# Outdoors > Gear and Equipment >  New Dive computer

## R93

Anyone use and can vouch for the reliability of the Suunto type dive watches and sender units?
Seems good idea having one less bulky hose dragging around but I have broken oodles of watch straps over the years doing less ordinary activities than hunting crays.

Having air integration and relative info in a glance seems quite practical to me and saves fishing around for an elusive hose trailing behind you everytime you wanna check your gauges.

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## P38

R93

I use the Mares computers and have it mounted on the dangly hose thing.

Like you seen too many broken wrist straps to risk it.

Suunto make very good dive computers.

Cheers
Pete

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## kiwijames

Suunto Cobra is awesome. I now though have a Mares. The wrist mounts are a worry for me as my wrist is often jammed into nasty spots.
Both brands make good product. If you want I can send you my Mares for a trial?

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## R93

> Suunto Cobra is awesome. I now though have a Mares. The wrist mounts are a worry for me as my wrist is often jammed into nasty spots.
> Both brands make good product. If you want I can send you my Mares for a trial?


Bit cheaper than the Suunto as well I imagine? 
Could rig up a safety rig I spose if it breaks thru a loop on the band?
Not keen on borrowing stuff like that mate but thanks for the offer.
I could lose it in a bathtub knowing my luck.
Didn't know you dived? 
I have a few spots in Haast you can go.
 I will sit in the boat and see if you come up in one piece before I get wet😆
What did the mares set you back James?


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## kiwijames

> Bit cheaper than the Suunto as well I imagine? 
> Could rig up a safety rig I spose if it breaks thru a loop on the band?
> Not keen on borrowing stuff like that mate but thanks for the offer.
> I could lose it in a bathtub knowing my luck.
> Didn't know you dived? 
> I have a few spots in Haast you can go.
>  I will sit in the boat and see if you come up in one piece before I get wet
> What did the mares set you back James?
> 
> ...


Insurance claim so not much! 
I have not been out for a real dive in ages so the gear has been sitting nearly new for a few seasons now. The Mares computer is on a quick disconnect and is kept seperate from the hoses etc. 
will put up some pics for you but I really like the Mares gear. The BCD is very cool. It was up there with the better ones when new. I'd be mad keen to dive down Haast. I was supposed to do my instructors ticket in Belize before I got stuck on a boat out of Miami.

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## R93

Haast is awesome diving when conditions are good.
Only trouble is you only use 1/4 tank to get your limit of crays.
Yup gotta get new BC and regs as my stuff is chewed thru.
Seen a deal on an aqualung  weight integrated BC sherwood regs and Suunto computer and sender unit that looked pretty good.


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## kiwijames

The computer is a Mares Nemo Air. Quite nice and easy to use. The Suunto I had was an Eon? That was super easy too. I think the profiles in the newer Mares are better plus it does mixed air if I want.

I also paid a bit more for the Dragonfly AT with air integration. By far the best BCD I have used yet.

I like my older Oceanic Omega regs even over the new Mares Prestige. I wanted the titaniums but none in NZ when I ordered.

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## Markgibsonr25

Always have a  manual glass single contents gauge for pressure and you can't go wrong with the shearwater computers . I have three and two on the rebreather.stay away from the transmitter type units for tank pressure more to go wrong more to service.

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## kiwijames

Get the merino lined wettie too. They rock.

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## kiwijames

> Always have a  manual glass single contents gauge for pressure and you can't go wrong with the shearwater computers . I have three and two on the rebreather.stay away from the transmitter type units for tank pressure more to go wrong more to service.


Ooh. Rebreather. Cool

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## Markgibsonr25

Shearwater computers have a Australasian agent here in Wellington last time I checked.if you had any issues or upgrades it is sorted here pronto .try that with any other brand.i believe they are the best on the market.

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## veitnamcam

If I may hijack slightly R93? 

What would budget but not likely to kill me gear from scratch and courses set me back?

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## Gapped axe

I use a hose mounted Sherwood Computer, for most of my recreation and lake diving. Problem with wrist mounts is they get scratched and are also a pain in the arse when trying to get your hand in the tight cray hole. Most of my commercial work was done without a computer, dive super's role.

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## ishoot10s

> Shearwater computers have a Australasian agent here in Wellington last time I checked.if you had any issues or upgrades it is sorted here pronto .try that with any other brand.i believe they are the best on the market.


