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Bishop
Aug 15, 2000
PADI being the most popular also means that it certifies the most people at resorts, on cruise ships, and in other places where you probably are not getting as good of instruction as a class that takes place over a couple of weekends. Instructors in those environments are pressed for time and also pressured to certify everyone.

Erwin, if your shop offers both, I would not be surprised if they teach both courses together... the standards for open water are so close that it would not be difficult at all to teach a class that covers both agencies. You might even be able to get cards from both as long as you pay for the course materials for both and take two tests. It sounds like you would be doing a more traditional class so your instruction should be good. Go with PADI, but only because they are more popular. As long as you put some effort into it, that certification will make you a safe diver within the limits set.

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Oxford Comma
Jun 26, 2011
Oxford Comma: Hey guys I want a cool big dog to show off! I want it to be ~special~ like Thor but more couch potato-like because I got babbies in the house!
Everybody: GET A LAB.
Oxford Comma: OK! (gets a a pit/catahoula mix)

DeadlyMuffin posted:

If you want, once you're recertified shoot me a PM. I dive in Monterey pretty regularly and I know a couple of shore dives that work well for new divers.

Will do that. Thanks! :)

fordan
Mar 9, 2009

Clue: Zero

IM FROM THE FUTURE posted:

Padi is also way more "accepted" around the wold. probably 80% of the world is "padi padi padi" so if you plan to travel...

And what does "accepted" mean? You don't need a PADI card to travel. The only real benefit is that a PADI resort/dive op can look you up if you don't have your PADI card. Honestly if you show up with a card that says you're a scuba diver that isn't done in crayon on construction paper you're probably fine. I joked about using my NAUI card when traveling rather than my PADI ones because it doesn't have a number on it, but they never question its validity, only that they have a form that they have to put a non-existent diver number in.

The instructor is the most important factor in where to train. Given a good instructor, I'd probably prefer NAUI over PADI since NAUI's syllabus is more open to instructor discretion (at least as it was explained to me by someone with both instructor cards).

IM FROM THE FUTURE
Dec 4, 2006

fordan posted:

And what does "accepted" mean? You don't need a PADI card to travel. The only real benefit is that a PADI resort/dive op can look you up if you don't have your PADI card. Honestly if you show up with a card that says you're a scuba diver that isn't done in crayon on construction paper you're probably fine. I joked about using my NAUI card when traveling rather than my PADI ones because it doesn't have a number on it, but they never question its validity, only that they have a form that they have to put a non-existent diver number in.

The instructor is the most important factor in where to train. Given a good instructor, I'd probably prefer NAUI over PADI since NAUI's syllabus is more open to instructor discretion (at least as it was explained to me by someone with both instructor cards).

"Accepted" means that all these places around the world that are PADI will better understand your current level of certification. They also usually offer the ability to continue your diving education in the padi system. So while im sure they accept you enough to fill your air and take you on dives if you have a card that looks half legit. Its still not as "accepted" as padi divers diving with a padi dive shop.

For instance, the name for the NAUI open water diver cert is the same as the PADI "I only did half my open water and need to be watched" cert.

IM FROM THE FUTURE fucked around with this message at 14:25 on Mar 2, 2012

Erwin
Feb 17, 2006

Bishop posted:

Erwin, if your shop offers both, I would not be surprised if they teach both courses together... the standards for open water are so close that it would not be difficult at all to teach a class that covers both agencies. You might even be able to get cards from both as long as you pay for the course materials for both and take two tests. It sounds like you would be doing a more traditional class so your instruction should be good. Go with PADI, but only because they are more popular. As long as you put some effort into it, that certification will make you a safe diver within the limits set.

Yeah, the NAUI vs PADI choice looks like it's given at the certification dive part, not the classroom part. My firefighting background has made me appreciate the importance of actually learning from training instead of just passing a test, especially when it comes to breathing air that you wear on your back.

fordan
Mar 9, 2009

Clue: Zero

IM FROM THE FUTURE posted:

"Accepted" means that all these places around the world that are PADI will better understand your current level of certification. They also usually offer the ability to continue your diving education in the padi system. So while im sure they accept you enough to fill your air and take you on dives if you have a card that looks half legit. Its still not as "accepted" as padi divers diving with a padi dive shop.

For instance, the name for the NAUI open water diver cert is the same as the PADI "I only did half my open water and need to be watched" cert.

