Dive Computer?

[Wrecker]

i personally think it greatly depends on what kings of diving you are going to be doing if you are going to stay to relatively simple rec. diving then no need for a comp. if you are going to get into nitrox/ multilevel (aka more complicated but still rec diving) this is where the question lye’s (i say go with a comp) if you planning on going in to any tec. diving then a computer is mandatory. i personally suggest the Uwatec Aladin Pro Ultra check out the site form more info on this comp. its a nice comp with a fair tag on it also will do nitrox if you ever want to get into that.

 

[Braunbehrens]

No computer necessary.

One more vote for not using a computer at all. You don't need it. The one between your ears is much more powerful.

If you decide to ignore this advice, beware of the small Suunto computers (stinger, mosquito, D3 etc.) They have a tendency to indicate the wrong depth. The large Suunto's are nice, and most can be put into gauge mode if you decide not to use a computer after all.

 

[cornfed]

Braunbehrens once bubbled...
If you decide to ignore this advice, beware of the small Suunto computers (stinger, mosquito, D3 etc.) They have a tendency to indicate the wrong depth.

I'm also pretty sure they lack a planning or simulation mode. There was a thread a while back discussing "computer dumb" vs "computer smart". Without a planning mode you will just be jumping in the water and coming up when your computer tells you (ie computer dumb).

Cornfed

 

[WVMike]

There is very good advice in the above replies. I had about thirty dives before I got a computer, and am glad I waited. I really like diving with it, but I still use the tables to record every dive in log, as explained in other replies.

When the computer "busts" the tables I make a note in log that I was in limits per computer. Yesterday I did a dive to max 58 feet for one hour, this is off of PADI charts, but computer would have allowed me more bottom time, most of dive was at 25 to 30 feet and only 5 to 10 minutes at 50 plus.

I have vision problems and use a small magnifying glass in mask. With that I still have problems reading a digital watch. So I use an analog watch with bezel and was always forgetting to set it or read it right after dive. So I like the computers large display and automatic bottom timer.

I have a Sherwood Profile. It logs bottom time, deepest depth, lowest temp, start time in the water, and surface interval, and stores this info on last 50 dives. No computer interface or Nitrox. About 300 bucks at LDS.

 

[washow88]

And another one.
Spend the money on diving.

 

[GottaDive!]

I have now logged a few dives on a Genesis Resource that I recently purchased. Very easy to use with uncomplicated screens. Has a pre-dive plan mode which is helpful. Stores the past twelve dives in memory. A very simple, basic computer that you don't have to read the manual for a week to use. LP has them on sale now for $199.