Should I buy a Suunto Vyper now?

[The Wanderer]

I'm a new recreational OW diver putting together my gear package. I'm trying to assemble a nice Total Dive System - SSI term.

Should I buy a Vyper now? Is there something better availible now or soon to be introduced? Or is this a good choice that will last me for several years?

Thanks!

[azsilver]

We looked at the Vyper and we got the Vytec instead as it has more options---you can get the Vytec with or without Air Integration. (You can add on the AI later) The Vyper will serve you well but the Vytec will give you more options later on.



An AZ diver

[ddierolf]

I like my Vyper, has a good capacity for storage and easy to figure out. You can download the latest version of pc software off the suunto website. I recommend getting the transfer cable as well if you do decide to go with the vyper. I would guess it depends alot on what kind of diving, how much diving and the over all expense you want to put out.

[geraldp]

We looked at the Vyper and we got the Vytec instead as it has more options---you can get the Vytec with or without Air Integration. (You can add on the AI later) The Vyper will serve you well but the Vytec will give you more options later on.
An AZ diver

azsilver: sorry that's kind of like somebody saying they're interested in a Volkswagon and you instead suggest a Mercedes. :-)

The Vyper is a great computer. The Vytec is a better computer, but at ~4X the cost. The Vyper will handle Nitrox (when you're ready for that), will allow you to upload to your computer, and stores the last 99 or so dives. It's got a nice easy-to-read display. And includes a simulator and dive planner.
It doesn't have Air Integration, however. The Cobra is identical to the Vyper but adds AI, and is still alot cheaper than the Vytec. It's hard to beat the Vytec for features, however (assuming you trust its remote sensor). The Suunto webpage allows you to compare features.

Welcome to diving Wings! Good luck purchasing your kit.

Jerry

[Scubaroo]

4x the cost? Maybe if you bought it together with the transmitter, it would be close to 3x the cost, but just for the computers, at LeisurePro the Vyper is about $325 & the Vytec is about $540.

But if you never plan to buy the transmitter, you won't really see any difference using the Vytec over the Vyper for recreational diving - maybe some extra NDL time if you toggle the conservativeness setting on the Vytec.

[Al Mialkovsky]

Enjoy the vyper and dive dive dive.

[jamiei]

Wings, the vyper is a great computer and will serve you well. You would most likely get several years of use out of the vyper before you would ever need the features the vytec has that drives the cost up.

I use a cobra myself and like the air integration feature. However, I got the cobra from someone I know almost brand new and at a fraction of the cost of even the vyper from leisure pro. If not for the deal I stumbled into with my cobra, I would have gotten the vyper and I am sure I would have been quite happy with it. The vyper can also be used in gauge mode down the road if you ever get into more advanced diving where the dive mode of the vyper might possibly limit you. For probably 99% of divers, that will never be the case though. You can always buy the vytec down the road and use the vyper as a backup computer. I'd say go for the vyper. Good luck.

[The Wanderer]

Thanks for the comments and advice.

What exactly is Air Integration with a dive computer?

[Scubaroo]

air integration - the computer has a pressure display built in. There are two methods - either the computer replaces the SPG directly on the HP hose, or a wireless transmitter is attached to a HP port of the first stage. Suunto Cobra is an example of an AI computer, Suunto Vytec is an example of a wireless AI computer.

[The Wanderer]

Thanks Scubaroo,

Since this is my first purchase, I'll probably stick with the Vyper for now.