Why should I not buy...

[RobbieS]

Originally Posted by BJ

My opinions about equipment are available on Divernet - Diver Magazine Online and much more | Diving | Dive Shows | Gear Tests | Travel | News !

Should have known you'd say that!

Cheers anyway.

[Druid]

I used a Dive Rite Nitek Duo, which is essentially the same computer, when I did my Adv Nitrox last year. It was easy to read and easy to use, the buttons were much more user friendly than my own Aladin Air Z. The computer I used was a rental computer from the dive centre, the instructor said he was very happy with them and had not had any problems with any of theirs.

At £140 I think they're a very tempting purchase, if I was in the market for a computer they'd be high on my list too.

[Digger]

There is no good reason not to buy one. YOu will find it easy to use, very good to grow with your diving for at least the next 12-24 months, and for many many divers it's as advanced as it is ever going to need to be.

The Quantum is a very nice piece of gear, and though there have been a few that have had the odd problem Apeks have been extremely fast and helpful in sending out brand new units. I had one early on that was replaced after I dropped a wreck on it, and the customer service just couldn't be beaten.

I would buy one tomorrow for most of the diving I do, yes it won't do CCR, but then if you're spending £2.5K on a unit a £500 computer isn't going to kill you. I also found it worked fine just planning the dive on the Quantum so I would be at 1.3 on the bottom and 1.3 from 10m up. The times with little conservatism were very similar to others using expensive CCR computers.

Oh, and if it's not right for you you can sell one for £110ish secondhand anyway. SO you don't stand to lose toss all anyhow.

Digs.

[Mark Chase]

Originally Posted by RobbieS

Instead of asking what I should buy, why should I NOT buy an Apeks Quantum?

2 mix gas switching, user repacable battery at a good price.

Any reasons?

OK ignoring the personal diving stile related opinion above


DON'T buy one

Why?

Because they have a reputation for not being reliable and because they don't make good bottom and depth timers.



I suggest you stick with the good old faithful Suunto Viper or (if you can afford it) the Sunto Vytec DS.


Why?

Reliable

Trust me the batteries ARE user replaceable

Good screen layout

Excellent download / dive log package (V1 is much better than the latest v)

Easyish to use

They do Nitrox

They make excellent depth and bottom timers.


I only mention the Vytec DS because it gives the option of accelerated deco. It isn't very good at it (Its actually crap) but it at least has a go.

I am probably being facetious when I say its crap. Or if not facetious than a tad elitist.

I did many a happy dive using a Vytec for accelerated deco using two and three gases. It worked fine but its rubbish deco profiles and daft time to surface figures drove me mad. Basically you had to pre plan the dive or you didn't have a clue for gas planning. It would only give deco info on the gas you were breathing so it told you you were going to die right up until the final shallow gas switch when it finally gave some useful Time to Surface info.

Then just for a laugh Suunto didn't give out ANY dive planning software that could cope with multiple gas deco.

Soooooooo you just have to guess or botch it with third party software.

Basically it worked but its crap for multi gas diving.


HOWEVER The Vytec is a superb dive gage and I still use one to this day to record my dive log.


My 2p is only ever buy two dive computers.

The first should be a Viper or a Vytec

The second should be a Shearwater Pursuit or (in a distant third) a VR3 and you can use the viper or the Vytec as back up.


As for the nay sayers who reckon you don't need a computer? Just ignore them the truth behind what they preach is far more complex than they make out.

ATB

Mark

Computers owned:

Marres Surveyor (Sold one still got the other)

Sunto Viper (Sold one lost one)

Suunto Vytec (Still use it today)

VR3 (Sold)

Shearwater GF (Sold because it was the size of a house brick)

Shearwater Pursuit (Use it today)

My back up is ratio deco (the kind that doesn't need a computer) using a Vytec in gage mode (No deco info just depth and time)


ATB

Mark

[JasonP]

Originally Posted by Mark Chase

Because they have a reputation for not being reliable and because they don't make good bottom and depth timers.

Why don't they make good bottom and depth timers? They've got a perfectly good gauge mode and a reset button on the back, so you can use them in gauge mode one day and computer mode the next. Not that you would ever want to do this, you understand.

Originally Posted by Mark Chase

I only mention the Vytec DS because it gives the option of accelerated deco. It isn't very good at it (Its actually crap) but it at least has a go.

The Quantum's a lot better at accelerated deco than the Vytec.

Of course what you really want is a nice Cochran, but they're not 140 quid.

Jason

[Mal Bridgeman]

I think most divers go through different phases during their diving careers and want/need different things at different times.

As a brand new diver whilst under instruction, tables, a depth gauge and a watch are more than adequate.

Once qualified, then a computer, which can help with NDLs, can be a very useful training aid, especially when used in combination with PC software so you can download and review a dive profile and see what can be done to improve ascents, for example, or see your SAC improving.

Nudging into deco as is the norm in the UK with it's largely square profiles can normally be done safely on a computer because the dive computers are pretty conservative. My first computer was very hard to get into deco and even if I did, it cleared pretty quickly, whereas the computers of today tend to register deco pretty quickly and off gas all too slowly.

Once you are at the point of wanting to accelerate your deco, or your deco goes beyond 10-15mins, then really you are in a new realm and need more information to do this kind of diving safely. What you quickly realise is that the models in recreational dive computers don't really cut the mustard and so you go into the range of gas switching computers (which are all very expensive, it seems) or ironically enough precut dive plans from PCs monitored by bottom timers and depth gauges, or, just use a bottom timer/ depth gauge with a few simple mental calculations that can be done during the dive.

So depending on where you are in that journey will dictate the best choice for you ..... one thing I would advise against is thinking you can future proof your needs .... you can't .... the VR3 was hailed as the only computer you'll ever need because it was software upgradable, till it needed a hardware upgrade.

So buy something that's adequate for what you are currently doing .... the vyper or gekko is probably the best choice, then re-evaluate your needs when you get to the next stage would be my advice.

HTH
Mal

[Waskey]

If you're going to buy a computer that can deal with a gas switch, spend some proper money. As was mentioned earlier, when you get into that world, things can change quickly. That then means your computer becomes obsolete again. Then more expense.
I would buy a gekko or something similar. From what you have said, seems it'll do the job you need it to do. Then you can do some diving and work out what you need a computer to do.
I'm not saying to buy a VR3 or anything similar. That's an investment so I would wait to find out what you need.

[gobfish1]

Originally Posted by JasonP

Why don't they make good bottom and depth timers? They've got a perfectly good gauge mode and a reset button on the back, so you can use them in gauge mode one day and computer mode the next. Not that you would ever want to do this, you understand.

The Quantum's a lot better at accelerated deco than the Vytec.

Of course what you really want is a nice Cochran, but they're not 140 quid.

Jason

The Quantum ant better ,, if you want to dive 3 gas s or you want to run ppo2 over 1.4 its beep beep beep or not working not working ,,,

Cochran ha ha no i wont say a word ,,, as i ant dived one ,
but then again i dont think i would want to ,

[Ricky2703]

Originally Posted by RobbieS

Cheers Ricky,

I guess I'll just stick to the good old bottom timer and 88s for now then.

Robbie
Get a dive computer it is an essential bit of kit, I got one before I got my regs. In my opinion Sunnto is better than Apex. Look at this thread lots of posts saying how quick Apex replaced their defective computer. The point I was trying to make was get a good basic one, it will last you. When you need or want gas switching Apex and Sunnto won't do.
Ricky

[weazelz]

Originally Posted by Ricky2703

When you need or want gas switching Apex and Sunnto won't do.
Ricky

the Vytec you sold me is working very nicely, thanks for asking