Sub Gear XP-3H

[t-mac]

I currently dive an Oceanic OC1 and use a BUD as a backup. I also carry a mini-spg for redundancy to the AI. The BUD seems to be giving it up and I'm going to need a new backup. I'm fine with just replacing it for $200 and I like that because I know it runs the same algorithms as my primary. In poking around, I found this AI computer on LP for $350 and it's cheap enough I'm considering getting this as a backup and chucking both the BUD and the spg. It's a minor elimination of a bit of gear, but somehow seems attractive enough to spend the extra $150 (probably irrational).

I'm a little apprehensive about this unit because I'm not finding a lot of info out there on this and in fact, it looks like Sub Gear itself is gone too. I think I recall they were a unit of Scubapro and searches lead there, but it's hard to find anything. Even searching for an owners manual doesn't pop up on a manufacturers site. A few questions for the group:

1. What's up with Sub Gear and should that be cause for concern?
2. Any thoughts on this particular unit?
3. The Oceanic runs DSAT and ZHL-16C, whereas the Sub Gear runs ZH-L8. Any thoughts on whether I would have trouble matching these up to get reasonably consistent NDLs?

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[shurite7]

Sub Gear was an alternative to less expensive gear than ScubaPro labelled brands, yet it was owned by ScubaPro/Johnson Outdoors. The equipment sold under the name Sub Gear allowed dive shops to price accordingly with out the restrictions of MAP. In the not to distance past the name Sub Gear was incorporated into ScubaPro. Much of the gear was converted over to ScubaPro, but not all of it. Mainly the stuff that sold well.

The NDLs should be similar since it is the ZHL Buhlman model. With that being stated I haven't been able to compare the 16C to the 8L on the same dive.

 

[Froggle]

It's the same computer as the Scubapro Aladin Tec 3H. I recently acquired a SubGear Xp10 as a backup computer and it works with the Scubapro software as it's exactly the same as the Aladin One (which is what the software recognises it as).
My main computer is an Aqualung i300 which uses PZ+ like the Oceanic and the SubGear is marginally more conservative on NDL's when diving clean (a difference of 3 minutes NDL at 16 metres on my first dive this weekend) but seems to get more in line on repetitive dives. I haven't compared deco obligations between the two as I generally stay within NDL.

 

[bmbeaty]

I have the XP-10- it was my first dive computer- it's my backup now. As others have mentioned, Subgear is basically ScubaPro's "entry" line. Last years model stuff with limited warranties for a significantly lower price.

 

[BoltSnap]

SubGear was a Scubapro company that was folded back into the Scubapro brand name and no longer exists (was a Scubapro under a different label). There is a newer version of the unit but will be much higher price. Nothing wrong with this product AFAIK. It doesn't calculate your air time remaining as some other AI computers do, it merely shows your the gas pressure in your tank in digital format.

 

[t-mac]

Thanks for all the input. Fortunately, someone saved me some money and bought the last one from LP! It had been there for weeks, but now gone. Probably someone who read this! Thanks, whoever you are (and my wife thanks you)! I was leaning towards the replacement BUD anyway -- mostly because of certainty around matching the algorithm.