Dive Computers
You can plan and track your dives using dive tables with a depth gauge and dive watch, but most scuba divers and free divers use a dive computer – it’s easier.
A dive computer provides the real-time dive information you need to dive well and stay safe.
A dive computer takes depth and time information and applies it to a decompression model to track the dissolved nitrogen in your body during a dive. Your computer continuously tells you how much dive time you safely have remaining.
Your computer combines a depth gauge, timer and sometimes a submersible pressure gauge (SPG) into a single, useful instrument.
The majority of scuba divers and free divers have a computer because it just makes sense as they accurately monitor; depth, time, No Decompression Limits, ascent rates, decompression obligations and even gas usage.
With so many computers on the market, we believe one that is easy to use is the best choice. What we mean is that you can navigate the menus with ease, has a large easy to read (in any light) screen, has a battery that is easy to change by the diver or is rechargeable and can be turned off when finished with.
The really good ones also have a digital compass, gas integration and can bluetooth to your phone to download your dives. You can also personalise the information being shown, change the brightness of the screen easily and even change the colour of the digits for the ultimate personalisation.
The Garmin Descent mkII even has surface GPS which is useful for spearfishing.
We personally use Shearwater Teric's and Shearwater Perdix's as dive professional and have Shearwater Peregrines, Aqualung i550C and Suunto Zoop's in our school fleet.
Scubapro have just released their Scubapro Luna 2.0 AI Dive computer, with a big bright display, freedive and scuba modes and add a transmitter for air integration as well. This computer has it all.
