Hose or wrist mounted computer?
- Thread starter LoCz
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
The cobra is an all inclusive unit that includes a pressure guage and depth guage. So No, you don't have to buy anything else.
Mario
Mario
Your choice. I do both, according to the need. What I actually prefer is the little screw-on hose mount so you can change your computer from reg to reg without messing with any console gages, etc. Wrist mounts are convenient when depth is super-critical, (such as lengthy deco), but it also gives errors often if you move your arm upward too quickly! (Mine has shown me D.O.A. more than once because of this.) What I hate is that little funeral march they play!
Norm
Norm
Scuba Sal
Guest
Just thought I'd mention a couple of things that might be worth thinking about.
My Bf has the Suunto Cobra which he wanted for quite a while before getting it, it seemed the perfect choice. However, once he started to use it he discovered a couple of things that made it some what less than practical.
1. When he started training for further qualifications and tried to do an Assisted Buoyant Lift he discovered how difficault it was to hold the rescuee and monitor the depth at the same time. The Cobra (and I assume other console integrated computers) needed him to hold it up so that he could read it leaving only I free hand to hold on to the rescuee and control the direct feed on that person's BC, not very practical.
2. Being the over cautious type and pretty much scared stiff of his Cobra malfunctioning, he continued to carry the normal air guage on his reg. Causing what I like to call MHS, Multiple Hose Saturation, there was just too damn many! He looked like a blooming octupus!
3. Another consideration as to air integrated is this, if you are diving with a buddy who does not also have an air integrated computer, you will most likely end up diving depending on their calculations. They are monitoring their air (supposedly!) and will most likely make overly "safe" decisions when compared to the computer. However they MUST follow their calculations and NEVER rely on somebody elses air integrated computer.
Just thought these things should be taken into consideration.
Personally I dive with a Suunto Stinger Wrist mounted computer and have NEVER had a problem. My Bf (the lucky sod) won a Stinger at the Dive Show in Birmingham, England this year and plans on using that from now on.
It's not a "bind" to check your air regularly and really you should get into the habit of doing it rather than relying on your computer. Most marshalled dives insist on the diver returning with at least 50 bar in their cylinder, so the amount of time calculated by your air integrated computer can be beside the point anyway.
Regards
Sally
Live and Let Dive
My Bf has the Suunto Cobra which he wanted for quite a while before getting it, it seemed the perfect choice. However, once he started to use it he discovered a couple of things that made it some what less than practical.
1. When he started training for further qualifications and tried to do an Assisted Buoyant Lift he discovered how difficault it was to hold the rescuee and monitor the depth at the same time. The Cobra (and I assume other console integrated computers) needed him to hold it up so that he could read it leaving only I free hand to hold on to the rescuee and control the direct feed on that person's BC, not very practical.
2. Being the over cautious type and pretty much scared stiff of his Cobra malfunctioning, he continued to carry the normal air guage on his reg. Causing what I like to call MHS, Multiple Hose Saturation, there was just too damn many! He looked like a blooming octupus!
3. Another consideration as to air integrated is this, if you are diving with a buddy who does not also have an air integrated computer, you will most likely end up diving depending on their calculations. They are monitoring their air (supposedly!) and will most likely make overly "safe" decisions when compared to the computer. However they MUST follow their calculations and NEVER rely on somebody elses air integrated computer.
Just thought these things should be taken into consideration.
Personally I dive with a Suunto Stinger Wrist mounted computer and have NEVER had a problem. My Bf (the lucky sod) won a Stinger at the Dive Show in Birmingham, England this year and plans on using that from now on.
It's not a "bind" to check your air regularly and really you should get into the habit of doing it rather than relying on your computer. Most marshalled dives insist on the diver returning with at least 50 bar in their cylinder, so the amount of time calculated by your air integrated computer can be beside the point anyway.
Regards
Sally
Live and Let Dive
Warhammer
Guest
I can see your point about trying to assist/rescue another diver, while at the same time controlling your own self, and monitoring the computer at the same time. That persents problems, as we only have 2 hands. But how times in a non-training type atmosphere are you going to actually do this?
The other point I don't quite follow. The Cobra displays your air pressure at all times, so how is it any harder to keep track of your air with it than with an analog SPG? Just because the Cobra also displays and calculates your "air time remaining" doesn't mean you should blindly follow that calculation. Anyone who blindly follows this, IMHO, is asking for problems. It's only a calculation based on your current SAC and depth, that can change rather quickly. The Cobra also beeps at you, by default, when you reach 750PSI, I'd think you need to start your assent then depending on the dive, of course. Your "air time remaining" is 0 when you reach 500PSI, and I always try and surface with at least that much air. The Cobra doesn't allow you to set the turn pressure and while that would be a nice feature, not having it also promotes good air checking habits instead of relying on beeps.
