Shearwater Perdix AI

[oldenred]

I have the Perdix AI and have put around 50 dives on it.

Pros: having GTR and SAC in realtime during the dive is *amazing*. 100% worth the price of admission. About 6 dives after installing my transmitter my SPG broke and started freeflowing. Haven't had a change to replace it and at this point I don't think I will.

Cons: the design of the transmitter is horrible - it looks too similar to the valve on the tank. Twice already helpful people have twisted my transmitter and blown the first stage open. I'm going to spray paint the transmitter and put a wrench and more o-rings in my travel bag.

Overall, AI is now 100% a permanent part of my gear. I probably won't use an SPG. I can't think of anything worse than just having to surface with a safety stop if things fail. At this point adding an SPG just adds another point of failure. If the transmitter goes underwater or the battery dies in my computer, these are not life threatening situations. Hell, as long as air isn't leaking I'm not even sure it'd cause me to abort the dive.

It is for this reason that I put a 9" hose on my transmitter so that it won't be used as a handle. Works great

 

[Beau640]

I was not really impressed with the attachment options that come with it. The straps seemed cumbersome to get snapped and I could never get the chord tied off so it gave the amount of slack/stretch that I wanted. (Needed it tighter against skin and looser with a 3mm suit was going to be used).
Anyway to that end I am going to use a couple of three ring zulu straps and see how that works. Would be interested to hear if anyone else has done something other than the strapping methods that are included?
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I wish I was at home so I could show you how well the bungee straps can work. The snap in straps they send with the unit I agree suck and are cumbersome. However if you just use 2 pieces of bungee through the bungee mount areas on the bottom of the unit, it works well. I use one piece through the holes on the L side of the unit, and another independent piece through the holes on the R side of the unit (this way if one of them breaks, you still have an independent bungee piece not affected that will hold on). If you do it this way, you can easily just pull slack off the cord when wearing smaller exposure protection and then tuck it in under the strap on your wrist when you do this. The holes are tight enough that this doesn't come loose at all during the dive. I was surprised how well this worked with varying degrees of exposure protection. I'll try to remember to upload some pictures when I get home but seriously the pieces of bungee when done right work soooo well

 

[Saniflush]

Please do. The Zulu straps that I have gone to work like a champ but I am always looking for equipment tweaks.

 

[stuartv]

I wish I was at home so I could show you how well the bungee straps can work. The snap in straps they send with the unit I agree suck and are cumbersome. However if you just use 2 pieces of bungee through the bungee mount areas on the bottom of the unit, it works well. I use one piece through the holes on the L side of the unit, and another independent piece through the holes on the R side of the unit (this way if one of them breaks, you still have an independent bungee piece not affected that will hold on). If you do it this way, you can easily just pull slack off the cord when wearing smaller exposure protection and then tuck it in under the strap on your wrist when you do this. The holes are tight enough that this doesn't come loose at all during the dive. I was surprised how well this worked with varying degrees of exposure protection. I'll try to remember to upload some pictures when I get home but seriously the pieces of bungee when done right work soooo well

Thanks for posting that. I have not tried the surgical tubing that came with my Perdix exactly for the reason that I dive a 3/2 wetsuit, a drysuit with thick undies, and everything in between. I couldn't see how sizing it to fit over my drysuit would let me adjust it to still be snug in my 3/2. But, I get what you're saying, so now I need to try it. The elastic buckle straps are kind of a pain!

 

[rhwestfall]

I still use the original straps as bungie and my rings for my gloves just don't play well together....

Big enough to stretch over the rings is too big for my arm....

YMMV

 

[stuartv]

I still use the original straps as bungie and my rings for my gloves just don't play well together....

Big enough to stretch over the rings is too big for my arm....

YMMV

From what @Beau640 said, it sounds like you could make the surgical tubing loose enough to fit over your rings and then pull them tight and tuck them in to make it snug. Now that he described it, I can see how it would work. I also need it to be able to go on over my dry glove rings. I will try it. Maybe this weekend, as I'm diving dry on Sat and Sun. I will post an update if I try it.

 

[Beau640]

1st picture: how they are tied

2nd picture: how it's fitted for dry suit and sits loose on my arm without a suit before pulling it tight

3rd picture: ends pulled tight and tucked in. Doesn't come loose during dive at all. Comfortable and nothing hanging out.

 

[Alastor]

...omissis...

Nice neat and clever. Thanks

 

[admikar]

I was thinking about a proosik loop, but this seems a lot better. Thanks @Beau640 .

 

[Cascade]

I've bought my Perdix in DGX, and there were straps, surgical tubing and bungee.

I've never used bungee before and decided to try. Was surprised how convenient it is! This is most compact and very reliable solution. It perfectly fits both wet and dry suits (but I don't use glove rings).

I use one piece of bungee with a knot in the middle to prevent loss in case the cord breaks.