I’ve been using Shearwater products for several years now. The first one that I purchased was a Predator that came with my ISC Pathfinder rebreather. The only aspect of the Predator that I don’t like is the fact that it requires a Saft battery. In all of the years that I’ve had it, I’ve experienced only one problem and that was of my own making: I accidentally uploaded an incorrect firmware update into the unit which rendered it inoperable. I sent an email to the Shearwater support staff and received an immediate reply which included a software patch that I loaded into the Predator and it has worked flawlessly ever since.
A few years later I purchased one of the first generation Petrel units which served as my primary computer for open circuit diving and as a redundant computer for closed circuit. It performed flawlessly and I gave it to my son when I purchased my first Perdix, the major improvement of which is its ability to use any AA size battery.
Last November I took a leap of faith and decided to try a transmitter-based air integrated system and purchased my Perdix AI. I’ve since made over 50 open circuit dives using the AI as my primary, and it, like all of my other Shearwater units, has proven to operate flawlessly. For the first dozen dives I left my SPG connected to my regulator as I was skeptical, (due to past experience), about the reliability of the transmitter/computer connection. I’ve since removed that SPG and it’s been sitting in my save-a-dive bag gathering dust, random smears of O-ring grease, and pretzel crumbs. On all of these dives I’ve used my older Perdix as a redundant computer and the pair have been remarkably consistent in all readings.
Should Shearwater continue to design, build, and support units in the manner that they have in the past, I cannot imagine wanting or needing an alternative to their products.
A few years later I purchased one of the first generation Petrel units which served as my primary computer for open circuit diving and as a redundant computer for closed circuit. It performed flawlessly and I gave it to my son when I purchased my first Perdix, the major improvement of which is its ability to use any AA size battery.
Last November I took a leap of faith and decided to try a transmitter-based air integrated system and purchased my Perdix AI. I’ve since made over 50 open circuit dives using the AI as my primary, and it, like all of my other Shearwater units, has proven to operate flawlessly. For the first dozen dives I left my SPG connected to my regulator as I was skeptical, (due to past experience), about the reliability of the transmitter/computer connection. I’ve since removed that SPG and it’s been sitting in my save-a-dive bag gathering dust, random smears of O-ring grease, and pretzel crumbs. On all of these dives I’ve used my older Perdix as a redundant computer and the pair have been remarkably consistent in all readings.
Should Shearwater continue to design, build, and support units in the manner that they have in the past, I cannot imagine wanting or needing an alternative to their products.
