Wrist Computer

[cneal]

I keep my air integrated console clipped to my right shoulder D-ring. I can read it there without taking a hand off of my camera. My routine, developed back in the film days, is to check air everytime I take a photo.

But I still wear a watch and keep a depth guage in the bottom of a BC pocket for backup.

 

[Neilwood]

just being annoyingly different, I like my SPG on my left shoulder/chest d-ring. Never have to un-clip/clip & reads easily. Also, when carrying bottles, I'm not reaching around them to get to my SPG. YMMV.

And I thought I was the only one that clipped the SPG there.
Bob

Once I get round to getting my gear out of the garage, I will probably strip my console of the depth gauge and just fit the bare SPG back at which point it will probably move to the left shoulder. It will be used as a backup anyway as I will be going wireless AI but would like the comfort of having both initially just as a safeguard.

 

[spectre184]

1st 3 years I had 3 gauge console, SPG, PDC and compass. It was on a retractor on left pocket of BCD. I got tired of pulling it up and looking at depth on PDC all the time and then had to unclip it to use compass as retractor wasn't long enough.

I then decided to separate everything. I bought boot for SPG and it's on retractor. I bought wrist boots for compass and PDC. If I dont need compass I dont wear it. I wear my PDC on right wrist so I can look at it when I'm ascending and using the inflator with left hand.

This setup works for me and I'm sticking with it.

 

[Nikole]

I have a question. This is what I've been told and it's also coming from a total rookie so play nice. My understanding is that there are two ways to do the computer 1. From the octopus 2. Wrist They both do the same (all being equal) except wrist can't read tank pressure. Correct or totally off? Which do you like better? I've spent the last 30+yrs working with food so I don't wear jewelry except my wedding ring and very rarely a watch, so something on my wrist is a bit odd. BUT I'm open and would like hear experienced peoples thoughts and recommendations.

Before I got a wrist computer I was reading off the console.

I now have a wrist computer (Mares Smart) now.
I took it on a dive and found that I was checking my watch more often than the console (that came with my rented regulator) , which basically means I was forgetting to check my air.
I'd rather have a watch that reads tank pressure. And if you want your watch to have a compass make sure it says it's "tilt-compensated. " I've only took my watch on 1 dive so far, but I feel like you'll have less tasks to handle, and less to worry about if you just read everything off 1 device either off the watch, or on the console. I don't like consoles because depending on who I'm renting from, it can either be hard to reach, or I have to unclip it in order to read it.

 

[KevinNM]

I now have a wrist computer (Mares Smart) now.
I took it on a dive and found that I was checking my watch more often than the console (that came with my rented regulator) , which basically means I was forgetting to check my air.
I'd rather have a watch that reads tank pressure.

I tend to find that when I'm diving at a site I know well and am confident of I don't check my spg very often, not as often as I should (every 5 minutes). When I'm somewhere new or where it is really important to not screw up I look at the SPG every 5 minutes or less.

But these day the AI computers work pretty well. If you want to spend the money it will be fine. For sanity checking an SPG or at least a mini gauge is useful to verify the pressure when you mount your reg on the dive ops cylinder.

 

[archer1960]

I use a non-AI computer and compass on my left wrist, which are my primary depth gauge and compass, and my console with SPG, backup depth gauge and backup compass. I didn't plan it that way, but the console came with the used reg set that I bought, and I found that I didn't like the compass in the console, so bought a wrist compass.

 

[urbaneve71]

I use the mare puck pro and still have my pressure guage attached -- i was all for AI but after reading some of the fails of it, ill stick to what i have and they are considerably less than that of a full AI system.

 

[GaleForceEight]

One idea to secure a wrist computer (or watch) which is something I've used in the past for my watch while sailing and kayaking....

Take some neoprene (mine is a ring cut from the arm of an old wetsuit which was torn and in the bin) cut a hole in the neoprene the size of your watch face, and sleeve it over the top, but a flat piece could have Velcro bonded/stitched onto it so it will fit various diameters depending on how thick the underlayers you have under your drysuit.

It achieves several things....

Firstly it helps prevent the loss of the watch/computer in the event of strap failure since the strap is retained against the arm so if a pin fails your expensive kit doesn't make an uncontrolled descent to the bottom.

Secondly the way it is sleeved helps prevent the strap from catching on anything in the first place.

Thirdly the strap doesn't need to be so tight since the far broader neoprene band holds the hardware in place with less pressure so it is more comfortable.

It doesn't replace the correct original securing strap but the over layer protects it and helps preserve its integrity, and retains the hardware in case of strap failure.