New computer with vibrating alarms recommendations

I am one of the divers who has high pitch hearing loss and can't hear alarms under water. I used a Shearwater Teric a couple years and really liked the vibrating alarms. After giving it some thought I have decided to get a computer with vibrating alarms and keep my other computers for backup.

A little about me so people can understand my needs. I have been diving for about 10 years, strictly as a recreational diver. I have a rescue diver certification and use nitrox when possible. I have around 300 dives in warm water. I would like to do some colder water diving in the northwest US and British Columbia, not sure if that would have an impact on the computer I decide to buy or not.

I'd also like to add air integration with the new computer. I intend to keep carrying my analog pressure gauge so the AI would be redundant.

There doesn't seem to be many computers right now that have the vibrating alarms. I'm sure the feature will become much more common in the near future.

Right now it seems my choices are the Shearwater Peregrine or Teric, the Atmos Mission one, or the Suunto D5.

Any input and opinions about the pluses and minuses would be appreciated.

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

This thread quickly prompted a discussion of the value of computer alarms in general, which can be found here: Dive Computer Alarms: should we even have them? This thread will hopefully limit itself to the equipment side of the discussion.

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Peregrine doesn’t have AI.

 

In your shoes w vibrating alarms being viewed as a necessity, I’d get a Peregrine. If you need AI however, why not keep your Teric?

 

The D6 Excursion has a vibrating alarm but no AI.
Deep 6 Excursion Dive Computer

 

I don't have a Teric, Shearwater brought a few to the Curacao invasion for people to try.

Very nice computer, but quite expensive and maybe overkill for what I need.

 

Ratio computers have vibrating alarms that work very well (with AI also):

RATIO® Worldwide distributors.

 

Scuba Tech Diving Freedom Computers - divesoft.com
but no AI

 

If you like alarms there is nothing wrong with that just like how some like Apeks some like SP its personal preference who cares. Vibrating alarms is kind of a new thing to the dive computer world (which I hope catches on for those that like alarms because personally I hate audible alarms, nothing worse then 2-3 Sunnto's beeping away while your underwater) and I think what you have listed are really your only options with the exception of the Ratio and also yes I don't think the Peregrine is AI compatible.

Of the options for computers I would say if you like the Teric and you have used if for many years why not just use that. You are familiar with it, you like it, it has all the features you need, and yes it can be used in cold water. Yes it is expensive but you get what you pay for.

Not to try and push you away from vibration alarms and AI like I said if you like that and you know that is what you want great that's your personal preference but if its just something that is a "nice to have" or it seems "cool" you are really limiting your self to very expensive computers and only a handful of them the other option is to maybe try diving with out the vibration alarms just to see if you can use just visual display alarms. I am willing to bet if you dive 25-50 or so dives you will become a lot more confident with out the vibrating alarm. There is nothing wrong with alarms like Tursiops has mentioned some alarms are nice to have like low battery, high CNS, for those of use on CCR I like to have a 30min stack time warring just because its a nice reminder but you will see that you don't actually need a beep or vibration to notice these things. It kind of becomes second nature to watch your computer even if your doing photography, video, teaching etc you will start to just naturally check you computer all the time. It is just like driving think about when you first started how your checking the dash, speedometer, etc and always thinking about it. But now I'm sure you don't even realize it when you check you speed however you do it all the time and if there is a waring light on your dash you would notice it even though your not actually looking for it but its just because you are subconsciously checking the dash all the time. And you managed to do all this with out vibrating alarms.

 

I thought audible and vibrating alarms were for blind folk?

 

Ah, I see where some people come up with this stuff about having become reliant on vibrations, alarms, etc.

I left out a critical description in my original post. I should have said I used a Teric on a couple dives a few years ago. Shearwater loaned a few computers to an Invasion so I gave them a try for 2 morning dives.

On those dives I also took my own dive computers, which are a Suunto Zoop and a Vyper. Redundancy. Neither have vibration alarms or AI.

Happily I'm here to tell everybody I've never run out of air/nitrox. I watch my computer and don't go into deco.

TBH the Teric vibrated when I was starting my safety stop. I assure everybody who is concerned I was very aware I was at 20' depth and beginning a safety stop. I just thought it was a cool and potentially useful feature. I want it on my dive computer.

I would suggest there is a reason that all dive computers (to my knowledge) have alarm capability built into them. I see no down side to enabling whichever alarms each individual deems most important/useful. There very well could be a down side to disabling all alarms.