, and doesn't have the dig. nav. or heart rate monitor.

So, again, any "Sol" users out there? What think ye?

Any VItek users..same questions?

THanks a bunch.

HOpefully, whatever I choose won't crash on me at 40 feet like the last one did. Fortunately, it wasn't a difficult or deep dive.

SEAKAT

I have had mine for about two months and used it or 8 days in Cozumel during July. It is a replacement for the UWATEC Smart Z, which was fine, but I got tired of trying to make the contacts work after the first dive.

My dive shop made me a good deal on trading the Smart Z so the financial part wasn't too tramatic.

Thus far, I am very pleased with the SOL--the buttons work quite well above and below water, the display is huge which is great for my old eyes, the design of the console fits very comfortably on my wrist and the heart monitor and compass both work well. The Cozumel divemasters did give me a hard time for bringing my small, TV monitor with me on my wrist, but that was all in fun.

Frankly, I'm not sure how often I will use the heart monitor, but I guess it is a nice extra. Since all of the Cozumel diving was drift diving, I had little need to use the compass, but it did work quite well even when tilted fairly severely.

Hope that helps...

Yes, that helps!!! Thanks a lot! Anybody has anything different to offer, please do so!!!
SEAKAT

I've had the VITEK DS with wireless xmtr for about 1 1/2 years and have about 150 dives on it. Use it both recreation, instruction, and technical diving. Works great, I like the automatic deep stop feature (can be disabled). Not sure why you would want a heart monitor? If it stops, you won't care! Convenient size but big enough displays for my eyes.

Would by it again. Only problem I had was when shop replaced battery - it flooded the battery compartment on the first dive. Suunto fixed with no problem

Not sure why you would want a heart monitor? If it stops, you won't care! .


lol....good point......it's not the main reason I'd buy it..just an added "bell." I'm a conservative diver..don't push any envelopes anymore...and conscious of fitness. I'm a distance swimmer and usually surface with twice the air as anyone else.....so am curious about the effect of diving upon the heart. I'd only use it intermittently..as a "check." I can imagine using it ALL the time might be somewhat distracting...at best...disturbing at worst...lol

Thanks Guys. This is precisely the information I needed to go to the shop and spend 'wayyyy too much money on "my new dive computer." lol



SEAKAT

The heart rate monitor is used in conjunction with breathing rate to calculate "workload" factoring. You can turn them independently off or rely on one/both to re-factor your workload. Great feature. Not a gadget feature like many believe. It's all about being safe and maximizing your bottom times. The features all have a purpose that adds to the dive experience. When I'm in the water, I don't need a lot of superfluous information.

One thing you have to remember before you put your tank on...

Turn your computer on and then the air for the transmitter to connect to the computer. I just wish it was automatic.