I used to think those fancy dive computers were a waste of cash until a job in Mobile Bay.

I was on a hull clean and my old analog depth gauge got a bubble. The new guy on the crew let me borrow his Shearwater Teric. Having the real-time deco info and gas time right on my wrist changed the whole dive. It wasn't just about the numbers, it was about feeling more in control down there. Anyone else have a piece of gear they thought was overkill until it saved their butt?

3 comments

3 Comments

morgan_jenkins902mo ago

Ever try to read tables with a mask full of water?

gavin_mason3120d ago

Funny timing, just read an article in Dive Magazine about a guy who had his mask ripped off at 90 feet. He had his tables printed on waterproof paper but trying to read them while holding your mask on is a nightmare. Computers might fail but at least they yell at you when something's wrong, analog stuff just sits there waiting for you to make a mistake lol.

grace9262mo ago

Totally get that. My old dive buddy swore by his backup tables and called computers a crutch. Then we got caught in a ripping current on a wreck off Catalina. Watching his computer's real time NDL countdown while we fought the current was the only thing that kept us calm. He bought a Perdix the next week. It's funny how one sketchy moment can flip your whole view on gear, right?