I'm looking at beefing up my scuba gear for an upcoming trip. I take about 2 dive trips per year down in the Caribbean. I'm getting Nitrox certified prior to the trip so I wanted to get some additional gear. I'm not looking for the top of the line but something solid. I've never dove with a computer. Basically the dive ended when I reached a certain PSI. Many of the dive masters I dove with carried a flashlight which allowed them to see better in crevasses and holes. Any recommendations on a computer or flashlight?

I am about to get a new computer after my 20+ year old Suunto Cobra just failed a pressure sensor test. I am looking at the Shearwater computers, specifically the Peregrine. If you want air integration, the Perdix or Teric are well regarded,but I just don't like the idea of relying on a wireless transmitter for my air pressure.

As for lights, I recently bought an Orca Torch D520 and it is very bright and fits easily in a BC pocket. Before that I was diving with a small light from Underwater Kinetics (forget what model). It worked fine, but was non LED and burned through batteries quicker.

I was just going to mention the Shearwater Peregrine. I dive with a Shearwater and love it. The Peregrine would be perfect for the amount of diving you do. It's fairly small, and the screen is very easy to read, even in low visibility.

As for light, if you're diving during the daylight, I'd just grab a nice quality small light at your local dive shop.

any LED light is more than adequate for what you want.

I've been diving with the Shearwater Perdix AI for the last 3 years and absolutely love it. It's probably a little more computer than what you need. But like others have said, I imagine something like the Peregrine would work great for you.

I'm a fan of my Mares Puck. It's at the low end of dive computers, but it does everything I want it or need it to do, including nitrox. I've had it for 7 years and I've never had a problem with it, it's easy to use, and it's easy to read.

Can't comment on the flashlight.

I use a Cressi Leonardo dive watch computer.

Its HUGE but does everything I need it to do on a dive. Its also not super expensive. I think Amazon has them for ~$230.

I dive the Leo on my right wrist with the dial on my inner arm and also use a traditional dive watch on my left wrist. I like having the redundancy of the computer plus the old school chronograph dive watch.

NICU Dad said:

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I use a Cressi Leonardo dive watch computer.

Its HUGE but does everything I need it to do on a dive. Its also not super expensive. I think Amazon has them for ~$230.

I dive the Leo on my right wrist with the dial on my inner arm and also use a traditional dive watch on my left wrist. I like having the redundancy of the computer plus the old school chronograph dive watch.

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My exact thoughts. They are a little conservative, but on nitrox, should not be a problem. I have been using one since 2016 have about 200 dives on it, still going strong.

life expectancy for most computers seems to be about five to ten years, so I cannot justify $1000 for a tool that uses the same logic as the $200 version.

The possible exception would be SUUNTO products, since they built their own RGBM, rather than using one based on the Navy Dive Tables. We killed two SUUNTOs on consecutive trips, so I was done with them.

I went the Cressi Leonardo route for multiple years, and I have it as a backup now to my Garmin Descent Mk2i. For what you describe, it'll do everything you need - albeit a little cumbersome with the single button. My wife still uses hers (she doesn't dive as often).

I've bought 4 different flashlights off amazon. Stay away from the yellow ones that are the cheapest that turn on by screwing the bottom tighter. It has an inherent design flaw - at surface, if it's just loose enough to not turn on, when you submerge, the pressure will cause it to turn on. So if you end up loosening it at depth, when you return to the surface, it's now loose enough for water to get into the cap. A ~$40 waterproof led off Amazon should do you fine. I like to carry two just in case I have an issue, or my dive buddy has an issue. All of the ones I use currently run off of 18650 batteries, so I have a battery charger for them instead of the rinkydink ones they come with.

What is the benefit of a computer? I dive about twice per year. Every time I dive, I go with an outfitter on a 2 tank outing each day. Typically I do 3 days in a row. The dive outfitter has us come up for approximately an hour between each dive. Other than knowing how deep I went, I don't know how the computer would benefit me.

PlanoAg98 said:

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What is the benefit of a computer? I dive about twice per year. Every time I dive, I go with an outfitter on a 2 tank outing each day. Typically I do 3 days in a row. The dive outfitter has us come up for approximately an hour between each dive. Other than knowing how deep I went, I don't know how the computer would benefit me.

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Without a computer, you should be diving tables, the wheel, or the eRDP. Sounds like you don't plan your dives and just go with whatever the outfitter says. That is a dangerous habit.

The main benefit of a computer is increased bottom time. When diving tables, they generally assume you are going to X depth for XX minutes and your no decompression time is calculated based on that. So on your first dive of the day, you could go to 60' for 55 minutes. After your surface interval, you still have residual nitrogen in your blood which means you have less bottom time on your 2nd dive.

A computer takes into account dives not being a square profile. Very rarely would you immediately descend to 60' and stay exactly at 60'for 55 minutes. You'll go down and maybe spend time at the top of a reef or wreck at say 40' for 10 mins, then descend to say 70' for 20 mins, then stair step your ascent spending time at 60', 40', 35' before your safety stop. Since it knows your depth, it can estimate how much nitrogen you've absorbed vs relying on a hard bottom thus giving you more bottom time on repeat dives.

A computer is even more helpful for Nitrox since you can program in the o2% you're breathing and have the NDL adjusted based on that.

Air integrated models are awesome since they generally compute your SAC (surface air consumption) letting you know how much bottom time you have left based on the NDL and when you'll actually run out of air. Not a big deal if your SAC is high and you drain a tank before hitting the NDL, but super handy otherwise. It's also great being able to check your air on your wrist and keep a slim SPG w/o needing console. I'm assuming you don't have your own regs which may make it less of a benefit.

It reduces the risk of you getting bent. How much it helps depends on the dive profiles of your trips. For example, deep, long dives result in more residual nitrogen. It's important to be able to estimate your nitrogen load, based on your specific dive profile and surface intervals rather than following what a partner did. They also help with managing safety stops, even if you never go into deco. If you accidentally do, they will manage your ascent accordingly.

Now, if your dives are relatively shallow, single tank affairs, the risk of getting bent is fairly low as your no deco time far exceeds your air supply. I'm guessing this is the case, otherwise the operator appears irresponsible -- I would still recommend using a computer, but that's just me.

If you're diving nitrox they help even more as they track your O2 exposure in addition to nitrogen/no deco time.

They also keep a nice dive log, if you're into that kind of thing.

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That is a dangerous habit.

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Good enough benefit for me. I just ordered the Cressi Leonardo. I leave for my next dive trip 1 week from today. - Roatan, Belize, Cozumel