Gear Advice for Novice Divers From Novice Diver

[MUpte]

Just found this post. Wish I had found it about 8 months ago when I started diving. Still useful info. I appreciate the time you put into this. Not sure if you are still monitoring the thread, but what are your thoughts of your Deep 6 reg set and have you serviced them yourself yet?

 

[Ryan Neely]

I found this thread today while researching whether or not the redundancy of dive computer and gauge console is something that a new diver should consider. @MargaritaMike and @stuartv you both make great arguments. Would it make sense to have a dive computer and mechanical watch and gauge console for a newbie or just have a cheaper redundant second dive computer (or is this kind of redundancy overkill?)

(For what it's worth, as a newbie, my plan is still to concentrate on "planning my dive and diving my plan," so I should be starting each dive with table knowledge in mind and not relying solely on my computer.)

 

[rongoodman]

Would it make sense to have a dive computer and mechanical watch and gauge console for a newbie or just have a cheaper redundant second dive computer (or is this kind of redundancy overkill?)

I don't see any point in a watch or mechanical gauges. If you're going on a liveaboard or a trip where you'll be doing multiple dives daily for multiple days a redundant computer makes sense, as long as both are using the same or similar deco models. The most important thing is to understand how the computer you have works. Usually when someone has locked up a recreational computer on trips I've been on the cause has been user error regarding their computer, not some problem with a dive. Even very conservative computers won't usually lock you out as long as you understand what they're telling you do do and do it.

 

[Ryan Neely]

Thanks @rongoodman . It will be some time before we're ready for a liveaboard, but we will likely be diving multiple dives a day locally (we live on a lake so have good access to daily diving). It seems that the most conventional wisdom running around the boards is that one computer should suffice. If there's a failure, you bail on the dive. Being in the middle of the ocean might justify the need for a backup computer. By nature, however, I'm a cautious person and tend to lean toward redundancy, which is why I question whether a console and computer make sense or just ditch all the extras and go with a single computer.

 

[rongoodman]

Unless you're solo diving, your buddy is your redundancy.

 

[Jcp2]

I liked having a digital watch on the inside of one wrist with my not so fancy dive computer on the inside of the other wrist. That way I can use the stopwatch function to time safety stops and what not because my computer only shows total NDL time remaining in minutes, and the safety stop doesn't have a countdown time, just a stop/go flag. Also, how else to time "look for buddy for one minute before ascending" without a timer.

 

[rongoodman]

Your computer doesn't show the dive time?

 

[Bierstadt]

I don't rely on my buddy for my personal redundancy. I like being cautious and self-reliant where possible. I still use a watch for any dives deep enough to have a stop because it displays seconds and my dive computer does not, and I don't want to be fiddling with my dive computer on a dive. Fiddling with my watch is fine. I stopped bothering with using tables as an in-water backup to the dive computer. If your computer fails your dive is over and tables add very little value at that point.

I would not want a console for any reason. It is bulky enough to be an impediment. No thanks, brass and glass all the way, or the plastic equivalent. It just makes diving better, though personal preferences will vary. My next computer will be a Shearwater, but I am only going to dive 2 computers when the consequences of failure merit the added complexity of wearing and managing 2 computers. Technical dive, liveaboard charter, etc. Simplicity brings it's own rewards.

 

[Ryan Neely]

Thanks for the info @Bierstadt. Quick question for you, based on your response: Are you using an air-integrated computer? This seems to be the way to go, but would mean not having a port for an stand-alone SPG. (My LDS recommends an hose-AI computer and a mini SPG screwed directly into the first stage without a hose so that, if the computer fails, at least your buddy can read your tank pressure.) Thoughts on going this route, or better to have a hose SPG and non-AI computer?

 

[noj3333]

My LDS recommends an hose-AI computer and a mini SPG screwed directly into the first stage without a hose so that, if the computer fails, at least your buddy can read your tank pressure.

If you us a set up like this, you (and divers who use this shop) will be the only person on a charter diving with a mini SPG on your 1st stage.

If your spg fails you abort the dive...