I've used my NAUI Scuba Diver card in many non-US locations with no issues other than that it has no number on it to copy on to their forms. I used the NAUI card as the basis to do a PADI Advanced Open Water course on a liveaboard in Australia. If I'm diving someplace with Nitrox I'm most likely to hand them my NAUI Nitrox card rather than the PADI AOW or PADI Rescue Diver cards I have. I've never had an issue.

It doesn't really matter who you get your card from. PADI, NAUI, SSI, BSAC, GUE, whoever. (actually, does GUE offer a basic-level class? Hmm.) If the Instructor seems competent and someone you're likely to be able to learn from and the associated shop doesn't seem shady, learn from them, regardless of certifying agency.

ZoCrowes
Nov 17, 2005

by Lowtax

IM FROM THE FUTURE posted:



For instance, the name for the NAUI open water diver cert is the same as the PADI "I only did half my open water and need to be watched" cert.

The NAUI card being called Scuba Diver predates PADI's very existence. It also states quite plainly on the card that the person is Open Water certified. If a dive operator can't understand that very basic concept I am not sure I would trust them to even tie their own shoes properly much less get to me to a dive site safely.

It really does not matter what agency your certification was through. The instructor is far more important than the agency. You can also have a Naui Scuba Diver card and take an SSI Nitrox or Padi Rescue and vice versa. Padi HQ even states that PADI shops should accept Universal Openwater Referrals. The agency is really not all that big of a deal for the consumer. It gets to be somewhat of an issue once you hit the professional level and are deciding which agency you would like to teach through.

Crunkjuice
Apr 4, 2007

That could've gotten in my eye!
*launches teargas at unarmed protestors*

I THINK OAKLAND PD'S USE OF EXCESSIVE FORCE WAS JUSTIFIED!
I got NAUI open water certified through college, then went PADI because of the dive shop i found locally. In the long run, it doesn't matter who certifies you. Its all about the shop and the instructor. I went on a fun dive with the dive club, and my dive leader was loving fantastic. Tech instructor, super friendly, knew his poo poo. He became my divemaster instructor, and was the sole reason i went with that shop, and pretty much the sole reason I went PADI.

On the other hand, if you go the professional route (DM/Instructor), PADI really does kick rear end. All of the negative things people claim about PADI start to be good things when you're apart of the organization versus a recreational diver.

And i see i was beaten soundly by ZoCrowes, but gently caress it, i typed it out already.

ZoCrowes
Nov 17, 2005

by Lowtax

Crunkjuice posted:


On the other hand, if you go the professional route (DM/Instructor), PADI really does kick rear end. All of the negative things people claim about PADI start to be good things when you're apart of the organization versus a recreational diver.



It's funny, I feel the exact opposite. I am a NAUI, SSI and TDI/SDI Instructor and I refuse to cross over to PADI. My father is all of the above plus he has been a PADI Instructor since 1975 and we have a few PADI guys on staff. I absolutely refuse to crossover to PADI unless I absolutely have to.

I guess everyone's experience will be a little different.

SlicerDicer
Oct 31, 2010

PAILOLO CHANNEL

East gales to 35 kt. Wind waves 17 ft. Scattered showers.

Its time to DIVE

Crunkjuice posted:

I got NAUI open water certified through college, then went PADI because of the dive shop i found locally. In the long run, it doesn't matter who certifies you. Its all about the shop and the instructor. I went on a fun dive with the dive club, and my dive leader was loving fantastic. Tech instructor, super friendly, knew his poo poo. He became my divemaster instructor, and was the sole reason i went with that shop, and pretty much the sole reason I went PADI.

On the other hand, if you go the professional route (DM/Instructor), PADI really does kick rear end. All of the negative things people claim about PADI start to be good things when you're apart of the organization versus a recreational diver.

And i see i was beaten soundly by ZoCrowes, but gently caress it, i typed it out already.

Yeah like PADI having you calculate the partial pressures of Nitrogen at depth with Nitrox, However they do not have you even come close to knowing what the END is. WTF is the point? Also no mention of EAD.

All that I have seen thus far doing the professional route is kinda just zero to hero, maybe I am wrong when I finish the IDC and IE will see?

Crunkjuice
Apr 4, 2007

That could've gotten in my eye!
*launches teargas at unarmed protestors*

I THINK OAKLAND PD'S USE OF EXCESSIVE FORCE WAS JUSTIFIED!

