The screen really is the first noticable piece on this computer, by using the lcd technology Mares has put a full color dive computer on the market. Yes thats right i said color, when i first took a look at this computer i was not sure what to think, but a few minutes later after talking to a mares customer service rep i was convinced this thing was the real deal.

He started by showing me the different menus and how to navigate through them. This helped deal with skepticism as i looked at this computer and saw 4 buttons, however after a quick tutorial i realized that this thing was as easy to navigate as other computers on the market. One button allows to go back, two buttons for up and down or left and right and one to select the menu icon. Another nice feature of the menus is that when you navigate through them is that you can see all of the different menus to choose from, this way you are not just surfing through the computer looking for the feature you want to change. Once in a select menu you then see all of the choices provided under that menu, once again you can just go down to the setting you wish to change and select the item you wish to change without having to go through other settings.

One of the newer features on the Icon HD is a compass built right into the computer. Now i will say this, I am skeptical of all computers that use a compass, some people can seem to get them to work great others not so well, we will have to wait and see if mares has provided us with a proper digital compass.

Another nice feature of this computer is that the screen is massive, throwing out tons of information for the diver to see such as a large ascent rate indicator, a top section with the no decompression time remaining and current depth. Other screens are available for the diver to look at include a graph of the dive profile and a map of the dive area if you have dove the area before, mares also has maps of many shipwrecks that can be put into the computer.

The last and final question is wireless air integration, currently the Icon HD does not offer the wireless air integration, it is coming soon though. If you purchase the Icon HD right now, when the air integration comes out you pay the difference between the air integrated and non air integrated and you recieve a transmitter and a brand new Icon HD, you only have to trade in the older model.

All in all i think Mares hit a home run with this computer. I have tried their computers before and found some to be almost impossible to work with, however this thing is nothing like it. Currently i am trying to get my hands on a demo unit so i can run it through its paces and see how it performs.

Here is a nice little site to show you some of the features on the Icon HD

Till Next Time

Alex

Related interesting posts:

• Mares: URGENT SAFETY NOTICE
• Scuba Gear Innovations
• Buying versus Renting
• BC System, Which One is For You? Part Three.
• BC Design, Which one is for you? Part 2

No matter what activity I get myself into I almost always find myself asking the same question over and over again, should I buy? Or, should I rent? The problem is that it is usually not just a simple answer; I have to take a look at a number of different things. When it comes to SCUBA gear below you will find a list of pros and cons.

PROS

First and probably the biggest, the gear is mine, no one else uses but me, I know where and when it was used and I also know the service record of the gear. Do I want to go on a really expensive dive trip and use a regulator that tons have used before me, do I want to spend money and go on a trip and lose dives because the gear was not properly serviced.

Second, fit and function. By having my own gear I know that everything fits me properly and I know how everything is going to function, meaning that the weight system I use is the same every single time, the dive computer I use is the same exact thing every time I dive.

Third, time, when it comes to a vacation I try to fit as much diving as I possibly can get in, if I have to go and be fit for gear or pick gear up every time before I go diving it is going to eventually cut down on my dive time, which I really hate to do.

Cons

Cost, this is the only downside to owning your own equipment, however if you think about the money that you spend renting gear, eventually you will get to a point where renting costs more than owning your own gear.

When it comes to SCUBA gear it is my opinion that owning is much better than renting, studies have shown that divers who buy their own equipment will dive 3 to 4 times as much as a diver that rents, so if in one year you rent you dive 10 times and you rent your gear, by owning your gear you can dive 30 to 40 times.

Related interesting posts:

• Mares ICON HD
• BC Design, which one is for you?
• Dip ‘N Dive’s Online Store
• Product Review: Suunto D9
• Oceanic: OC1 Dive Computer

Standard Features:
All of the standard features you’d expect in a diving wristwatch are here. The Suunto D9 will log depth, dive time, temperature, and no-decompression limits over multiple dives as well as working with air and nitrox. The Suunto D9 acts as a watch when you’re not underwater and can also be used in gauge and freediving modes, can be switched between Metric and Imperial, and can be adjusted for altitude diving.

Air Integration:
Using the optional Suunto Wireless Transmitter, which connects directly to the first-stage regulator, this computer can also act as a SPG. Multiple transmitters can be used to monitor the pressure of more than one tank which is quite handy for technical divers and for instructors who might want to monitors their student’s air consumption.

Multiple-Gas Mixes:
The Suunto D9 can handle up the three different gas mixes containing 21-100% oxygen and even allows you to switch gases during the dive. This feature makes the Suunto D9 particularly attractive to deep and technical divers.

Deep Stop Option:
With decompression calculations based on Suunto’s Deep Stop RGBM you have the option of making additional deep stops or traditional safety stops which adds extra safety. The Suunto D9 can also be used to depths of 660 feet (200 meters).

