Suunto COBRA vs. Sherwood WISDOM computers

bfenne · Aug 23, 2004

Hello All,

I am looking at the Suunto COBRA and the Sherwood WISDOM computers. I would like to know which computer is better overall based on MFG"s facts. Being new to diving its hard to judge. I would like that the feedback be factual and if you could, support why one is better than the other. Please, no "Just Personal Opions".

Thanks for any and all tech replies

pasley · Aug 23, 2004

Tough question. Have you been to http://www.suunto.com/suunto/main/index.jsp for information on the SUUNTO.

Better is a subjective state. What may be "better" for diver "A" would be what makes it not the right computer for diver "B".

Example. The SUUNTO Cobra is a conservative computer which can be adjusted to be even more conservative. That makes it better for me at age 50 than the Data Pro Oceanic previously owned. For a younger farsighted diver (it has large 1/2" high display numbers) who wants to push the envelope and take more risk and get that extra few minutes of bottom time, the Oceanic is "better".

Try Rodels review.

Bottom line, you hae to do the research your self and make your own decision about which computer is "better" for you.

I don't know where to send you to do that research. I will give you factors to consider as to which is "better"
1. Type of dive table the computer uses.
2. Conservative or aggressive computer.
3. Nitrox capable
4. EAN capable.
5. Air integrated or not
6. Downloadable (I not only like this feature, but I think it is important).
7. User adjustable settings to make it more conservative.
9. User changeable battery

I know this does not answer directly your question, but I hope it helps a little.

WVDiver · Aug 23, 2004

http://www.scubadiving.com/gear/dive_computers/

go here first. no one knows more than these guys.

DCDivenut · Aug 25, 2004

pasley:
Tough question. Have you been to http://www.suunto.com/suunto/main/index.jsp for information on the SUUNTO.

Better is a subjective state. What may be "better" for diver "A" would be what makes it not the right computer for diver "B".

Example. The SUUNTO Cobra is a conservative computer which can be adjusted to be even more conservative. That makes it better for me at age 50 than the Data Pro Oceanic previously owned. For a younger farsighted diver (it has large 1/2" high display numbers) who wants to push the envelope and take more risk and get that extra few minutes of bottom time, the Oceanic is "better".

Try Rodels review.

Bottom line, you hae to do the research your self and make your own decision about which computer is "better" for you.

I don't know where to send you to do that research. I will give you factors to consider as to which is "better"
1. Type of dive table the computer uses.
2. Conservative or aggressive computer.
3. Nitrox capable
4. EAN capable.
5. Air integrated or not
6. Downloadable (I not only like this feature, but I think it is important).
7. User adjustable settings to make it more conservative.
9. User changeable battery

I know this does not answer directly your question, but I hope it helps a little.

A very good reply. I just gopt back from a weekend diving in NC. I have a sherwood wisdom. I went with two buddies, one had a suunto and the other had a Mares M1. Both of these use similar RGBM models I believe.

We all dived pretty similar profiles. On one dive I had 3 4 minutes of deco time and they had 18!! It is really not a joke when people say there is a quantifiable difference in the level of conservatism between then two. Personally I am in decent shape and young so I like the more liberal computer. I also manage my air so I stayed with them for a good 10-15 minutes of their hang time so I more than cleared my computer and add in my own level of conservatism. I also try to do a deep stop at half my max depth.

MikeC · Aug 25, 2004

Pasley, being more conservative is the reason a friend got a Cobra before their last trip. The friend is 45+ and about 15lb overweight. Even though they dove 32% EAN they left the computer at 21% o2 for an added margin of safety.

We looked at the Aeris computers very hard, but Suunto's conservative side won out.

ShakaZulu · Aug 25, 2004

WVDiver:
http://www.scubadiving.com/gear/dive_computers/

go here first. no one knows more than these guys.

Nice, I like a scuba diver with a sense of humor.......... Without any information regarding the type of diving you intend to do in the future, I'd get the Suunto, kewl for REC diving.

mccabejc · Aug 25, 2004

My only complaint so far with the Cobra is the Dive Manager software. Doesn't allow you to extract enough dive info from the computer to graph things like air consumption vs time, ascent/descent rates vs. time, and other stuff of questionable value.

DA Aquamaster · Aug 25, 2004

mccabejc:
My only complaint so far with the Cobra is the Dive Manager software. Doesn't allow you to extract enough dive info from the computer to graph things like air consumption vs time

The Wisdom's D/L software has the same limitation as the psi remaining is not recorded during the dive, just before and after.

The Wisdom is a little more liberal in terms of bottom time at most depths and is a quite a bit more liberal at depths below 100 ft than most computers. But the Wisdom is conservative with ascent rates and recommends a 3 minute safety stop at 20' for any dive below 30 ft so it sort of evens out.

I have found that the liberal nature of the computer works very well with deep stops. On deco dives I normally use a profile generated with Palm VPM or DPlan incorporatng deep stops starting at 50-60 ft. The Wisdom tolerates these well and I normally don't have to spend too many extra minutes at 10 ft to keep the dive computer happy.

bfenne · Aug 25, 2004

I Have Read So Many Bad Things On The Board Now About The Wisdom It Makes Me Wonder. Can They Be That Unreliable? Now The Cobra On The Other Hand I Have Not Read Hardly Anything Bad About It. The Diving Community Really Needs A Place Where You Can Go To See Different Types Of Equipment Types/brands And The Warranty/repair Stats.

wmspdi · Aug 27, 2004

MikeC:
Pasley, being more conservative is the reason a friend got a Cobra before their last trip. The friend is 45+ and about 15lb overweight. Even though they dove 32% EAN they left the computer at 21% o2 for an added margin of safety.

We looked at the Aeris computers very hard, but Suunto's conservative side won out.

If they wanted an extra margin of safety they should have adjusted the personal settings to be more conservative. By diving 32% EAN with the computer set at 21% the Cobra couldn't track the O2 levels. Although I never want to experience either... I'd rather risk a mild case of DCS than oxygen toxicity. I am 49 and overweight. I dive with a Cobra, and a Mosquito as a back-up, because Suunto uses the same conservative algorithyms on both. When in doubt... read the instructions.

Suunto COBRA vs. Sherwood WISDOM computers

Please register or login

bfenne

Registered

pasley

Contributor

WVDiver

Contributor

DCDivenut

Guest

MikeC

Contributor

ShakaZulu

Contributor

mccabejc

Contributor

DA Aquamaster

Directional Toast

bfenne

Registered

wmspdi

Contributor

Similar threads