It does have a bunch of extra options but as a dive computer I much prefer my Perdix. The Mk1 would have been (and still could be if Garmin made an effort) equal to the Perdix as a dive computer.
Simple things like:
- displaying SI on the dive mode face before the dive (like every other dive computer)
- better handling of the start of dive determination (like my 2005 Citizen Cyberaqualand NX did perfectly)
- Better deco information (I'd much prefer it telling me the exact deco commitment rather than a less than intuitive TTS)
Currently (I'm always changing my mind) my list for the mk1 would be:
- Surfgf
- User adjsutable low PPO2
- Compass on the main dive screen
- Wireless charging (obviously not happening)
Other than that I have been quite happy with it
For the garmin app:
- Importable dive logs (i like the garmin dive apps)
- Combinable dives
- Auto calculation for SAC
- Gear used and to remember gear used
- Gear usage data stats
For the mk2 current wish list:
- Surfgf
- User adjustable low PPO2
- Compass on the main dive screen
- Location
- Wireless charging (obviously not happening)
- Cheaper....
So IMHO Garmin isnt far off and who knows what the near future holds.
No. Well, not that I have seen. It just increments the Time To Surface.
Edit: According to this:
Descent Mk1 - Viewing the Primary Gas Dive Data Screen it does. It certainly shows that for the safety stop. Perhaps it did show me this while I was actually doing a deco stop, but it did not show me what I'd have to do before I reached the deco stop.
It shows the Deco stop ceiling depth at the top right of the screen, the deco stop time in the bottom right and replaces NDL with TTS. So you know how long its going to take to get to the surface and where your next stop is and for how long. Otherwise you would be running blind with your current conservatism settings.
To me this seams reasonable data for what you would need. Might have just missed it and I know i miss ...stuff..all the time just ask my wife.
If you mess with deco planning on the Garmin It will run through the stops to give you an idea on where its going to stop you, which you can compare with your other computers.
Actually that wasn’t the cause when you enter gauge mode/apnea mode it isn’t a deco lockout that you can turn off. You must either set you’re watch 24 hours ahead or go through a process of connecting it to you’re PC to take the lockout out. I’m sure you can google “farming descent mk1 gauge lockout”
Garmin website “
After diving in gauge mode, the device can only be used in gauge or apnea mode for 24 hours. “
Under section notes
Descent Mk1 - Dive Modes
i see now that i missed where you said that you were in Gauge mode and went along thinking along what we were talking about earlier, deco lockout. This would not be the first time I have misread something
Yes and no... if you accidentally dive with gauge or apnea it locks you out 24hours. Had that happen to me before and I believed it was called deco lockout. I’ll send you that pm btw.
It should just say locked when you finish using gauge along with the warning that this will happen when you enter gauge. But "if" you really wanted to, this is a warning you can get past this a few ways, one of which is resetting the tissues on the watch. But this will reset all that data to 0 including surface interval but will not mess up the computer.
When I was playing with gauge mode and other things when I got the MK1 I noticed this. I personally disabled gauge mode after using it as I just don't see the need for me to have it currently.
I would be surprised if apnea functions similar and from my quick initial testing they didn't.
But this isn't something I have not started to use often like I had planned on.
I did also just check and apnea modes does not give a lockout warning if you use it currently.
I will gladly ask one of my 2 friends who had the failure. He is a TDI Trimix Instructor, with that being said I will get the full story from him. All I can remember when he last talked about it was that the deco stop was way too long and the peredix was correct. I know this person and I know their skills so I can certainly say that he switched gases on his computer. I can only remember one other thing and that was the peredix didn't do a deco lockout on him but the Garmin did and locked him out for a couple of days.
I still wonder about your two friends who experienced messed up deco times. Since malfunction of equipment does absolutely happen I surely hope they reported these instances to Garmin right away.
Though something that I think about is that people can/will miss things and blaming the gear happens even with the most experienced of people.
During my thousands of skydives i have personally witnessed some advanced skydivers overlooking or forgetting to check something that would be standard for any dive. Hell I have even looked past some things in skydiving...what I would consider ...well just careless, reckless and dumb.
However sometimes in some of these instances some people will blame the gear for their own lack of paying attention to or missing the details that they shouldn't have missed.
Now I am in no way implying that this is what happened to your friends and instead only stating it is ALWAYS possible even for the most advanced/well trained individual to have user error that goes sometimes unnoticed or sometimes the blame is passed off on the equipment.
Probably like most that have read what you previously stated are extremely interested in hearing the specifics and the entire story.