No depth gauge just computer?

[LostTrail61]

I too am getting back into diving after a hiatus. Wish I had never sold my Cochran Commander and they had not closed in 2019.
I've had Suunto and they are very good products, my only issue is with their service and warranty departments.

Currently looking at Sherwood Wisdom 4, Shearwater Peregrine, Teric w/AI, Perdix, Aqualung i770, i470.

I always have an analog 3-gauge console available for backup just in case the silicon based life-form takes a dive. Pun intended.

In my drawer I still have a Citizen Aqualand Duplex Titanium dive watch. Loved it, but over the years the battery life deteriorates. Fist battery lasted just over 4 years and I was diving almost every weekend. Each successive battery change last a little bit less until about 5 years ago the last one only made it about a year and I only dived 2 weekends that year. At $150+ each battery change, I opted to retire it.

 

[Centrals]

I dive with two simple computers so depth gauge is never required. And I do not have one for very very long time.

 

[SlyStrat]

I dove for almost 20 years without a computer.
Used the Navy dive chart, depth gauge and watch.
And my first "BCD" was a horse collar.

 

[Blackcrusader]

del

 

[LiteWeight]

The only time I tell people they don’t really need a computer are for some shore dives off of our coast where we do and out and back on a graduating slope and the depth reaches 15 meters or less. Those dives are timed and based on gas supply rather than bottom time.
Usually they are new divers still getting their gear together on a budget and may not have the extra money for the computer they want. For instance, I have a friend who got certified a while back and is still assembling gear. He bought a nice Scubapro MK 25/ G 250 w/ R195 octo and a full manual console with SPG/analog depth ga./ compass, in great shape for $300. He wants to do some shore diving but doesn’t have a computer yet, so I told him he could easily do that with what he has plus the addition of a timing device like one of my wind up bottom timers or a cheap watch. He would have to learn the tables though because SSI didn’t get into that.
If he was buying it all new my advice would have been to just get a SPG and get a simple wrist computer because by the time he buys all the analog stuff new to use with tables it would have been about the same price as a simple wrist computer.
So in this instance just using what he has with tables makes sense until he saves the money to get the computer he wants.

Sir, please. Don't advise anyone this. It's all fine until there is an incident and all the lawyers want the dive computer. I have lived through this, I would not advise it to anyone.

The first thing that happens in an incident investigation (and I have been involved in several) is where is the dive computer?

 

[Blackcrusader]

Sir, please. Don't advise anyone this. It's all fine until there is an incident and all the lawyers want the dive computer. I have lived through this, I would not advise it to anyone.
The first thing that happens in an incident investigation (and I have been involved in several) is where is the dive computer?

In the 1980's all we had was our dive watches and tables and SPG for deco dives. Is there any legal requirement to have a DC as many OW and AOW vacation divers often do not own one.

 

[LiteWeight]

In the 1980's all we had was our dive watches and tables and SPG for deco dives. Is there any legal requirement to have a DC as many OW and AOW vacation divers often do not own one.

Yes sir. I'm an engineer and when we started we had slide rules and whiz wheels. The kids now coming out of school would not know what to do without Excel and smartphones. It's called evolution.

 

[rx7diver]

Sir, please. Don't advise anyone this. It's all fine until there is an incident and all the lawyers want the dive computer. I have lived through this, I would not advise it to anyone. The first thing that happens in an incident investigation (and I have been involved in several) is where is the dive computer?

Well, in my case, there won't be a PDC. (PDC? PDC??!! We don't need no stinkin' PDC!!)

rx7diver

 

[Jcp2]

Yes sir. I'm an engineer and when we started we had slide rules and whiz wheels. The kids now coming out of school would not know what to do without Excel and smartphones. It's called evolution.

Going by that logic, I shouldn’t be able to drive a car without airbags, anti lock brakes, lane assist, back up camera, and emergency pedestrian braking.

 

[LiteWeight]

Going by that logic, I shouldn’t be able to drive a car without airbags, anti lock brakes, lane assist, back up camera, and emergency pedestrian braking.

Well try to buy one now without that.

I'm with you, I love my grandmother's old tank of an Oldsmobile. It killed more deer than my 30-30 Winchester. But things evolve sir.