ZoCrowes posted:

It's funny, I feel the exact opposite. I am a NAUI, SSI and TDI/SDI Instructor and I refuse to cross over to PADI. My father is all of the above plus he has been a PADI Instructor since 1975 and we have a few PADI guys on staff. I absolutely refuse to crossover to PADI unless I absolutely have to.

I guess everyone's experience will be a little different.

Makes sense. There are a few competing dive shops in austin, but ours is by far the largest having 3 locations. The local dive charter is an instructor through us, and we honestly dominate the local dive scene. I'm sure i have a biased opinion of PADI since that's the biggest force i see around here.

Also, i'm gonna pimp DUI here a bit since Susan Long (CEO) did my custom measurements for my suit and was super awesome. Everyone should try to attend one of these Dog Day Rallies http://www.dui-online.com/2012_demo_tour_participating.asp . Basically, you pay like 10 bucks or so and get to try DUI drysuits for a day. You don't need to be drysuit certified as you'll be diving with an instructor, and you get to play around with all their crazy new stuff like silicone wrist seals, electrically heated undergarments etc. Even if you have no interest in buying a drysuit, getting a chance to test them out is a lot of fun and is definitely a new experience underwater.

SlicerDicer
Oct 31, 2010

PAILOLO CHANNEL

East gales to 35 kt. Wind waves 17 ft. Scattered showers.

Its time to DIVE

Crunkjuice posted:

Even if you have no interest in buying a drysuit, getting a chance to test them out is a lot of fun and is definitely a new experience underwater.

once you dive dry you dont come back from that.. Its like going full retard.. I dive dry in 76 degree water with 200g polartec but I am a giant wuss too.

Bishop
Aug 15, 2000

fordan posted:

(actually, does GUE offer a basic-level class? Hmm.)
They do. That would be an interesting way to start out diving because they want you on a basic DIR setup (longhose, backplate, etc) from the start. The class looks harder than a normal open water class too... for instance they have very specific standards for buoyancy and trim control. In other words, it's GUE. I guess if you could see into the future and knew you wanted to be a cave diver that would be the best place to start.

IM FROM THE FUTURE
Dec 4, 2006

ZoCrowes posted:

The NAUI card being called Scuba Diver predates PADI's very existence. It also states quite plainly on the card that the person is Open Water certified. If a dive operator can't understand that very basic concept I am not sure I would trust them to even tie their own shoes properly much less get to me to a dive site safely.

It really does not matter what agency your certification was through. The instructor is far more important than the agency. You can also have a Naui Scuba Diver card and take an SSI Nitrox or Padi Rescue and vice versa. Padi HQ even states that PADI shops should accept Universal Openwater Referrals. The agency is really not all that big of a deal for the consumer. It gets to be somewhat of an issue once you hit the professional level and are deciding which agency you would like to teach through.

Padi probably did it just to be dicks. And yeah, I wouldn't go diving with guides of that caliber, but people seem to do it every day on vacation in poorer countries.

I totally agree its the instructor more then the agency. And I wasn't aware you could cross train with different cert's and they were counted as equivalent.

Whats the max water temp you can use a dry suit? I can imagine it being pretty hot and sticky in there.

Crunkjuice
Apr 4, 2007

That could've gotten in my eye!
*launches teargas at unarmed protestors*

I THINK OAKLAND PD'S USE OF EXCESSIVE FORCE WAS JUSTIFIED!

IM FROM THE FUTURE posted:

Whats the max water temp you can use a dry suit? I can imagine it being pretty hot and sticky in there.

None. They make a tropical drysuit, the DUI 30/30 with ankle seals thats designed for warm water climates.
http://www.dui-online.com/tech_warmwater.htm

Bishop
Aug 15, 2000
I imagine wearing something really minimal as an undergarment would keep you from getting too hot with any dry suit, as long as you don't put it all the way on and stand in the sun for a while before getting wet. A dry suit is also a redundant buoyancy source, which is a comforting thing to have, especially on ocean tech dives when your rig is too heavy to swim to the surface without some buoyancy assistance.

fordan
Mar 9, 2009

Clue: Zero

Crunkjuice posted:

Also, i'm gonna pimp DUI here a bit since Susan Long (CEO) did my custom measurements for my suit and was super awesome. Everyone should try to attend one of these Dog Day Rallies http://www.dui-online.com/2012_demo_tour_participating.asp . Basically, you pay like 10 bucks or so and get to try DUI drysuits for a day. You don't need to be drysuit certified as you'll be diving with an instructor, and you get to play around with all their crazy new stuff like silicone wrist seals, electrically heated undergarments etc. Even if you have no interest in buying a drysuit, getting a chance to test them out is a lot of fun and is definitely a new experience underwater.

