Are dive computers overkill for most recreational divers?

[Seamaster6]

No Dive computers are Great!

 

[MissBubblyDiver]

Absolutely not overkill. Computers maximize your diving experience. As one diver already noted according to PADI's RDP you can get a maximum of 25 feet at 90 feet. However, it is unlikely that a diver would stay at that depth for the entirety of the dive. A computer accounts for all depth changes and changes your No deco time accordingly. With the tables you have to plan as if you stayed at 95 feet the entire time, even if a good portion of your dive was at 60 feet (think about the topography changes of reefs, wrecks, etc. which often have frequent changes in depth).

You can get a basic computer dive computer, great for recreational divers and nitrox (not advanced nitrox) compatible for under 400 dollars. In addition to increased bottom most computers alarm if your ascent is too fast.
Over priced? I don't think so. This adds bottom time to your dives. You get to breath more air out of the tank you paid to fill. I think dive computers pay themselves off in greater dive experiences. The computer I am talking about and the one I personally use. It's the Uwatec Aladin Prime. For advanced nitrox compatibility the Aladin Tec is a great upgrade version of the prime.

 

[hebrideskid]

I made my first dive in 1968 with a tank in a harness and a double-hose regulator. That was it. Since then I've added a few conveniences, e.g., fins, a BC, weights--and computers. Yep, 2.

When I got my first training (NAUI) I learned and used the Navy tables; there were no computers then. I can still dive the tables, and I can still dive without a BC and fins. I just don't want to.

I dive for fun. I am solely responsible for my own well-being. Computers aid me in both these aspects of diving.

Overkill? Hardly.

 

[DandyDon]

I ran into one guy that had 2 computers on a trip. He said one computer was off my 5% from the other. He didn't know which one to follow. That is what sparked my thoughts on this.

He was doing lots of multiple dives, 3 in a day, so from your replies I can see he needed a computer.

Different brands? Oh my wrist computer generally rides a foot or so higher than my console puter as I hold my camera at the ready, so they could vary that much even tho they're the same brand. Haven't compared them that closely, but I think I'll take a look.

Always?

Say you dive on air to a wreck at 100' for 25 minutes (I'm intentionally breaking most tables) and then ascend at 30FPM to 30 feet (in mid water: there is nothing to see here).

If one computer gives you a 15 minute stop at 30 feet and the other tells you you have 30 minutes of NDL (i.e. are free to get out of the water), are you really going to follow the more conservative one?

Yep. I'll figure out what went wrong, more than likely what I screwed up, later - but for now I'm making sure my puters "are happy," even if in disagreement. I don't ascend from SS within NDL; I ascend in the Green zone for extra safety among other things - what I call "happy puter." Does not matter if I am happy about looking at empty water at all. If my two puters disagree greatly, I probly set the O2 wrong on one of them, but I'll deal with that after I do what I need to do to avoid violating either.

 

[BDSC]

I started diving around 1991 and the first 10 dives or so in the ocean were by the tables. Then a guy on one of the dive boats showed me his computer and what it would do and explained how you didn't really have to figure out the table stuff anymore. That sold me. Been diving computers ever since and can't imagine diving now without them. I doubt I could even pick up and figure out the tables again it's been so long. Probably have to find my old PADI OW book to be able to do it.

 

[miketsp]

Pretty much all resort recreational dives are worked out for no decompression. Why do divers wear computers for such dives? I'm not for or against it. Just never used one, so what is the benefit for no deco diving?

Resort DMs are fallible too.
I've posted this example before but I'll mention it again to reply to your question.

First dive to 40m+ and pushed the limits.
Second dive, less than one hour of SIT later had a change of DM and the new DM started with a clean computer - no N2 loading.

Less than 10 minutes into the second dive, all of us that had computers were into obligatory deco and we started following the main group at a more shallow depth. The DM and main group were well below us.
Attempts to signal the DM about the situation were initially met with a blank stare turning into a slow realization of what had happened.

End result was that the communication failure between 2 DMs could have resulted in sending a fair sized group of divers for a chamber ride.

There were a couple of extremely red-faced DMs when we got back onto the boat.

Since both dives were multi-level it wouldn't have been easy to calculate the situation accurately just with tables - but those of us with computers (various brands) knew that the limits had been well exceeded.

 

[tarponchik]

The majority of recreational divers do not need computers because they simply dive with a crowd. The most common routine is a deeper boat dive until folks use their air to 500 psi, then one hour break, then a second, not so deep dive. Then they go ashore, have their lunch, take a nap, then (maybe) dive a 3d time at 3 pm or at night. Getting bends on a scedule like this? No way. All they need is not to stay too long in the deep and then ascend slowly, with a safety stop when required. Diving along coral walls is particularly safe. Folks go one way at 65-80 ft to 1,500 psi, then they return in 35-50 ft. They probably already decompress on their way back in shallower waters. And there is always some guy in the crowd who's computer goes crasy and starts beeping 10 min into the dive telling him to go back to the boat, and he does not know how to turn the noisy bugger off, because the comp was a XMas (or a birthday) gift from his lovely wife/girlfriend and he only started reading the Manual on the boat. Oh, these great moments of thruth, the little triumphs of modern technology...Remember the story of a German who drove his car into a river because his GPS told him so?

 

[diverdown78]

i dive with an old aladin pro and i have scubapro spg and depth in a consol...i use both

 

[AquaPixie]

Pretty much all resort recreational dives are worked out for no decompression. ... so what is the benefit for no deco diving?

EVERY dive IS a DECO dive that is WHY you do a STOP @ 15 ft for 3 minutes ...

SO YES YOU SHOULD USE A COMPUTER!

 

[scubadada]

Do yourself a favor, get a dive computer. This is especially useful for multiple dives, nitrox....

My son and I just returned from a dive trip to Turks & Caicos. In six days we did 13 wall dives off West Caicos as well as an additional day dive and night dive in Grace Bay. Our wall dives ranged in duration between 59 and 70 minutes using 32% nitrox at average depths between 52 and 63 feet and we effectively used all our available air. Try that with tables.

Good diving, Craig