Petrel or Galileo SOL

[dvankirk]

Even though I only have one dive on my Petrel (today in the quarry), it offers everything that I need with none of the crap that I don't (air integration and heart monitor?). To each there own, but the display on the Petrel is awesome, it is simple to set up, easy to operate during a dive, and gives me all if the information and functionality I need for any of the types of diving that I want to do.

 

[kelemvor]

I just replaced a galileo (luna, not sol) with a petrel last month. I made the expensive switch for a few reasons, but the biggest factor is this:

The display on Galileo just is not bright enough for low light. On night dives I have to shine my dive light at it to really read it. The backlight on the Galileo is not very good.

I'm taking up cave diving, and having to use two hands to read my computer is task loading that I don't want, and don't have to live with thanks to Petrel.



Having made the switch, I can say there are a few things that I prefer about galileo over the petrel. Obviously they weren't enough to keep me from switching, but here they are.

-- Petrel has no air integration. I understand that the majority of petrel owners are tech divers and don't want air integration. I consider that feature useful for dive log analysis. Galileo has it, Petrel does not.

--Galileo supports audible alarms, Petrel does not. This is another feature that it seems most tech divers don't want. I think it's a boon. More information available to me during a dive the better. The alarms can be disabled, so if you have a computer with alarms and don't like alarms you can turn the alarms off.

--Galileo supports more gasses than Petrel. Probably not a big deal, since petrel supports more gasses than I will be using for quite some time.

--Log downloads are easier on Galileo than they are on petrel. It's only a very minor annoyance. Since petrel uses Bluetooth and the radio consumes battery, you have to initiate communication via petrel menus each time you want to use it. Galileo uses IRDA, and the IRDA is always active when the computer is on. Before I bought the petrel, I thought the Bluetooth would be better than the IRDA. I was wrong.

--Galileo is fully configurable over the data connection. Alert levels, gas mixes, salinity, you name it. Anything that can be configured on the Galileo can be configured with a PC or mac over the data connection. You can also do the configuration on the computer its-self. Petrel only allows the configuration to be done on the computer.

--I haven't been able to get petrel to download directly into Subsurface (a third party dive logging program). I have to download into Shearwater desktop and then export and import into subsurface. Subsurface dev team claims to be working with Shearwater to resolve the problem, so hopefully this is only a temporary annoyance.



*to be fair, things I like about petrel over Galileo*

--Display on petrel is far superior. WAY easier to read.

--Most configurable things can be changed during a dive on petrel. Galileo will not let you change settings during a dive - you have to surface to modify things. I've only been on one dive where I actually wanted to do this, but it has happened.

--The petrel can accept standard batteries. This is a biggie. Galileo takes only special batteries that you've got to pay a scubapro a premium price for. Petrel can accept expensive long life batteries, but it can also take regular AA rechargeable or disposables. The expensive long life petrel battery is less than half of what the Galileo battery costs.

--Petrel is cheaper than Galileo. Even the Luna costs more than Petrel. Sol costs more than Luna.

So... yea I put a lot of weight into the readability of the display. If you haven't seen a petrel in person, you should have a look before you make the decision.

 

[Omisson]

Petrel. Hands down.


Dan-O

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

 

[rddvet]

I would look at the buoyancy characteristics of both. It really seems the galileos may be a little bottom heavy. I see everyone diving a Petrel is in trim and look great. Most of the people I see with the Galileo's are really fighting to keep their feet from dragging on the reef or silting up the bottom. I don't know what the common denominator is, but I guess it's got to be a buoyancy thing.

PS If you don't buy the Petrel now, you'll buy one eventually.

 

[JahJahwarrior]

--Galileo supports audible alarms, Petrel does not.

--Galileo supports more gasses than Petrel. Probably not a big deal, since petrel supports more gasses than I will be using for quite some time.

