Wrist vs watch style

[AdivingBel]

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 agree. It's also about situational awareness and a desire to protect the reef (environment). Unfortunately many of the divers I see with octos and consoles splayed to the four winds would be kicking the crap out of the reef if they were swimming naked. Gentle reminders, concerned/helpful intervention and leading by example. That's the ticket. ( I mean it. I know that may read as sarcastic, but if the ultimate goal is to protect the reef...grit your teeth and eye on the prize.)

Oh back to the topic...wrist computer on one wrist, (cheap)watch/bottom timer on the other. IMHO

 

[eelnoraa]

If OP end up decided on wrist mount, take a look at Hollis DG03. For $249, it has more feature than Veo.

 

[danvolker]

How about half flutter?

Half...or modified flutter where you go from 90 degree straight up to 45 degrees down for no silting, and much less width required than needed for frog kick....either is fine, as neither silts when done properly.

 

[Phil_C]

I think this thread is another example of why some people, including so-called experts, get entrenched in their views and forget to look at the wider picture. There is nothing wrong with consoles per se - and I see plenty of perfectly sensible and responsible divers using them, with the console properly and safely stowed away or clipped off, except when they are looking at them. If divers are not stowing or clipping them off and allowing them to drag, that is not because there is anything wrong with the console itself, just the manner in which it is being used.

Many people are absolutely appalling drivers and shouldn't be let loose on the roads, but that doesn't make the Ford or Rolls Royce they are driving a bad car !

So I think it a shame that some people gravitate to bashing others over their choices because the choice must be evil.

Not all divers want to do multiple tank, decompression dives with gas switches and so on, so a single tank with an integrated console with air, computer and compass in one works fine for them. I still have one, and use it quite often. But for multiple tank dives with air switches, long decompression stops etc. I have moved over to a wrist mounted Petrel after using a Suunto watch style computer for a couple of years.

I still use all three computers for different types of dive.

The best advice would to be decide where you want your diving to develop, buy the best computer you can that will allow you to do the diving you want to do now and hopefully have sufficient extra features to allow you to develop your diving without immediately having to buy a new computer, so for example look for multiple mixed gases capability with gas switching during a dive if you want to go down the route of doing deeper dives with gas switches to accelerate deco and so on. An extra few dollars spent now could save you having to buy a complete new computer in a year or two's time if you just buy the absolute basic now.

Otherwise in my view wrist mounted versus watch style really comes down to personal choice and display size!

My Suunto (D9tx) is a watch style display, I love it, but with my eyes it really is hard to read in poor visibility even with the backlight on (I do quite a lot of low light/poor visibility diving and night diving). In contrast both the Petrel and my console computer have very bright large displays that are perfect for my ageing eyesight.

So decide what you want to do, look at a few and pick one that you like and has the features you need now and in the near future, get the best deal you can then just enjoy your diving. - P

 

[C P]

Thank you Phil_C, this is not a gear problem and there is absolutely nothing wrong with diving a console. There are also an awful lot of excellent divers using consoles. Only advocating a gear, any gear, as a solution really short changes the issue and doesn't fix the real problem.

The OP asked about watches and puck style computers in a wrist mount. It is much more important for the OP to decide what type of diving he wants to dive, what features are a must, which features would be nice and which they really do not want to have. Then research his options, hopefully including actually seeing some of the options and talking with people who have that model, and make his choice and learn how to use it.

 

[FinnMom]

As you might guess from the answers above, many people don't like multi-gauge consoles and they are a bit old-fashioned. From what I've seen they are going out of style so noticably, that you might get one for free (with just pressure and depth gauge) if you ask around. I sure wouldn't pay for one.
It's much easier to swim naturally and navigate accurately if you can hold the compass directly out in front of you, preferably secured around your hand by bungees (very easy to remove/replace from arm if you use bungees). A console will almost never have a hose long enough to allow this. It's also nice to have the use of the rotaing bezel and most especially the side view window found only on a non-console compass. DO keep the compass secured to your hand or on a retractor or you're sure to drop one (or even several)

It's a good idea to take a look around pre-dive with compass in hand and note the cardinal directions from entrance/to entrance/currentwind/sun/(other appropriate). This is a lot easier to do if the compass is a separate gauge.

Talk to local divers. I suspect you may find, esp. if when diving in WI and neighboring states, that it will be important to have buttons that can be operated with while wearing thick gloves and a display with large enough characters and well-lit enough to be seen in low light (lake vis is often low-light in the middle of a sunny day).

 

[NAM001]

Lorenzoid.

For me it is a choice of learning how to put a fire out or how to prevent the fire in the first place. I went through this process myself. I learned that poor depth control often caused me to drop everything to regain trim. Now the console is a dangly thing. I went to an spg and I never have it dangling. I look from a distance not to get an acurate reading but to see if I am close to surface time based on gas. My computer is on my wrist. If I loose trim I have nothing to drop. There is nothing wrong with a console, but it has to be used properly and there is so much more involved with that than when using an spg and wrist deivices. I chose simplicity and the spg fit that bill.

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.

 

[dmoore19]

I have a DataMask. I don't worry about the size of the display, I can see it. It tells me what I need to know, all I do is just glance down. I can see it clearly in the daylight or at night. Nothing dangles, not problems. I don't have to change position of my arms or move anything to see the information.

I had 2 different console computers before I realized that I didn't like a console. Of course that doesn't mean what I do suits everybody. The SPG is in the bag on the boat. If the computer fails I have a back up. If the transmitter fails, I lose the rest of 1 dive and surface, put the SPG in place and continue the trip.

For my recreational dives it works well, it has never failed me and I continue to enjoy using it.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Lorenzoid.

For me it is a choice of learning how to put a fire out or how to prevent the fire in the first place. I went through this process myself. I learned that poor depth control often caused me to drop everything to regain trim. Now the console is a dangly thing. I went to an spg and I never have it dangling. I look from a distance not to get an acurate reading but to see if I am close to surface time based on gas. My computer is on my wrist. If I loose trim I have nothing to drop. There is nothing wrong with a console, but it has to be used properly and there is so much more involved with that than when using an spg and wrist deivices. I chose simplicity and the spg fit that bill.

Maybe I don't give the "average" diver enough credit, but I don't think the average diver who's out there bashing the reef away with his danglies is as introspective a diver as you and me. Sure, we of the mindset who read SB and discuss this kind of thing endlessly and are willing to learn, frequently end up seeing the light and changing things up significantly. I'll never go back to a console. But I still think if our goal is just to help reduce reef damage, persuading the average diver to properly use his console will be less of an uphill battle than persuading him to use an SPG clipped off to that left D-ring.

 

[scubadada]

Maybe I don't give the "average" diver enough credit, but I don't think the average diver who's out there bashing the reef away with his danglies is as introspective a diver as you and me. Sure, we of the mindset who read SB and discuss this kind of thing endlessly and are willing to learn, frequently end up seeing the light and changing things up significantly. I'll never go back to a console. But I still think if our goal is just to help reduce reef damage, persuading the average diver to properly use his console will be less of an uphill battle than persuading him to use an SPG clipped off to that left D-ring.

I dived an Oceanic Pro Plus, Pro Plus 2 from 2001 until 2010. My console was connected to my right chest D ring with a strong retractor. The other 3 in my family still dive this configuration, it's not that hard to do or teach, loosen up