Wrist vs watch style

[Eric Sedletzky]

I would say go with the wrist watch style computer...and maybe wear it as a watch, also...and....You would absolutely NOT want a computer in a console. ..you dont want a console , ever....lots of drag, and too easy to snag on the bottom or get caught on too many things.....many new divers drag them along the bottom in sand , coral or muck....much like a plow pulled by a tractor.

I second this opinion.
I even started a thread a while back about how unsecured consoles hang down and beat the crap out of the bottom and destroy things.
The hose is too long on consoles so they can be pulled up in front of the diver to use the compass and read the gauges. Many times divers get lazy and keep them unclipped because it's a pain to have to clip and unclip them constantly to read information. Some people put them on retractors but retractors don't always do a very good job of keeping them in place plus retractors take up several inches of room on top of the bulk of the console.
Most divers that figured out how to streamline their gear will gravitate towards a simple pressure gauge on their left hip d-ring which can be glanced at, and put a computer/timer on their wrist along with a compass on their wrist. All instruments are tidy and available at a glance without anything hanging down or dragging.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I second this opinion.
I even started a thread a while back about how unsecured consoles hang down and beat the crap out of the bottom and destroy things.
The hose is too long on consoles so they can be pulled up in front of the diver to use the compass and read the gauges. Many times divers get lazy and keep them unclipped because it's a pain to have to clip and unclip them constantly to read information. Some people put them on retractors but retractors don't always do a very good job of keeping them in place plus retractors take up several inches of room on top of the bulk of the console.
Most divers that figured out how to streamline their gear will gravitate towards a simple pressure gauge on their left hip d-ring which can be glanced at, and put a computer/timer on their wrist along with a compass on their wrist. All instruments are tidy and available at a glance without anything hanging down or dragging.

I think you console-haters would achieve better results for all if you were to try to educate console users to choose a more compact console and/or to properly configure and use a retractor than trying to convert them to a wrist computer plus SPG clipped off to a D-ring.

I agree with you guys in principle--I am just such a convert as are many others here on SB--but out in the big world I think the average diver is more resistant. If they tend to "get lazy" in clipping and unclipping a console, would they be any less lazy with the SPG? Many people like consoles. I think you're fighting an uphill battle.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I think you console-haters would achieve better results for all if you were to try to educate console users to choose a more compact console and/or to properly configure and use a retractor than trying to convert them to a wrist computer plus SPG clipped off to a D-ring.

I agree with you guys in principle--I am just such a convert as are many others here on SB--but out in the big world I think the average diver is more resistant. If they tend to "get lazy" in clipping and unclipping a console, would they be any less lazy with the SPG? Many people like consoles. I think you're fighting an uphill battle.

I'm not on any kind of crusade to rid the world of consoles. If I'm on a boat and see consoles I'm not going to go over and tell them how wrong they are. However if I was underwater in a beautiful coral garden and see someone smashing the crap out of coral with a loose console, oblivious to what they're doing, you're damn right I'll say something.
In this case the guy asked and so I gave my opinion, that's all.

 

[diver 85]

Can get a Veo 180(Oceanic) for about US170 @ some places on the internet.......That's the one I've used now for over 7 years I think---gotten me home safely every time.......

 

[Lorenzoid]

I'm not on any kind of crusade to rid the world of consoles. If I'm on a boat and see consoles I'm not going to go over and tell them how wrong they are. However if I was underwater in a beautiful coral garden and see someone smashing the crap out of coral with a loose console, oblivious to what they're doing, you're damn right I'll say something.
In this case the guy asked and so I gave my opinion, that's all.

Of course.

I just think that instead of trying to persuade the reef-smasher that his use of a console is inherently going to damage the reef, it might be more productive to try to show him how to better stow/use the thing. Even getting him to consider buying a more compact or better designed console might be more successful than getting him to switch from a console altogether. Just my theory.

 

[danvolker]

I think you console-haters would achieve better results for all if you were to try to educate console users to choose a more compact console and/or to properly configure and use a retractor than trying to convert them to a wrist computer plus SPG clipped off to a D-ring.

I agree with you guys in principle--I am just such a convert as are many others here on SB--but out in the big world I think the average diver is more resistant. If they tend to "get lazy" in clipping and unclipping a console, would they be any less lazy with the SPG? Many people like consoles. I think you're fighting an uphill battle.

Well, if they don't re-clip the pressure gauge to the hip d ring, there is a good enough chance they won't find the gauge to see how much gas they have left, unless they get their buddy to find it behind them--that kind of event tends to "reinforce" the clipping behavior

 

[Lorenzoid]

Well, if they don't re-clip the pressure gauge to the hip d ring, there is a good enough chance they won't find the gauge to see how much gas they have left, unless they get their buddy to find it behind them--that kind of event tends to "reinforce" the clipping behavior

I'm sure you're right. But you've got to get the reef-bashers to switch out their consoles for SPGs in the first place. If we're truly just concerned about damage to the reefs and not letting our biases about gear configurations get in the way, then helping the reef-bashers to better use what they've got is probably going to do more for the reefs in the end than campaigning for the end of consoles.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Of course.

I just think that instead of trying to persuade the reef-smasher that his use of a console is inherently going to damage the reef, it might be more productive to try to show him how to better stow/use the thing. Even getting him to consider buying a more compact or better designed console might be more successful than getting him to switch from a console altogether. Just my theory.

Well yeah, that's true.
Part of the thing is consoles are not that well designed to start with for being streamlined. If someone has one on a retractor, the retractor itself is a fairly long contraption measurement wise from one side to the other. Combine this with bulk of the the console when the diver is horizontal it still hangs down pretty far, not as bad as it being unclipped, but never the less it's not a very optimal system. And they have to be handled constantly since that's where all data is placed so this is why a retractor is usually used because constantly clipping and unclipping gets annoying to people, hence the reason so many hang unclipped.
However, if let's say I had to use a console for some reason like a rental on a spur of the moment dive that I didn't plan on doing, I would probably skip clipping the console to anything and just slide it under the waist strap/cumberbun or where ever else I could find to tuck it away. Then just pull it out when needed, or possibly hold it the whole time and keep track of it. Either way it would be a PITA and I wouldn't be enjoying it.
The best bet is when people ask (like the OP) is to try and steer them away from consoles from the get go so they don't waste their money.
IMO consoles are another bad evolution of dive gear stemming from convenience marketing and not much practicallity.

 

[danvolker]

I'm sure you're right. But you've got to get the reef-bashers to switch out their consoles for SPGs in the first place. If we're truly just concerned about damage to the reefs and not letting our biases about gear configurations get in the way, then helping the reef-bashers to better use what they've got is probably going to do more for the reefs in the end than campaigning for the end of consoles.

I think the 2 gauge size consoles are not so bad.....and they can be clipped just like a pressure gauge..but you do need a waist D ring....the best way I have found to demo this whole thing is to get someone to get belly to the bottom, a few inches up, and flat, and then frog kick along...if they have the long hose and big consoles, most are plowing the field behind them...when this gets shown to them, few divers want to keep doing this....And there is also the snagging, which stops them cold...that is a very negative experience, that the small console or clipped pressure gauge fixes pretty well

 

[Centrals]

...... and then frog kick along...

How about half flutter?