The Vyper by Suunto has been a well known dive computer model for several years. Now an upgraded version has been released that has provision for adding a wireless receiver to manage gas consumption.
The new Vyper Air has an integrated electronic diving compass that continues to work within a massive 45 degrees tilt range. The wireless transmitter allows the user to monitor tank contents (one gas mix only) and gas consumption rate.
This is an easy to use computer that will suit most divers taking their diving up to a semi-technical standard. The next step would be a Suunto Vytec which would give you three gases for a few pounds more or a Helo2 which would allow trimix within the different gases on a complex dive.
As a step up to your Gekko, the Vyper Air is a good value diving computer that is more advanced than it brother the Vytec, which has been around for a while now. The Helo2 does everything the Vytec does with the addition of multi gas and helium for £250 more. I would leave the Vytec out of the equation and choose between the Vyper Air and the Helo2 depending on what your short term plans are! Personally I have decided on the Vyper – and if I do have a go with Trimix in the next year or two I will use it in gauge mode while I am learning to cut my own decompression tables!
This is something people forget – when choosing a computer get one that is ideal for your diving now, not what it might be in a year’s time. If I bought a helium computer now I would be tempted to use it and not get acquainted with the new deco regimes. In a similar way I believe my air diving was so much safer for spending years on BSAC 88 tables before I even owned a computer!
Technical specifications:
- Reduced Gradient Bubble Model
- Option of 1 or 2 minute deep stops
- 4 button ease of use
- Air, nitrox, gauge modes
- Option of secondary deco gas
- Personal safety adjustable
- Back light – soooo important!
I have a Suunto Gekko dive computer that belonged to my daughter before she gave up diving (too cold and dark in the UK!). I still use it from time to time and it is a great entry level diving computer. But as diving computers around the £150 mark go, there are now a few good items on the market and the Puck seems to be one of them.
I have never been emotionally tied to one or two manufacturers but do appreciate the strength of a good brand. I have used a Mares Abyss regulator for around 6 years until getting my twin set with Apeks regulators. I still take the Mares Abyss on holiday and use it for instructing with a single cylider. It is the best regulator I have ever used and has been bomb proof so far.
So I would be happy to consider a Mares diving computer. The Puck is unlike most diving computers in that it has only a single button to press, using a scrolling menu. It does work well, but the only down side is that if you miss a menu item you have to go back to the beginning and start again!
The Mares-Wienke Reduced Gradient Bubbles algorithm considers microbubble formation and the use of deep stops. In use the Puck dive computer gives very similar dive times to the Suuntos, if anything the first dive of the day may be a little longer but thereafter things even up.
This is a simple to use, easy to set up and read, good value starter diving computer at around £150 – 10/10 for value and 9/10 for performance. Its a shame that you have to pay £80 for the dive computer PC link if this is something you feel is essential.
Like the Gekko, the Puck can be mounted in a console if required. Several of our club members have bought this computer and there are no complaints from any of them so far!
This is quite a big dive computer and so the big screen should mean easy to view information. This turns out to be very much the case with an extremely user friendly display. It is only the more advanced features that send you searching for the manual but that is only to be expected.
There is a big digit mode for people like me who are suffering the beginnings of long sightedness! This is probably an overlooked feature for many manufacturers.
This is a sports diving computer which will also allow for up to three mixes of nitrox to be used during a single dive. Therefore it is a great step up from a basic diving computer for those who want to extend their diving range a little but are not contemplating closed circuit diving and also know that if they have a go at trimix mixed gas diving at some point they will only need a depth timer for the first dozen or two dives.
The performance of this computer is top rate, and certainly merits a 9 out of 1o. It is rather pricey at around £450 for the entry level model but a good buy all the same – 6 out of 10 for value because you have to upgrade for 3 diving gas algorithm.
Time will tell if this dive computer is to provide a few years complaint free diving, but if it is anything like my old Alladin Nitrox dive computer which gave 6 years of sterling service I am sure this will meet the challenge. Dive computers of most makes will serve the purpose, but the Uwatec Galileo is set to be one of the few diving computers that excels.
Technical details:
- Buhlmann ZH-8L algorithm
- Adjustment for increased safety
- Deeps stops
- 3 minute safety stop (adjustable)
- Nitrox 21-100%
- Max PO2 – 1.6 bar
- Altimeter
- Electronic Scuba Diving Compass
- PC Link
- Upgrade – heart monitor
- Upgrade – three NO2 mix algorithm
In conclusion a great computer with an on board electronic compass, but very pricey since the entry level model does not include the 3 gas algorithm.
