Advice on gauges

[dmisc]

Hi,
My partner has just done her open water course and will complete the dives for this in the Spring. I was looking to buy her a dive related present for Christmas and thought about a regulator (she was strongly advised to get her own). My first thought was a Mares Ice although after reading a bit (particularly on this site) it seems like the prevailing advice is for Apeks (which one would be right for her I'm not sure - APX 40, 50,100 or 200?). There isn't an Apek stockist particularly close to us for advice and others said that she should really choose the reg for herself.

So - I thought that I'd leave the regulator choice (and purchase!) to her and so I've got her a diving watch and was thinking about a set of gauges that she'd need anyway when she chooses her regulator. My local dive shop recommends the Suunto. I figure that the double gauge with an additional compass is the way to go (am I right?). The triples seem very long and there is a Suunto CB Double In-Line with compass on the rear which looks more manageable (although it isn't on the Suunto site for some reason). Is this a good choice for her or is there anything else that I should be thinking about?

David.

[Paul Oliver]

Personally i would keep the compass off the guages. Good navigation requires you to keep a good central line from you through the compass, and this really needs you to be able to hold it centrally in front of you. This is best done with a wrist mounted compass you can take off and hold centrally in front of you.

If its on a hose then its being influenced and will not be straight and/or accurate.

I actually attach mine through the shoulder strap D ring (the bit you pull to tighten the BC) so its always there and available, and in front of me.

On the guages if you are buying a computer, have you got a back-up in case it crashes, so say a Bottom timer? If so thats 2 depth guages so do you need one on your console

If you just have a standard dive watch as back up you need the 2nd depth Gage option

[Narked@50]

Hi David

Without going into volumes, have a look at this:

http://www.kentdiving.co.uk/prod.asp?partno=MISS3#

They are small and compact, you will find after training that a compass is handy, but seldom used other than for "general" direction, so don't get hung up on it.

James

[dmisc]

Perhaps the Suunto Combo might be a way to go so that as she sorts out her preferences for what goes on her wrists she can unclip the parts of the console that become unnecessary?

James - is the Mares Mission 3 Compact quite a lot smaller than the Suunto CB Double In-Line? Is this why you prefer it?

Paul - I can see her wrists getting laden with a watch and ultimately a dive computer (although I imagine that this will come later due to a combination of initial expense and wanting to become fully conversant with the tables before automating things). I thought that having a wrist mounted compass as well might just be too many instruments on her arms!

Still contemplating...

Out of interest, which regulators do you both use?

Thanks,

D.

[vid]

agree with paul - wrist mounted compass - personally i suggest either Suunto SK6 or SK5 - these use a strap or alternatively remove the strap and put some bungy on the compass so that it's easy to fit etc (the compass can then be used on the arm or removed and held/cradled to check direction)

guages - again suunto for me - for starting out you probably do need both contents (SPG) AND a depth guage - so buying the two part combo is a reasonable start - you can then remove the depth guage at a later date (the constituent parts of the combo aer screwed together in a multi part plastic housing)

see here

http://www.suunto.com/suunto/main/ar...=1134462375736

regs - apeks are robust, have a good resale value (if you stop diving) and will deal with most of your diving in the first couple of years - i suggest

A) DST first stage - it's got a swivel turret that allows some additional movemnet when routeing hoses
B) ATX40 second stage
c) ATX40 or ATX50 octopus - the ATX50 is slightly more expensive than the ATX40, but has a feature which allows you to adjust the flow of air - reducing the likeliness of a freeflow

http://www.apeks.co.uk/home_frameset.htm

HTH

vid

[vid]

Originally Posted by dmisc

Paul - I can see her wrists getting laden with a watch and ultimately a dive computer (although I imagine that this will come later due to a combination of initial expense and wanting to become fully conversant with the tables before automating things). I thought that having a wrist mounted compass as well might just be too many instruments on her arms!

probably not, but if it's a worry - hten hang the compass from a retractable lanyard from a shoulder d-ring


good idea on sticking with tables first to get used to time/depths and how they interact
vid

[Hazel W]

as far as regs do ...i would get the Atx100 primary if you can afford it ...and the atx 50 as an octo .... the 100 is a good reg and benifits from robust build quality andthe 50 is all you will need from an octo ......
agree that compasses should be off the guages not attached and also with what has been said about timers

cheers

Haze

[dmisc]

Thanks for the advice everyone...

So, do you think an Uwatek Bottom Timer would be a good choice for her instead of buying a Console?

If possible, I really don't want to spend money on something that's going to be made redundant by another bit of kit in the future, but I can understand the need for back-ups so the bottom timer recommendation makes sense to me.

Thanks,

D.

[Dundee]

Lots of good advice there.

The bottom timer will last for ages and always be useful as a back up if the computer dies mid dive (very unlikely these days). They are also easy to sell on the second hand market should she upgrade everything.

C

[Garf]

Originally Posted by dmisc

Thanks for the advice everyone...

So, do you think an Uwatek Bottom Timer would be a good choice for her instead of buying a Console?

If possible, I really don't want to spend money on something that's going to be made redundant by another bit of kit in the future, but I can understand the need for back-ups so the bottom timer recommendation makes sense to me.

Thanks,

D.

The uwatec bottom timer is probably the one piece of kit that might be kept as her diving changes, and a worthy investment. It would definitely get my vote. Kent diving (www.kentdiving.com) have them for £65.