Suunto Gekko vs. Suunto D6 which is better for me?

[Dub Diver]

Hello everyone,
I am looking to get some opinions on which dive computer would be best for me in the long run from more experienced divers. I am looking at either the Suunto Gekko or the Suunto D6. My girlfriend has the Suunto Vyper and from what I hear the Gekko is very similar minus hooking up to the computer (which I have read can be done), and guage mode etc. I really like her computer and if the Gekko is very similar and less money that is a bonus. My dive instructor has the Suunto D9, which is very similar to the D6, and he absolutely loves it. My question is do you think it would be better for me to not spend as much and go with the Gekko, or step up to get more features with the D6, which do you think would be the best for me long term?
A little background on me to help you get a feel for my diving is I am currently getting advanced certified and have done 23 dives in total so far. I am going to be getting nitrox certified later this fall. I am planning on doing a moderate amount of diving and looking for something that will last me for years to come. Thanks for the help!

 

[Rainer]

Do you plan to do any diving in the future that warrants the extra features of the D6. If not, you have your answer. The Gekko is an excellent computer for those doing rec dives. The price is also excellent (~$250). If you later decide you need something more, you'd be able to get back a lot of this cost on E-bay... If you don't think you need those extra features, I'd suggest the Gekko.

 

[Scared Silly]

I would get the Gekko (or the Vyper cause I like downloading my dives). I perfer dive instruments rather than dive watches. I did not like the D6 user interface - especially the compass. This comes after using a Cobra for several years, trying a D6, but now diving a Vytec.

 

[MarkUK]

It does depend on what you think you are going to be doing with your diving. If you are going to be an occasional recreational diver, doing nitrox dives, and occasionally straying into deco, then the Gekko is ideal. User-replaceable battery, too.

If you think you are going to want to dabble in the technical world down the line, with accelerated deco, etc, then go for the D6, as it does everything the Gekko does, but also offers the two-gas mix facility.

Mark

 

[Rainer]

If downloading your dives is important (it is for me), the Gekko can do this (you don't need to buy a Vyper for this reason). Just search this forum for how to do it. It's very easy.

 

[Bismark]

I have both the D-6 and the vytec and I use the D-6 in tropical waters and the Vytec in cold water. The vytec is easier to read when I am wearing my drysuit. I love both of them and when I travel my D-6 does double duty as my wrist watch. I have used the gekko and it is very similar to the Vytec with a couple of changes that don't sound like they will be an issue for your diving anyways. I don't really use the D-6 compass and prefer my "old school" compass as a seperate unit. I usually take both instruments on travel trips and put my Vytec in my BCD pocket as a spare. That way if something happens to my primary computer, my backup has been doing the same profiles. I would hate to miss a day or so if my computer locked up on a 4-5 dives per day one week liveaboard trip. I was particularly impressed by the craftmanship of the D-6. I bought my wife a Mosquito but after comparing the two, I moved her mosquito to "back-up" category and bought her a D-6. Long story short- warm water with little exposure protection needed- go with the D-6. If you are diving dry or in really cold water (pacific northwest or the like) get the Gekko or Vyper or Vytec.

 

[Damselfish]

You could also get the Gekko now and if you decide you need/want a fancier toy later, have the Gekko as a backup. If you stick to recreational diving the Gekko will do the job fine.

 

[ClayJar]

I'm going to concur with the theme that the Gekko is a great, inexpensive, well-featured computer for a purely recreational diver. The only make-or-break item on a recreational diver's dive computer checklist is basic nitrox support. The odds of eventually picking up nitrox (if you haven't already) seem to be quite high, and an air-only computer would be useless there. Pretty much all the additional features are either bells-and-whistles (air-integrated, wireless, backlight, alarms, settings) or post-recreational (multiple mixes, etc).

(Now, there's nothing to say that you wouldn't end up needing a better computer than a Gekko, but for the circumstances in which you would need one (deco gases, etc), a more "tech" computer is only one of many upgrades or additions.)

I bought my Gekko the week between my OW class and the checkout trip, and it continues to serve me wonderfully. It was inexpensive, and it does everything I need (including downloading profiles to a PC). Would I like it if it could be wirelessly air-integrated (using my second HP port, of course, as I love my SPG) and could log air consumption and temperature at user-specified rates through the entire dive? Sure, that'd be cool, but that's lagniappe.

I have my Gekko, and two of my diving friends have now purchased a Gekko each to enhance their diving (it was the first computer for each of them). All wrist-mount, of course, as that makes it *oh* so much easier to watch (I watch my watch while I console my console computer friend.)

 

[Charlie59]

Out of interest, why not get a D9 and use it for AI capacity. It's only money and the D9 should take you well into the future. Why settle for the middle, go top notch or stay low brow.

Just a thought.

 

[PerroneFord]

Out of interest, why not get a D9 and use it for AI capacity.

Maybe he doesn't want the associated issues.

It's only money and the D9 should take you well into the future.

Really depends on his "future", dontcha think?

Why settle for the middle, go top notch or stay low brow.

Exactly. Quit BSing and get a VR3! Or a bottom timer.