Concur. I still have a Shearwater Pusuit that I bought to use with my Russian breather.  I ran a 3 cell probe in  the counter lung. IIthink  its been superseded by the Kestrel  which has a colour OLED display or something but the Pusuit still does plenty enough for me.

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## R93

> Always have a  manual glass single contents gauge for pressure and you can't go wrong with the shearwater computers . I have three and two on the rebreather.stay away from the transmitter type units for tank pressure more to go wrong more to service.


I work with a ex NZ Navy clearance diver who recommended the Suunto. 
I never go much below 30m as I only dive for my guts and never go longer than 45-50 mins before I hit the red so not to worried about what I get as long as it works as intended.

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## R93

> Get the merino lined wettie too. They rock.


Who makes a good one? 

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## R93

> I use a hose mounted Sherwood Computer, for most of my recreation and lake diving. Problem with wrist mounts is they get scratched and are also a pain in the arse when trying to get your hand in the tight cray hole. Most of my commercial work was done without a computer, dive super's role.


I'm right handed😆

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## R93

> If I may hijack slightly R93? 
> 
> What would budget but not likely to kill me gear from scratch and courses set me back?


I have seen some deals on courses if you buy basic gear for under $ 1500
Did mine in '84-85 and it was around 3 hundy for the open water cse then.

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## kiwijames

> If I may hijack slightly R93? 
> 
> What would budget but not likely to kill me gear from scratch and courses set me back?


Do a course first. God knows how much now @Toby.
Rent gear initially then trawl Trademe. You'll always find some Jaffa gets into it, buys all the gear then kicks it after a couple dives after it gets colder.

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## kiwijames

> Who makes a good one? 
> 
> Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk


Pinnacle are good.

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## R93

> Do a course first. God knows how much now @Toby.
> Rent gear initially then trawl Trademe. You'll always find some Jaffa gets into it, buys all the gear then kicks it after a couple dives after it gets colder.


Spot on. Seen some good cressi gear with standard gauges on Tard me for 3k tho.
Wait a while and it will be around $1500.

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## R93

> Pinnacle are good.


I like the look of a Tempo 7.
Not to dear either.

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## Toby

I need a suit. The one Im using is a bit short and is 2mm's. In 15degree water I was shaking and out on rocks warming up within 40mins. Plus my head gets cold so a wet suit with a hood thing is what im looking at. 

What are ok brands? Wetti, cressi or moray? Those are the 3 I'm looking at. Also whats up with one peice or two? What ones better

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## kiwijames

> I need a suit. The one Im using is a bit short and is 2mm's. In 15degree water I was shaking and out on rocks warming up within 40mins. Plus my head gets cold so a wet suit with a hood thing is what im looking at. 
> 
> What are ok brands? Wetti, cressi or moray? Those are the 3 I'm looking at. Also whats up with one peice or two? What ones better


You want 5mm minimum. My Pinnacle is a 5/7 I think. 7mm guts and chest, 5mm arms and legs. You lose a lot of heat from your head so a hood is pretty much essential. Moray did some real nice 1 piece suits. You see them occasionally for sale. I like 1 piece but if your diving all year 2 is warmer. Just the bit up your crotch can catch you out in the two piece. The neoprene is the important bit. Yamamoto or similar quality is what you want to look for. It's been a while since I've been suit hunting though. The merino liner in mine is also a very nice thing to have.
How the fuck you dive in 2mm makes me feel cold now. I think I had spring suits thicker than that!

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## Gapped axe

I piece and make sure it's a back zipper, near impossible to get out of a front zipped 1 by yourself. Dive today with no hood not to cold, dived last Monday and Thursday with a hood and never felt cold.

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## Toby

They breed us though here!  :Grin:  My rib was killing me yesterday while diving went into the docs today. Yeah its broken. Bugger

I haven't been looking too hard yet, need money before I can drop some coin on a suit. Are moray ok? I found a neat package deal for not much more then some suits but because of that I keep thinking it might not be any good

Raided some sinkers today to make some weights. Getting a bit more lead tomorrow so I should have enough to make a few weights for next time. 

Sorry for the hijack Dave

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## kiwijames

> They breed us though here!  My rib was killing me yesterday while diving went into the docs today. Yeah its broken. Bugger
> 
> I haven't been looking too hard yet, need money before I can drop some coin on a suit. Are moray ok? I found a neat package deal for not much more then some suits but because of that I keep thinking it might not be any good
> 
> Raided some sinkers today to make some weights. Getting a bit more lead tomorrow so I should have enough to make a few weights for next time. 
> 
> Sorry for the hijack Dave


Your so skinny the rib probably broke from a strong fart.
Steel tanks are the shizzle too. Less lead round you.

