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trux
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   Topic: Comparative review of freedving computers
Posted: 21 May 2010 at 21:46 |
I assembled data about 32 diving computers with freediving mode. Some of them are pure freediving-only computers, others are scuba computers with dedicated freedive mode, and there are also some tech diving computers with freediving mode.
And of course, the Suunto computers could not be missing in the review, so you can find there also the D3, Mosquito, Stinger, and D4. You can see them all four side by side here:
If you find any errors, or can fill in some of the missing data (for example the date they were first released), or if you know about other Suunto computers with freediving mode (not just a simple gauge mode though), please post here, or send me a Private Message.
Of course, you can compare the Suuntos also with other computers, and it could provide helpful also to Suunto's developers, because some of the competitor products indeed offer much richer functionality. Personally I find it pity Suunto does not offer yet any diving computer with a heart rate monitor like Uwatec does. Suunto has both technologies in house, so it is quite sad it was not them who came the first with the combination to the market. Let's hope we'll see such a product soon, and let's hope it will support freedivers too.
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copperlap
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Posted: 18 Jun 2010 at 02:26 |
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Heart rate monitor? I have a Uwatec air z o2 with it and it's bogus. All the computer does is monitor the breathing rate and adjust the heart rate accordingly. It's what we call smoke and mirrors. Other than that thanks for the comparo.
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trux
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Posted: 18 Jun 2010 at 02:43 |
It is not bogus at all. For freedivers, having a heart rate monitor is a very vital information for the training analysis. In the dive profiles, you can see when your diving response kicked in, and can adjust your strategy, or modify the training. That's very important even at dynamic (horizontal) and static disciplines, but there you can get plenty of cheaper HR monitors. For depth disciplines, it is hard to find one that can be submerged more than a few meters. The one of Galileo is the first one I am aware of that is waterproof to 120 meters, and on request filled with oil to make it waterproof even to 300 meter (for example they did one such for Herbert Nitsch's training for his 300+ meter future attempt).
If it only had also a pulse oximeter, it would be even better.
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copperlap
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Posted: 19 Jun 2010 at 21:00 |
When I said bogus I didn't mean having the feature but that it doesn't work as a true heart rate monitor. The air z o2 doesn't really monitor the heart beats but the amount of air consummed per minute and adjusts accordingly.
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trux
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Posted: 19 Jun 2010 at 21:33 |
I do not have any Uwatec Air z O2 in my review. There are only Uwatec Galileos, and they do have a true heart rate monitor. The sensor is in a separate belt, but the evaluation, and loggng is in the computer. As I wrote, the belt is waterproof to 120m, and on request can be made waterproof to 300m.
And if I remember well, in scuba mode, the HR is then used also to calculate your air consumption, and possibly also to adjust the N2 saturation curves.
AFAIK, there is no other computer on the market offering this feature. To me it is surprising Suunto did not come with the idea first, because unlike all other manufacturers of diving computers, they have both technologies in house.
Alone for freediving it is priceless, but very valueable for scuba and tech divers too.
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copperlap
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Posted: 22 Jun 2010 at 05:57 |
Trux, you are taking things too literal. Your reviews are great, I was just commenting on my Uwatec which tots having a heart rate monitor but in fact it's just monitoring your breathing rate and adjusting accordingly. It doesn't have a separate piece which picks up the heart beats.
In scuba I would rather have an oxygen sensor in-line of the regulator so I know exactly what percentage of o2 I'm breathing. Breathing heavy or not, the nitrogen loading will be at a certain rate compared to the oxygen level.
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trux
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Posted: 22 Jun 2010 at 13:38 |
Literal or not, when you claim that Uwatec's heart rate monitor is bogus based on your experience with another computer that is not part of the review, it is necessary to explain that the HR monitor in Uwatec Galileo is not bogus at all, otherwise everyone who reads this thread will come to the conclusion that there is in fact no HR monitor, which is definitely not true. The HR monitor is there, it is not bogus, and it is the most desirable extension a freediver can wish at a computer (apart from a more complete pulse-oximeter as I wrote).
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copperlap
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Posted: 23 Jun 2010 at 05:03 |
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So you see my point, not all computers have a legitimate HR monitor, so people need to do more research to make sure what ever dive/freedive computer they buy, is the right one for them. I guess the original statement you made about Uwatec should have indicated a model name with it since I was thinking air z o2 and you were thinking Galileo.
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