What kind of dive computer should I buy?

[GreenDiverDown]

Let me say this first ... as far as brand OCEANIC!!! Read the manufacture's Q&A and you'll see why.

Why?

I mean they are fine and all but I don't know that they deserve three exclamation marks!!!

 

[Halthron]

Let me say this first ... as far as brand OCEANIC!!! Read the manufacture's Q&A and you'll see why.

I don't know that "read the marketing" is the best endorsement.

 

[Tmoto]

Aeris Atmos 2!!!! Scubatoys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Nailer99]

DO NOT waste your money on a Suunto. I own a Cobra and it is fine for diving. But, after you plunk several hundred dollars on the computer they then bend you over the counter for another $100 for the USB cable to download the dives to your PC. One problem - the ridiculous software doesn't work. I've tried to download dives on 5 (yes 5...I'm a software developer) different computers. Good luck getting any sort of support to fix the problems.

Need proof? Do a quick web search for "Suunto dive manager" and read all the other hundreds of people who got screwed by Suunto, can't get this thing to work and can't get their money back.

</rant>

Funny.....Dive manager works OK on my rig, and I'm no genius w/ PCs. It is a clunky piece of software, and should do lots more, and work better than it does, but it has worked for the 30+ dives I have logged on mine.

 

[Sasquatch]

Aeris Atmos 2!!!! Scubatoys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They are SOLD OUT

No word on whether they will re-stock. Maybe Larry will pipe up and let us know...

Sea ya!

 

[cummings66]

You know, for 4 dives a year I don't think you could justify buying any of your gear. With upkeep and all you'll spend more money just checking it all out than you will renting, well you'll spend maybe half.

I'd vote for not buying a computer unless you dive more often. Batteries will need replacing every so often, even if you don't use it they'll drain because they're supporting the memory.

However, I like my Genesis React Pro and it seems more conservative than the oceanic computers some of my buddies dive.

 

[Nailer99]

Yeah.....4 times a year? I wouldn't buy one at all. Just use the tables, or rent one.

 

[smb1014]

Hi everyone,

I google and found some nice &#8220;how to buy a dive computer&#8221; articles. However I still couldn&#8217;t make up my mind. I&#8217;m a new diver (just got certified some weeks ago) who plans to dive 3 to 4 times a year (most likely 2 tropical ocean dives and 2 lake dives in Great Lake). The following are factors that I have to decide:

- Nitrox? Should I buy the one that supports Nitrox? I never dove with Nitrox and don&#8217;t know when will I do it. I&#8217;ve heard that everybody will dive Nitrox in the future. How soon is that that &#8220;future&#8221;? Should I spend extra $200 to get Nitrox compatible dive computer?

- air integrated? I like the idea that a dive computer helps monitor the amount of air left in the tank and alert divers when it&#8217;s time to surface. I&#8217;ve heard that&#8217;s another extra $200 to spend if I want that feature. Is it worthy? Is there any cheaper solution?

- buy online or buy local? Dive computers don&#8217;t need to be inspected every year (please correct me if I&#8217;m wrong). So I prefer to buy it online. Is that a good idea?

If you know any reliable/affordable dive computers, please let me know the brand and model. I don&#8217;t even know where to start. Please share your opinion. Thank you.

Based on what type of certification and type of diving you will be generally doing here are some ideas-
Nitrox capable- YES!!!
Air integrated &#8211; yes
-A model I can recommend from personal experience is either the Oceanic Pro Plus 2 or the Oceanic VT Pro (my current and favorite model, due to hoseless operation. The VT Pro is basically a Pro Plus 2 with hoseless operation). The VT pro is being phased out and the VT3 is the newer model because it can handle 3 hoseless transmitters. The VT3 is a more advanced model which, in my opinion, your not going need at this point in your diving career.
-Check out http://www.oceanicworldwide.com/p_computers_vtpro.html for more info on the VT Pro or http://www.oceanicworldwide.com/p_computers_proplus.html for the Pro Plus 2. You can probably get it a lot cheaper from an authorized dealer like www.scubatoys.com because it is a model that is being replaced by the VT3. Any questions just PM me.
PS &#8211; I have no affiliation with scubatoys.com. I have been a customer of theirs previously and they have provided me with good customer service and competitive prices on factory authorized equipment.