It was at a DUI Dog Day that I learned via my air-integrated dive computer what my panicked (or at least very stressed) air consumption rate was. :D

Someone told me incorrectly that diving dry would take more weight than a 7mm wetsuit, so I added a fair bit of extra weight to my setup. My head is apparently too big for the neck zip seals, so I had to find something in their older suits to fit. Instructor was in the "drysuit for buoyancy, BCD on the surface at the end of the dive school of thought, so while standing on the quarry ramp I inflate my dry suit and step off the end of the ramp into 25 or so ft of water. Start sinking fairly rapidly. Hit the chest inflator, watch it all dump out the shoulder valve which is apparently wide open. Reach over to adjust it, and the suit is so tight I can't reach the valve. Finning like mad to try and arrest my descent, I go to pinch my nose to equalize and discover that the great mask I picked up down in warm-water Australia won't let me get my gloved fingers into pinch my nose closed.

Had the whole vision-narrowing thing down to the depth gauge on my dive computer, which was slowly increasing despite my finning, so I ended up inflating the BCD to get back on the surface. I mean, I wasn't trying to climb over my Instructor to get to the surface, but I spent some time floating and chilling on the surface to calm down before heading back in to take off the suit that didn't fit right.


Bishop posted:

They do. That would be an interesting way to start out diving because they want you on a basic DIR setup (longhose, backplate, etc) from the start. The class looks harder than a normal open water class too... for instance they have very specific standards for buoyancy and trim control. In other words, it's GUE. I guess if you could see into the future and knew you wanted to be a cave diver that would be the best place to start.

My intro Scuba Diver class trained us in the pool and the quarry to use pony bottles rather than octos, since around this area (NJ/NY) if you want to dive in the ocean the dive boats require either a pony or doubles. Obviously not DIR, but a bit closer to the tech side of the house than most intro classes.


IM FROM THE FUTURE posted:

I totally agree its the instructor more then the agency. And I wasn't aware you could cross train with different cert's and they were counted as equivalent.

Yeah, if they didn't recognize each other's certs, sticking with PADI would be the way to go, but happily you can switch back and forth, at least pre-professionally.

SlicerDicer
Oct 31, 2010

PAILOLO CHANNEL

East gales to 35 kt. Wind waves 17 ft. Scattered showers.

Its time to DIVE

Bishop posted:

I imagine wearing something really minimal as an undergarment would keep you from getting too hot with any dry suit, as long as you don't put it all the way on and stand in the sun for a while before getting wet. A dry suit is also a redundant buoyancy source, which is a comforting thing to have, especially on ocean tech dives when your rig is too heavy to swim to the surface without some buoyancy assistance.

I wear 200 weight undergarment in 76 degree water as said.. I am sure I could get away with underarmor in the 80+ water in Florida/Bahamas no problem.

Just remember keep your head cool with water before getting in water to prevent overheating.

fordan posted:

My intro Scuba Diver class trained us in the pool and the quarry to use pony bottles rather than octos, since around this area (NJ/NY) if you want to dive in the ocean the dive boats require either a pony or doubles. Obviously not DIR, but a bit closer to the tech side of the house than most intro classes.

Few people want to carry pony bottle for whatever reason... Even when I explain the failure possibility and what it means if I am 50ft away.. 50ft is a LONG way when poo poo gets real.

But these people are incapable of seeing why I talk about captured o-ring (DIN) and the benefit there.. ohh its too hard! poo poo.. Just ask for din tank the dive shops we go to have them FFS... if its that bad use my friggin tanks..

SlicerDicer fucked around with this message at 00:27 on Mar 3, 2012

Finch!
Sep 11, 2001

Spatial Awareness?

[ ] Whaleshark

404 Not Found
I just bought these: http://irikonji.com/

Perfect for when I dive in nothing but shorts, and perfect for wearing over the top of my semi dry suit at home... pockets! For things! Success!

My Tek Shorts have been relegated to the bag of spares.

Also, what are thoughts about Hollis regulators? I'm about to pull the trigger on a recreational long hose setup using Hollis DC1/212 from Dive Gear Express, but I'd love some feedback first...