The other point I don't quite follow. The Cobra displays your air pressure at all times, so how is it any harder to keep track of your air with it than with an analog SPG? Just because the Cobra also displays and calculates your "air time remaining" doesn't mean you should blindly follow that calculation. Anyone who blindly follows this, IMHO, is asking for problems. It's only a calculation based on your current SAC and depth, that can change rather quickly. The Cobra also beeps at you, by default, when you reach 750PSI, I'd think you need to start your assent then depending on the dive, of course. Your "air time remaining" is 0 when you reach 500PSI, and I always try and surface with at least that much air. The Cobra doesn't allow you to set the turn pressure and while that would be a nice feature, not having it also promotes good air checking habits instead of relying on beeps.
A ha hmm...mm..er. Thx scubasal and warhammer for thsoe pearls of wisdom. What do i do, i know ill get both heh.
Any thoughts on redundancy when using the cobra? Shouldnt i have some other instruments too? I cant imagine feeling safe without an extra pressure gauge and/or depth gauge.
Any thoughts on redundancy when using the cobra? Shouldnt i have some other instruments too? I cant imagine feeling safe without an extra pressure gauge and/or depth gauge.
Warhammer
Guest
You should get a regulator that has at least 2 HP ports, if you want redundancy. You can buy little SPGs that screw into an HP port, that will allow you to cross check the pressure while on the surface, but would offer little in regards to redundancy while at depth since you can't see it behind your head.
If you want true redundancy, then you'll have to buy a set of analog gauges and attach them as well. But that'll mean another hose. Assuming your not doing deco or cave dives, it isn't really necessary to have a backup.
You can always just end the dive and head for the surface if the computer craps out on you. But if you want a backup, then I'd say go with a hoseless computer instead of the Cobra.
That way you could have your analog gauges on a hose and then have the computer on your wrist and not have so many hoses. Also consider that if you ever get into drysuit diving, that adds another hose. So that's, count 'em, 5 hoses; Primary 2nd stage, Octo (can be eliminated with intergrated octo), Cobra coputer, Analog Gauges, Drysuit.
But if you don't mind all the hoses, then go either way.
If you want true redundancy, then you'll have to buy a set of analog gauges and attach them as well. But that'll mean another hose. Assuming your not doing deco or cave dives, it isn't really necessary to have a backup.
You can always just end the dive and head for the surface if the computer craps out on you. But if you want a backup, then I'd say go with a hoseless computer instead of the Cobra.
That way you could have your analog gauges on a hose and then have the computer on your wrist and not have so many hoses. Also consider that if you ever get into drysuit diving, that adds another hose. So that's, count 'em, 5 hoses; Primary 2nd stage, Octo (can be eliminated with intergrated octo), Cobra coputer, Analog Gauges, Drysuit.
But if you don't mind all the hoses, then go either way.
Aaaaa i see i never thought about the wtsuit hose : /
I live in the UK warhammer so ill be doing ALOT of dry suit diving over the next year or so. The only thing that will solve my dilemma is a remote air intergrated wrist mounted (phew) computer, but i doubt i will have enough money for one of those.
Thanks Warhammer
I live in the UK warhammer so ill be doing ALOT of dry suit diving over the next year or so. The only thing that will solve my dilemma is a remote air intergrated wrist mounted (phew) computer, but i doubt i will have enough money for one of those.
Thanks Warhammer
A dive Professional has to lead by example. You should strive yourself on being able to teach well, and the high level of dive theory that comes with it, but you should also be well versed in different gear configurations so that you can answer any questions that your students have. At the very least, be able to point a two peices of gear in a display case or magazine and explain the difference in the two. Your students will be looking upto you in many ways. Equipment selection is one of them.
Dive shops like working with instructors whom are experienced, knowledgable, friendly and whom promote gear sales. That's where the shop's make money. Return business and profit off of the sale of gear. You will need to be well rounded to find and secure a good job.
To become a good instructor you put in a lot of hard work. In return, professional divers are awarded gear at cost. This is how you aquire alot of gear without having to visit a bloodbank on a daily basis.
Dive shops like working with instructors whom are experienced, knowledgable, friendly and whom promote gear sales. That's where the shop's make money. Return business and profit off of the sale of gear. You will need to be well rounded to find and secure a good job.
To become a good instructor you put in a lot of hard work. In return, professional divers are awarded gear at cost. This is how you aquire alot of gear without having to visit a bloodbank on a daily basis.
well you see I dive with a wrist mount (Aeris 750gt) and if I were to buy another it would be a hose mount (Aeris 500ai) having a wrist mount realy isn't a problem. I dive with an SPG backup just in case i lose my signal. so i still have the hose and something on my wrist. kind of defeats the purpose huh. my advise is a hose mounted air intergrated.
Similar threads
