Best Rental Fleet Computer?

I am thinking that the Suunto Cobra air integrated computer might be the way to go.

Any thoughts?

I have used various gas-integrated computers including, currently, the Suunto D9. I assume the Cobra is similar. One of their big problems is the prominent display of that useless datum, remaining gas time. It's not a big problem for the computer owner--you just ignore it. But a user unfamiliar with a computer would probably be better off with a non-integrated computer, in my opinion, to avoid the potential for confusion.

vladimir:

I have used various gas-integrated computers including, currently, the Suunto D9. I assume the Cobra is similar. One of their big problems is the prominent display of that useless datum, remaining gas time. It's not a big problem for the computer owner--you just ignore it. But a user unfamiliar with a computer would probably be better off with a non-integrated computer, in my opinion, to avoid the potential for confusion.

Click to expand...

I was hoping that would not be true, but you are correct, that just might be a problem. I want to use Computers for the rental gear, but I also want to keep it simple.

Do you think a better idea would be a simple SPG, and then a computer in a boot with it? I know that in a sense even non air integrated computers are confusing, but those sorts of customers (the kind who find a even a non integrated computer confusing) maybe never check their depth gauges anyway.

One of the reasons I was thinking of an Air-Integrated design in the first place is that the customers would alternate between metric and imperial, and (presumably) the computer would let me swap back and forth as needed. If I go with a SPG and separate computer, I'll have to swap the SPG's back and forth physically. I guess there is no way around that.

Unless someone knows of a universally marked SPG that I do not know about. But that too might be confusing, too.

The other question is whether customers would like the PC printout of their dive. I am trying to shoot for a fairly high level of service to encourage repeaters, but I have no idea if the printout is something people would find appealing.

I think the Suuntos are pretty intuitive to use, which is a nice feature in a rental. How about the D4? It's cheaper than the Cobra and compatible with the Suunto Dive Manager software, so you can provide the printouts, which are pretty cool the first time you see one. Then add a basic spg in a console. (I personally prefer wrist-mounted, but console makes sense for rentals, I think.)

Of course, somebody with actual experience renting out dive gear is going to post to say that there are much cheaper computers that would do the job and make better business sense--and they're probably right.

Everybody should be able to dive (and live) metric, it's really not that hard. But for the stubborn imperialists, I guess they can just refer to the red zone on their spg--they probably plan their dives that way anyway, and they're probably better off with an analog display. Their computers would be switchable.

vladimir:

I think the Suuntos are pretty intuitive to use, which is a nice feature in a rental. How about the D4? It's cheaper than the Cobra and compatible with the Suunto Dive Manager software, so you can provide the printouts, which are pretty cool the first time you see one. Then add a basic spg in a console. (I personally prefer wrist-mounted, but console makes sense for rentals, I think.)

Of course, somebody with actual experience renting out dive gear is going to post to say that there are much cheaper computers that would do the job and make better business sense--and they're probably right.

Everybody should be able to dive (and live) metric, it's really not that hard. But for the stubborn imperialists, I guess they can just refer to the red zone on their spg--they probably plan their dives that way anyway, and they're probably better off with an analog display. Their computers would be switchable.

Click to expand...

Thanks again for your thoughts.

Personally my computer will be on my wrist. But having seen customers drop just about everything over the side of a boat at one time or another, rental has to be in a console. I can eat the cost of a fin or a weight belt, but losing a rental computer would make me sad.

As someone that has dove a AI Cobra, I don't see where the "dive time remaining" # would cause confusion. The only risk area is that if someone's air consumption increases drastically and the last time they looked at their computer it said they'd have 20 minutes left and they now have 5 minutes left due to swimming into a current (or whatever) they may not check their computer frequent enough. However, the same is true for an SPG as most people aren't good at pulling a consumption rate out of their current level of exertion. Stupid people will always be stupid.

Is it the best computer? No, likely not...but then if someone is that concerned they'd travel with their own. Will I be keeping mine forever? No, its likely to be swapped with a Galileo as a console computer and photography is a nightmare.

I think the Cobra is a great computer with a simple interface. The Cobra2 has even a better display and seems it should be far easier to read. I can't say whether its the ultimate for rentals or not, the shop I certified through used them on the rigs for the pool...I'm sure in part to make it easy to sell the cobra (you buy what you are comfortable with and know) after certification, but I would like to think the other is due to reliability, durability and simplicity.

For a shop concerned about reliability and costs a non AI puck computer in a boot with the SPG and likely compass is the way to go. AIs have more elements to break and when they do they cost more to replace. They also usually have a bigger screen which I have seen cracked under tanks in situations when a booted puck would have survived. Look at something like the Oceanic Veo100(NX optional) (Navcon optional) for super simple and affordable. My LDS uses them and they last forever and work great. They have all of them as Navcons (with a compass) and a few as the NX model for EAN divers. If you want the option to do the dive printout you could get a couple nicer AI computers that would go for a higher rate including printout to more experienced divers who would be less likely to break them anyhow.

I would agree with the above, I would not put an AI computer in rental gear. I would put the most basic computer in as possible. People renting gear beat the crap out of it. In that case if you like Suunto (which I do and have own several) that would be the Gecko. Otherwise the Oceanics mentioned are fine computers.

As for imperial vs metric. OMS makes a SPG that has both units on it. It is a brass and glass model so while costing more will probably last longer.

I see a lot of Gekko's in rental. They are bulletproof, and have very long battery life.

Most boats in Maui use the various air-only hocky puck computers from Pelagic (Oceanic, Aeris, Sherwood, etc.) for their rental gear, and a couple of dive ops will add a hose-mounted computer to customer-supplied gear as a backup.

They have a simple to understand display that can quickly be explained during the dive briefing. And they are cheap. The only complaints I've heard is that there was a bunch of Prodigy computers that would start losing segments on the display after being banged around for a couple of years continous daily use.

I would stay away from AI computers as they are more of a reliability and battery replacement problem, as well as being way too complicated for casual rental users.