Finch! fucked around with this message at 01:36 on Mar 3, 2012

Bishop
Aug 15, 2000
I have not personally dove Hollis but the guys I've met that had them all seemed happy. They all had DIN first stages + longhose set up for doubles. The internet buzz seems to be that they are solid regs without the cost of something like Apex or Scubapro. I think it's a solid reg choice among many.

I personally dive Scubapro MK25s/G250s on my tech setup and old rear end sherwood regs for my single tank yoke setup.

e: I've been prepping gear tonight and checking all my regs. My deco bottle first stage is hosed somewhere. It is leaking, and water came out when I pressurized it, so I took the whole drat thing apart. I think I can salvage it but I really need to retire this 1st stage (another old sherwood) at some point.

fordan posted:

My intro Scuba Diver class trained us in the pool and the quarry to use pony bottles rather than octos, since around this area (NJ/NY) if you want to dive in the ocean the dive boats require either a pony or doubles. Obviously not DIR, but a bit closer to the tech side of the house than most intro classes.
What size tank do you and people in your area use for a pony? 40cft? Less? Just curious because I've never seen a stage bottle being used on a recreational dive.

Bishop fucked around with this message at 04:28 on Mar 3, 2012

SlicerDicer
Oct 31, 2010

PAILOLO CHANNEL

East gales to 35 kt. Wind waves 17 ft. Scattered showers.

Its time to DIVE
Bishop, why not go with the apeks?

fordan
Mar 9, 2009

Clue: Zero

SlicerDicer posted:

IFew people want to carry pony bottle for whatever reason... Even when I explain the failure possibility and what it means if I am 50ft away.. 50ft is a LONG way when poo poo gets real.

For some reason this area seems to have a lot of same-day, same-ocean buddies, so a redundant air source is fairly mandatory (and a drat good idea).


Bishop posted:

What size tank do you and people in your area use for a pony? 40cft? Less? Just curious because I've never seen a stage bottle being used on a recreational dive.

19cft as I recall. Which at my stressed air consumption rate means I need to spend very little time trying to resolve whatever issue put me on to the pony and start for the surface fairly quickly. I was planning to step up a size or so if I ended up doing more local diving, but I tend to do travel diving mostly, and not a lot recently (hoping to do a liveaboard later this year).

Found a pic of some of the other divers from my certification class where you can see the pony:



The danglies make me twitch now, but you can see the pony on the diver near the center.

SlicerDicer
Oct 31, 2010

PAILOLO CHANNEL

East gales to 35 kt. Wind waves 17 ft. Scattered showers.

Its time to DIVE

fordan posted:

For some reason this area seems to have a lot of same-day, same-ocean buddies, so a redundant air source is fairly mandatory (and a drat good idea).

Anymore I am not generally worried about it. I have the rebreather that is lunacy level of gas time, I then have the 23cf tank I can bailout onto with the BOV.. Failing that I carry a minimum of 40cf bailout with me.. Generally speaking I have enough air to sink a battleship for recreational depths.

fordan posted:

19cft as I recall. Which at my stressed air consumption rate means I need to spend very little time trying to resolve whatever issue put me on to the pony and start for the surface fairly quickly. I was planning to step up a size or so if I ended up doing more local diving, but I tend to do travel diving mostly, and not a lot recently (hoping to do a liveaboard later this year).

Where you wanting to liveaboard? And what depths are you doing to need more than 19cf? I mean even breathing like a freight train you should be able to get the hell out? Is that not the idea in a emergency? Or are you in overhead?

BTW I will note my highest rate of breathing ever recorded was 1.45cf/min(Swimming like a IDIOT).. thats 3 mins at 130ft.. I R Confused?

rockcity
Jan 16, 2004

SlicerDicer posted:

Anymore I am not generally worried about it. I have the rebreather that is lunacy level of gas time, I then have the 23cf tank I can bailout onto with the BOV.. Failing that I carry a minimum of 40cf bailout with me.. Generally speaking I have enough air to sink a battleship for recreational depths.


Where you wanting to liveaboard? And what depths are you doing to need more than 19cf? I mean even breathing like a freight train you should be able to get the hell out? Is that not the idea in a emergency? Or are you in overhead?

BTW I will note my highest rate of breathing ever recorded was 1.45cf/min(Swimming like a IDIOT).. thats 3 mins at 130ft.. I R Confused?

Beyond that, you should be diving like you DO NOT HAVE that pony bottle. At no point in your diving unless you physically run out of air or have a problem should it be used. Like SlicerDicer said 19cf is plenty of air to get out of an emergency. If something goes wrong, you should start surfacing right away, not treating it like a second tank of air.