Digital Compass:
One thing that sets the Suunto D9 apart from most of its competitors is the digital compass. With a graphical compass rose, an exact bearing display, and the ability to store multiple headings the compass is easy to use and superior to a traditional compass. The ability to store headings in memory is particularly useful when carrying out mapping tasks.

Dive Logging:
The Suunto D9 comes with a USB interface and PC software to allow for dives to be easily logged. The dive logs are a real treat, showing a complete dive profile that you can click on to see all of the data at any point during the dive. You can also store a huge variety of extra information about the dive site, conditions, equipment, notes, and even photos from the dive.
Conclusion:

The Suunto D9 contains the complete package of dive gauges all in one small stylish wristwatch-sized computer. The Suunto D9 really is the king of wristwatch dive computers!

To check out the D9 and all of our other products, visit our site at dipndive.com site or call us at 1-877-837-3483.

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• Mares ICON HD
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• Mares: URGENT SAFETY NOTICE

Some of the features are as follows:

*Powered by Oceanic’s Exclusive Dual Algorithm™ – Your choice between Pelagic DSAT (Spencer/Powell data basis) or Pelagic Z+ (Buhlmann ZHL-16C data basis)
*Wireless Air Integrated Technology
*Forged Titanium Body with 660 ft / 200 m depth rating
*Advanced Digital Compass with North, Reference, Auto Home, and Declination Adjustment
*Switch between 3 independent transmitters, with up to 3 nitrox mixes to 100% O2
*Buddy Pressure Check™ allows you to remotely view your “Buddy’s” air pressure
*Advanced watch functions including alternate time zone, stopwatch, lap timer, daily alarm, and countdown timer
*Deep Stop with Countdown Timer
*Gauge Mode with Run-Timer
*User Upgradeable Firmware

Retail, the watch (w/ transmitter) costs $1849.95 but Dip ‘N Dive has this for a great low price of just $1669.95! That’s a savings of over $170! Pick up yours today at our online store…

If you want more information about how this new, state of the art watch works, check out the video’s below:

Introduction:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Watch Mode:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Surface Dive mode:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Compass mode:

Click here to view the embedded video.

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• Mares ICON HD
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The following was issued by Mares Management yesterday afternoon:

“Please be informed that we have discovered a quality issue on the O-ring assembled on the Nemo Air quick connector.

Under certain circumstances, the O-ring can fail and consequently Nemo Air may start leaking through the Quick Connector. As a result, there is a continuous, albeit slow, loss of breathing gas and Mares has decided to issue a voluntary product recall. After intense internal tests Mares has identified a new O-ring of different material, color and hardness that can be retrofitted onto the Quick Connector of any existing Nemo Air.

We take this matter very seriously, but we would also like to point out that this issue is covered by the EN250 norm, which requires a 0.3mm opening in the high- pressure hose fitting. As a result, the hose is designed to ensure a slow enough gas release; which should allow the diver to complete a safe emergency ascent.

NONETHELESS FOR THE PERSONAL SAFETY OF YOUR CUSTOMERS AND TO AVOID POSSIBLE DANGEROUS ACCIDENTS: STOP ANYONE FROM DIVING WITH A QUICK CONNECTOR SUBJECT TO THIS VOLUNTARY RECALL UNTIL THE EXISTING O-RING IS REMOVED AND SUBSTITUTED WITH THE NEW GREEN COLOR ONE.

THE CURRENT O-RING FROM THE NEMO AIR QUICK CONNECTOR (O-RING IS BLACK OR BROWN) MUST BE REPLACED ONLY WITH OUR NEW O-RING THAT IS A DIFFERENT MATERIAL, HARDNESS AND GREEN IN COLOR.

Affected products and codes are:

Finished goods

414158 – DIVE COMPUTER NEMO AIR

414159 – DIVE COMPUTER NEMO AIR W/COMPASS

Spare parts

44200771 – HP HOSE W/QUICK CONNECTOR NEMO AIR

44200770 – QUICK CONNECTOR ASSY. FEMALE NEMO AIR

Please contact Dip ‘N Dive to schedule the retrofit of the O-Ring of your Nemo Air Quick Connector. If you do not want to perform the above service procedures, please contact our customer service department at 1-800-874-3236 for a return authorization number. You will need to provide the unit(s) serial number(s).

NEMO AIR QUICK CONNECTOR O-RING MUST BE REMOVED AND SUBSTITUTED WITH THE NEW O-RING.”

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• Mares ICON HD
• Scuba Gear Innovations
• Buying versus Renting
• BC System, Which One is For You? Part Three.
• BC Design, Which one is for you? Part 2