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## striker

steelies are definitely the bomb, the guy we use fills them real well. we run 12l ones but then most of us dont run comps, 15l tanks with out a computer and I feel your asking for trouble

just out of interest, for rec diving does every one that uses a comp feel safer? I prefer to use manual gauges much less to go wrong and I just make sure I deco every dive regardless of depth dived plus the standard deep dive first and shallow second.

I run a 2.5mm wetsuit in summer for flexibilty and I wear a second one on top in winter, work better than a 5mm but not as good a 7mm suit

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## puku

> If I may hijack slightly R93? 
> 
> What would budget but not likely to kill me gear from scratch and courses set me back?


I started to do mine open water course in Rarotonga a couple of years ago.  It was going to cost me $399 for the best deal. One place was $500.
When I got back to NZ I looked it up and was going to be $500! I should've finished it!

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## P38

Open water scuba course will set you back $500 to $550 depending on where in NZ you train.

Most of my dive gear is Dacor, generally older but has lasted well.

I use a two piece 5mm Dacor (an oldie but a goodie) suit in summer. 5mm long john and 5 mm jacket.

If I'm snorkelling for paua I just use the long john, if scuba diving I use both.

I also have a 7mm semi dry for winter and dive with a hood.

Brain freeze at 30m isn't pleasant that's for sure.

Still running my Dacor XP regs and a Mares Surveyor computer.

Cheers
Pete

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## lucas

plus one for the suunto cobra, mean piece of gear.

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## Savage1

Just tuck the gauge hose into the front strap of your BCD, that way its always at your guts and not trailing behind.

I've found a weight intergrated BCD as a waste of time, It's easier having the weight in a belt so you can throw it over the side of the boat when getting back in, makes handling the BCD in the boat easier and you can put your BCD on in the water easier.

I'd like to get a BCD with the built in Octi, the Octi pisses me off but haven't got the balls to take it off.

@vietnamcam I did the open water course a few years ago and to be honest it was a waste of money, get a book and learn the theory then go out with a mate. Diving is piss easy.
 @Toby go get your lead from the scrap metal dealer, will be about $1 per kilo, our one up here puts specific dive weights aside.

I never use a computer as I never do more than 3 dives in a day and don't go below 35m, I just make sure I do a decom stop on at least the last dive. But I'm quite iggnorant of computers.

Just my 2c

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## R93

Didn't think you could hire gear or fill tanks with out an open water cert.


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## Savage1

> Didn't think you could hire gear or fill tanks with out an open water cert.
> 
> 
> Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk


Not sure about the hiring of gear but you can definitely fill tanks up here in Whangarei without one, I wouldn't have a clue where mine is.

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## 25/08IMP

Do the open water course as it is worth every cent go through all the safety drills mask off under water gear off etc well worth it. I tend to use a separate weight belt with pockets so its easy to cast blocks of lead and fit in and easy to remove if not using tanks.
I also tuck my gauges under my BDC straps to keep them out of the way. I'm sure everyone does different things but they do show you all of this on your course and more.

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## stingray

Only being asked once, in Blenhiem about 10 yrs ago. Overseas it's alot more policed. 

My 2 cents worth.

The reason there is a heap of gear on trade me.
1) your doing a dive course and it's a package deal and when finished the boat or transport is not as easy to come by as you thought.
2) you do the dive course and think you will join a club etc and then kids, time, weather, confidence gets in the way.
3) you finish your dive course and find your local dive sites are barren as and getting to furtile grounds is either very difficult or expensive.
4)You do dive course (or maybe not) buy some gear head out and get into a nasty situation... you get a hell of a scare and think this may not be the sport for you. 
5)your wettie shrinks and you need to replace it.

I've dived for a bit now and out of 14 people on my course I am the only one still diving. I would really recomend that you be really sure you are in for the long haul before purchasing all the gear...it is alot more cost effective to hire it two or three times a year than have it sitting in the garage. 

I'm not sure what a course detail contains now but all I will say is some pool work and two open water dives gives you some basic experince. Build up your diving confidence, get a good boatman and dive buddy, have a plan and stick to it. Diving is piss easy.... that said i've got myself and seen others get themselves into the shit just a easily. 

