Bottom Timers

DA Aquamaster · Oct 12, 2004

I currently own a Parkway bottom timer made in 1994. It does not have a user replaceable battery and I suspect when it dies it will become a paperweight, so I am looking for an eventual replacement.

Given that my Parkway bottom timer is "swiss made" and shares the same design, layout, display and general feature as the current Uwatec digital depth guage, I am 99.9% certain Uwatec made the earlier Parkway version. The newer Uwatec version logs 9 dives rather than 4 and has an ascent rate indicator but is otherwise no different than my Parkway.

I also noticed OMS sells the same basic bottom timer as the Uwatec Digital Depth Gauge with identical features but with a different color and different graphics on the case. I figure it's a safe bet these are made for OMS by Uwatec.

My question is: do both of these newer bottom timers also have non-replaceable batteries and will I be looking for a new one in another 10 years?

Boogie711 · Oct 12, 2004

Yes, and yes. Actually yes on 3 counts - the OMS is made by Uwatec, correct. Yes, they're non-user replaceable. Which yes, means you'll need a new one in 10 years or so.

Vie · Oct 12, 2004

DA Aquamaster:
I currently own a Parkway bottom timer made in 1994. It does not have a user replaceable battery and I suspect when it dies it will become a paperweight, so I am looking for an eventual replacement.

IMHO, the Cochran Commander (basic air model) can be used as a great bottom timer (with easy to find, user replaceable battery). Nice big, clear display.

DA Aquamaster · Oct 12, 2004

I was hoping user replaceable or at least factory replaceble batteries would have been one of the other improvements in the design. Especially at $170 retail for the Uwatec and $180 on LP for the OMS clone.

For that kind of money a basic wrist mounted computer is worth considering instead of a bottom timer. Thanks for the heads up on the Cochran Commander. Any idea what they cost?

I have noted that Oceanic's Veo 200 air/nitrox computer also has a gauge mode and user replaceable batteries for an LP price of $250. Does anyone know if the air only Veo 100 has a gauge mode? It sells for $170 on LP and would be a viable alternative to the Uwatec if it has a gauge mode.

Thanks to both of you for the prompt responses.

The Kraken · Oct 12, 2004

Why not use a Citizen Hyper Aqualand dive watch?
Has depth gauge, time, etc . . .

rjchandler · Oct 12, 2004

The Kracken:
Why not use a Citizen Hyper Aqualand dive watch?
Has depth gauge, time, etc . . .

and lots of beeping alarms too?

WarmWaterDiver · Oct 12, 2004

DA,

I agree the prices on new retail bottom timer of this design are ludicrous. If you can pick up a pre-owned one for $50 or less (it happens - occasionally) the gamble for how much longer the soldered-in battery lasts vs. new is a decent deal.

Otherwise, even a pre-owned dive computer with a user selectable 'gauge mode' that has user replaceable battteries is a more attractive alternative.

Boogie711 · Oct 12, 2004

You know what? I'm going to offer a very slight disagreement here.

I had a dive computer with user replacable batteries - the M1 used plain old 'AAA's.

The problem was it chewed through batteries. I have an Uwatec now, and it's not just low maintenance, it's no maintenance. I can always count on it being there and ready to go. To me, that's worth $15 a year.

DA Aquamaster · Oct 12, 2004

Good to hear about the AAA battery issue with the M1 - they don't point that out in the ads for them.

I noted that color PDAs have the same problem, I can get a weeks hard use out of my mono screened M500 before it needs charged but I can only get maybe one or two days tops out of a color screened PDA. From that standpoint, simpler is better and the same argument can no doubt be made for bottom timers.

But the current price for them is hard to take and harder to justify and I know the orginal Parkway bottom timers cost no where near that much.

Vie · Oct 12, 2004

DA Aquamaster:
For that kind of money a basic wrist mounted computer is worth considering instead of a bottom timer. Thanks for the heads up on the Cochran Commander. Any idea what they cost?

sorry, I haven't been able to find out how much a Commander costs nowadays. I asked around and nobody sells them anymore around where I am!

Bottom Timers

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