--Log downloads are easier on Galileo than they are on petrel. It's only a very minor annoyance. Since petrel uses Bluetooth and the radio consumes battery, you have to initiate communication via petrel menus each time you want to use it. Galileo uses IRDA, and the IRDA is always active when the computer is on. Before I bought the petrel, I thought the Bluetooth would be better than the IRDA. I was wrong.

--Galileo is fully configurable over the data connection.


--Most configurable things can be changed during a dive on petrel. Galileo will not let you change settings during a dive - you have to surface to modify things. I've only been on one dive where I actually wanted to do this, but it has happened.

--The petrel can accept standard batteries. This is a biggie. Galileo takes only special batteries that you've got to pay a scubapro a premium price for. Petrel can accept expensive long life batteries, but it can also take regular AA rechargeable or disposables. The expensive long life petrel battery is less than half of what the Galileo battery costs.

--Petrel is cheaper than Galileo. Even the Luna costs more than Petrel. Sol costs more than Luna.

So... yea I put a lot of weight into the readability of the display. If you haven't seen a petrel in person, you should have a look before you make the decision.

Petrel thankfully doesn't have audible alarms but it does do something nifty with color changing background to help you see what it wants you to see.

To me, bluetooth that takes 3 button pushes to activate is way easier than finding a little IR dongle and plugging it in.

It is really nice to be able to change settings and gas mixes underwater, even if you should catch all that during predive checks...

Battery deal is HUGE. AA you can get almost anywhere. I've never heard of the battery used in the Sol...

Shearwater has some of the best customer service in the industry. Scubapro has a history of changing customer service repair and return rules, and they might want you to go through a dealer.

I see three tiny buttons on top of the Sol, 50% more to remember the function of than the Petrel. Does the Sol display the button function on the screen during use? It's nice to not have to remember exactly what the button does because it's always labeled, and there's only two of them...

Sol has air integration, a compass, and a heart rate monitor, and it's probably a nice computer.

The Petrel is better in some ways, lacks some bells and whistles that aren't necessary, is made by a company with industry leading customer service, and is cheaper!

Try to see them both in person. Don't read the manual. Try to set up a gas and change some settings, and do it all in the sunlight.

 

[kelemvor]

I see three tiny buttons on top of the Sol, 50% more to remember the function of than the Petrel. Does the Sol display the button function on the screen during use? It's nice to not have to remember exactly what the button does because it's always labeled, and there's only two of them...

The buttons aren't really that small. They're easy to use even with gloves. They look smallish in part because the Galileo is a fair bit larger overall than petrel. The display does indicate what each button does on the screen, this way you don't have to remember anything about the buttons unless you want. Personally I like the Galileo buttons slightly better since I sometimes have to tap the petrel button more than once to get it to register. I'm assuming that once I get used to the petrel it will no longer be an issue. That's why I didn't list the buttons as a pro on the galileo.

 

[Ken T]

I'm a petrel owner.

I find it wonderful to read and use during the dive.

I'm not sure if you mostly dive in Canada or mostly warm water vacations.
It excels in low vis cold water diving.

Just starting my Tec 40 course, the petrel will grow with you all the way to trimix.

The customer service is outstanding!

 

[Drin]

I owned a Galileo Sol with three transmitters for my various tanks and regs. I dove it for a year, then tried the Petrel. Sold the Luna a week later, bought a Petrel and never looked back.

-Adrian

 

[dvankirk]

I would look at the buoyancy characteristics of both. It really seems the galileos may be a little bottom heavy. I see everyone diving a Petrel is in trim and look great. Most of the people I see with the Galileo's are really fighting to keep their feet from dragging on the reef or silting up the bottom. I don't know what the common denominator is, but I guess it's got to be a buoyancy thing.

PS If you don't buy the Petrel now, you'll buy one eventually.

I'm fairly confident that it isn't because of the buoyancy characteristics of the computer.

 

[ajduplessis]

I cant makeup my mind if I should buy a new 458 Italia or old VW Beatle?