There's nothing more alarming than having a dive buddy swimming at you eyes wide in panic and ripping you mouth piece out of your mouth because they've not watched /checked there contents. They will not give it back as self preservation is a very strong instint. Or a dive buddy pull there reg out at 30 meters and grin stupidly at you because they have nightrogen narcoisis.
I could go on about crays at the back of holes, not dropping a weight belt etc.. 

Diving is a amazing sport but like everything it requires to be treated with respect.

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## Mohawk660

My 2 cents worth ... I dive better than I hunt.

I have a sunnto Dive computor great bit of kit feel very safe with it example...

If my surface interval isn't long enough .... The computor wont even turn on.
If I ascend too quickly it will beep telling me to slow down.
Tells me when and how long I need to do a decompression stop

Dont buy an air intergrated computor. As this can happen, on holiday no dive shops around for miles oh shit computor has fucked it self , or battery is dead ... If you have air intergrated thats your holiday dive trips over !!!

If you dont have a air intergrated and you trust your buddy stay at his depth and you can still see how much air you have in your tank/cylinder.

Toby I prefer a one peice it 7mm on body and 5 mm on arms and legs... Ill use that all year round but will add a vest in winter.

A 2 peice is too much rubber for me , makes me feel costrifobic, and hot 5mm on each peice = 10mm total

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## Smiddy

i used to fish around for the dangly thing to check my stats
now i just tuck it between my front bcd strap and body and its right there when i need it

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## Toby

How much are custom suits? 

I've been looking at this Moray Commando Camo Package - Dive Packages - Ocean Hunter

But I doubt the suit will fit. I'm 187cm tall but only a puss nuts 61kg so my weight for height doesn't work out.

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## striker

the uncle uses a top of the line Sunnto seems to work ok, until it shit it self at 25m one day. being replaced IIRC despite being cared for well
the other uncle brought a sunnto cobra 3 but the previous owner hadnt cared for it at all. couldnt be fixed
mean while Im still using my grand fathers aqualung side vent regs and gauges from 35 years ago :Thumbsup: 


the one thing I forgot to say was I have a weight integrated bcd now, when I started (first deep cray dive) I didnt and my tank came loose, easy to slip out of the bcd and tighten up your tank.
Its a damn sight harder to fix with no weights on ya guts

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## kiwijames

> How much are custom suits? 
> 
> I've been looking at this Moray Commando Camo Package - Dive Packages - Ocean Hunter
> 
> But I doubt the suit will fit. I'm 187cm tall but only a puss nuts 61kg so my weight for height doesn't work out.


Thats a free diving package Toby. You don't stalk cray nor do you need the big long fins. Pass

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## stingray

You learn to love free diving though....no bottom time limits no bulky gear... Thread high jack sorry. Or thread split if you will.

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## P38

> How much are custom suits? 
> 
> I've been looking at this Moray Commando Camo Package - Dive Packages - Ocean Hunter
> 
> But I doubt the suit will fit. I'm 187cm tall but only a puss nuts 61kg so my weight for height doesn't work out.


 @Toby

Seems like a good enough package.

However you would want to custom fit the mask to ensure it fits and seals on "YOUR" face.

To do this you may need to try several different models and makes.

And you seriously need to hang out at Oslers more often.  :Psmiley: 

Cheers
Pete

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## Toby

I worked at oslers for near a year eating shitloads and never gained a single kg haha

I may scored a wetsuit, gonna check it out tomorrow. Heres hoping it'll fit

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## 1toeknee1

I have the suunto d4i computer. Mainly use it freediving thou. Nice bit of kit. For scuba i personally dont like it on my wrist when getting crays. Problem with computers with air content is if the battery goes flat theres no indication. 
For scuba a use a cressi archamedes computer with seperate air content. Its connected by hose so less likely to lose aswell. 
I really like freedive wetsuits for freedom of movement and warmth. Once u get used to lubing up to get in it sweet. ( Wettie or oceanhunter/moray are both good).
Cheap gear is to be had on ebay. Im a cressi fan. Or boat show has some good deals if u know what your looking at. Hope this long winded write up helps someone.

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## R93

Yup just bought the D4i with sender unit and some other stuff.
Looking forward to getting wet for a cray or scolly. 


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## Nga

Get a shearwater I've got 2 for tec diving and with out doubt the best out there. Spendy though, not much change from 4k but worth it for 60 mtr dives

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