SlicerDicer
Oct 31, 2010

PAILOLO CHANNEL

East gales to 35 kt. Wind waves 17 ft. Scattered showers.

Its time to DIVE

rockcity posted:

If something goes wrong, you should start surfacing right away, not treating it like a second tank of air.
Like da hell outa this.

BTW if you read one of the more recent alert divers, I cant find it right now but nearly 50% of all divers die from OOA situations. Thus why I said get the hell out if you have a serious problem.

Humans Dont Breathe Water

Bishop
Aug 15, 2000

SlicerDicer posted:

Bishop, why not go with the apeks?
I think reg choice goes back to where you dive and who you dive with.

When I was first putting together a tech rig (I basically dive a DIR style wreck/cave rig + a deco computer now), I had to do it one expensive piece of equipment at a time. My instructor, through the local shop lent me a set of MK17 first stages for about a year while I was getting other equipment and training. So I was used to them and ended up getting brand new MK25s, which I won't have to worry about replacing for 10+ years. Hell probably 15-20. Scubapro is on that top tier of regs where the absolute worst you hear about them is: "you can get X brand cheaper and it's just as good". Plus I really really like the MK25's hose routing. It's perfect for the setup I have now but I've played around with other schemes and it's really versatile as well. G250v second stages are an ancient design that has proven its reliability, plus they breathe great beyond 200ft.

Trivia
Feb 8, 2006

I'm an obtuse man,
so I'll try to be oblique.
I just recently got a (very) nice email from my parents informing me that they'd be willing to buy me a dive computer for my birthday. The stipulation of course is that it doesn't cost them their retirement savings.

Does anyone have any good recommendations for economic dive computers? I know the Suunto Mosquito is the often cited go-to piece. Any others?

ZoCrowes
Nov 17, 2005

by Lowtax

Trivia posted:

I just recently got a (very) nice email from my parents informing me that they'd be willing to buy me a dive computer for my birthday. The stipulation of course is that it doesn't cost them their retirement savings.

Does anyone have any good recommendations for economic dive computers? I know the Suunto Mosquito is the often cited go-to piece. Any others?

How much do you want to spend? The Subgear XP10 is a rebranded Uwatec Aladin Prime and it won't break the bank. It's EANx compatible, has audible alarms, backlight uses an IR interface to connect to your PC so you don't have to buy a $100 cable and is pretty easy to use all around. It's probably our best selling dive computer. http://louisvilledivecenter.com/Louisville_Dive_Center/XP10.html

Suunto does not make the Mosquito anymore but the Zoop is a good choice. It's got a lot of the same features as the XP10 but it does not have audible alarms or a backlight. But the display is a bit bigger.
http://louisvilledivecenter.mwrc.net/en/product.php?product_id=37607

One thing to keep in mind is that the Suunto and the XP10 are both pretty conservative dive computers. The uses XP10 uses a Buehlmann algorithm and the Suunto uses RGBM. That's not really a bad thing to me though.

Crunkjuice
Apr 4, 2007

That could've gotten in my eye!
*launches teargas at unarmed protestors*

I THINK OAKLAND PD'S USE OF EXCESSIVE FORCE WAS JUSTIFIED!

ZoCrowes posted:

How much do you want to spend? The Subgear XP10 is a rebranded Uwatec Aladin Prime and it won't break the bank. It's EANx compatible, has audible alarms, backlight uses an IR interface to connect to your PC so you don't have to buy a $100 cable and is pretty easy to use all around. It's probably our best selling dive computer. http://louisvilledivecenter.com/Louisville_Dive_Center/XP10.html

Suunto does not make the Mosquito anymore but the Zoop is a good choice. It's got a lot of the same features as the XP10 but it does not have audible alarms or a backlight. But the display is a bit bigger.
http://louisvilledivecenter.mwrc.net/en/product.php?product_id=37607

One thing to keep in mind is that the Suunto and the XP10 are both pretty conservative dive computers. The uses XP10 uses a Buehlmann algorithm and the Suunto uses RGBM. That's not really a bad thing to me though.

Our shop sells subgear stuff and the XP-10 is a solid entry level computer. I see it around a lot. The level of money your willing to spend will determine a lot about your dive computer.

Loving Africa Chaps
Dec 3, 2007


We had not left it yet, but when I would wake in the night, I would lie, listening, homesick for it already.

Yo dive thread. Padi AOW at the moment with 20 dives but desperate to do more. Doesn't help living in london, uk and not being able to afford a dry suit. I'm hoping to get to 50 then do my TDI Advanced Nitrox/Helitriox as i really enjoy the physiology of diving and would like to do some technical stuff as soon as im ready. I even have a full triox deco program done in excel which is why i'm filled with rage when i see the price companies charge for their computers. As i'm a medical student in my last few months i'm hoping to do some stuff with that too in order to trade free dive medicals for goodies

ZoCrowes
Nov 17, 2005

by Lowtax

Crunkjuice posted:

Our shop sells subgear stuff and the XP-10 is a solid entry level computer. I see it around a lot. The level of money your willing to spend will determine a lot about your dive computer.

Yeah it's a drat good one. For years it was the Scubapro Aladin Prime and was considered pretty solidly midrange. Scubapro changed the color to white, changed the name on the front and dropped the price by about $150. It's got quite a few more features than a lot of other computers at its price point.

The only complaint I have ever had about it is that it's display numbers is a little bit smaller than some of the other hockey puck sized computers.

Trivia
Feb 8, 2006

I'm an obtuse man,
so I'll try to be oblique.
$300 dollars seems like a fair price to shoot for. I don't want to make them pay much more, even if they're willing. The guilt would kill me.

Thanks for the advice. The XP10 sounds good, especially since I have Nitrox Cert and would like a computer that encompasses that. I'll look around a bit more before making any decisions though.

I had a pretty basic model the last time I went diving. It was big and bulky but damned it if wasn't the bee's knees.

e: After thinking about it, I do believe it was the Zoop that I had used back in December. The only thing I really want function-wise is Nitrox and a backlight.

Trivia fucked around with this message at 00:48 on Mar 5, 2012

rockcity
Jan 16, 2004
As mentioned about the Mosquito is discontinued, but if the newer model is similar I can vouch for it as I dive a Mosquito now. I picked it up for cheap used and it does exactly what I need it to. As someone else also pointed out, it's pretty conservative. I usually adjust my Nitrox to one percentage point lower than I'm actually diving which puts it right on with table values. It's a pretty simple computer, but it has everything I need and it's backlit for deep depths and cavern type situations.

Edit: I picked up a used digital camera and housing last week and it arrived yesterday. It's a 5 year Olympus SP-350, but despite its age, it's quite capable and has everything I need. It shoots RAW and manual which were my main required features. The big selling point was that the previous owner modified it with a special adapter that turns the hotshoe on the camera into a TTL Nikonos strobe adapter so I can use my Nikonos SB-105 strobes TTL. Sadly I don't have a dual cable right now, but I can cable one and slave the other. I do need to find a way to modify the tray that he had so I can put both of my strobe arms though, currently it can only take one arm, but I should be able to modify it a bit to hook up my other arm.

rockcity fucked around with this message at 00:40 on Mar 5, 2012

Crunkjuice
Apr 4, 2007

That could've gotten in my eye!
*launches teargas at unarmed protestors*

I THINK OAKLAND PD'S USE OF EXCESSIVE FORCE WAS JUSTIFIED!

Trivia posted:

e: After thinking about it, I do believe it was the Zoop that I had used back in December. The only thing I really want function-wise is Nitrox and a backlight.

Right on. You don't need to spend much for that functionality. Its possible i know a divemaster here who uses a Mares M2 as his primary computer and he's totally not a cheapass. I also hear he's a really good diver... sweet jesus its ghetto but it's backlit/nitrox to 50% so i can't complain for 70 bucks a few years ago when i got it

fordan
Mar 9, 2009

Clue: Zero

SlicerDicer posted:

Where you wanting to liveaboard? And what depths are you doing to need more than 19cf? I mean even breathing like a freight train you should be able to get the hell out? Is that not the idea in a emergency? Or are you in overhead?

BTW I will note my highest rate of breathing ever recorded was 1.45cf/min(Swimming like a IDIOT).. thats 3 mins at 130ft.. I R Confused?

I had been thinking south pacific, but more likely Caribbean because I don't have vacation time to burn for the travel out there. Waiting for a friend to figure out what he wants to do.

My dives hit typical max depths of 80-100ft or so. Sometimes deeper, but I'm mostly a pretty fish/pretty coral diver and there isn't much past that depth given the light. Sometimes 100-120 to see a turtle or shark or the like.

My breathing rate in the drysuit story above hit a peak of just shy of 3cf/min SAC. 19CF would definitely get me to the surface, but if I was at that SAC and at depth, it doesn't leave a lot of time to try and resolve an issue before you need to ascend. I'm not talking about strapping an 80 to my 120 as a pony, just bump the size up a bit, like from a 19 to a 30. And I'd have to dive off the NY/NJ coast, which having done once isn't my cup of tea anyways. I'll take my local quarry and dive travel. :D

MA-Horus
Dec 3, 2006

I'm sorry, I can't hear you over the sound of how awesome I am.

Has anyone here ever dove Tobermory/Fathom Five in Ontario? Knowing how loving stupidly cold the water can be in Ontario, are you realistically going to want a dry-suit to dive there?

(I want to dive the Arabia, a schooner that went down 100 years ago and sits intact. It's the dive that nearly killed my dad in the early 80's.)

SlicerDicer
Oct 31, 2010

PAILOLO CHANNEL

East gales to 35 kt. Wind waves 17 ft. Scattered showers.

Its time to DIVE

fordan posted:

I had been thinking south pacific, but more likely Caribbean because I don't have vacation time to burn for the travel out there. Waiting for a friend to figure out what he wants to do.

My dives hit typical max depths of 80-100ft or so. Sometimes deeper, but I'm mostly a pretty fish/pretty coral diver and there isn't much past that depth given the light. Sometimes 100-120 to see a turtle or shark or the like.

My breathing rate in the drysuit story above hit a peak of just shy of 3cf/min SAC. 19CF would definitely get me to the surface, but if I was at that SAC and at depth, it doesn't leave a lot of time to try and resolve an issue before you need to ascend. I'm not talking about strapping an 80 to my 120 as a pony, just bump the size up a bit, like from a 19 to a 30. And I'd have to dive off the NY/NJ coast, which having done once isn't my cup of tea anyways. I'll take my local quarry and dive travel. :D

I would say if you have to strap something to you do a 40cf Worthington for the weight characteristics. Those things are FANTASTIC!!

But then again I am not advising doing such things I am in awe at 3cf/min SAC... That would be 16cf/min give or take at depth of 120.. Are you sure its 3cf per min sustained?

Bishop
Aug 15, 2000

Crunkjuice posted:

Its possible i know a divemaster here who uses a Mares M2 as his primary computer and he's totally not a cheapass. I also hear he's a really good diver...
Diving skill is directly correlated with the price of your computer :colbert:
In real computer chat, buying one that has a "gauge mode" will be something you might use later on or will increase its resale value. Gauge mode lobotomizes your computer so that only displays depth, dive time, ascent rate, and depending on the computer: average depth, water temp, max depth. Lots of people like to use to use a computer in gauge mode as a backup because it gives you the essential info if your primary fails on you. There's even a sizable number of divers that prefer to only dive with gauge mode because it keeps one from growing to rely too much on their computer.

A "bottom timer" is a computer that just does gauge mode. I have a couple of Uwatec 330m bottom timers and as far as I and everyone else can tell, the fuckers are invincible. That is until you have to throw it away when the battery dies in 10 years because it's non replaceable.

SlicerDicer I see that your Shearwater is "inverted" so that the battery compartment is on the inside of your arm. I have mine the normal way and there's a decent number of small scratches on it. Is reversing the screen a software option or what? (EDIT: ok maybe I should spend 15 seconds playing with my computer to find that "flip screen" option instead of asking other people)

Bishop fucked around with this message at 20:44 on Mar 5, 2012

SlicerDicer
Oct 31, 2010

PAILOLO CHANNEL

East gales to 35 kt. Wind waves 17 ft. Scattered showers.

Its time to DIVE

Bishop posted:

SlicerDicer I see that your Shearwater is "inverted" so that the battery compartment is on the inside of your arm. I have mine the normal way and there's a decent number of small scratches on it. Is reversing the screen a software option or what? (EDIT: ok maybe I should spend 15 seconds playing with my computer to find that "flip screen" option instead of asking other people)

LOL!!! yeah I flipped it as the fischer plug is on that side. So to have it comfortable routing up my arm I have to have it inverted.

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Bishop
Aug 15, 2000
Having the fischer connector on the correct side regardless of which arm you use is probably the main reason they have the flip screen option but I'm gonna try it so more of the "bulk" of the computer will be pointed towards my body and not scraping up against stuff.

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