Wrist vs. Console

[utahfish]

Any thoughts on which is better, a wrist or a console unit?

[navyhmc]

The better question is which is best for you? I have used both and find both more than acceptable.

Wrist computers
Pro: Handy, one motion to use, independent of your SPG. Used by most tec divers It won't dangle.

Con: It's more easy to lose if a strap breaks, is out there on your arm flailing around so you can get spikes on your data-this happens to me if I raise my arm up a lot to read it. Also to me at least it's easier to bang it on things. Have to look at 2 different guages for your critical info unless you have a hoseless AI.

Console:
Pro: All your dive critical information in one spot. If on a lanyard it's easy to get to. Harder to lose-and if you do, you'll know it immediately. If tucked close to you, less likely to get banged around. You can have an AI that won't lose a signal. It's part of your gear so it's harder to forget on the boat

Con: If it dangles, it will get damaged. Harder to service the computer-model depending. If you do have AI, the computer fails, your dive is over. It it's a detatchable AI, you can forget it at home (but you'll know immediately when you open the tank valve.

I would look at both and decide what type of diving you do and if you can try them out.

[Vercingetorix]

I had a Veo 250 computer console with compass and SPG. I did not like that the console dangled, even though it was on a retractor. I moved the Veo 250 computer and compass to the wrist. The SPG is now snap-bolted to my left-hip D-ring.

I prefer the computer on the wrist. You can prevent it from bangin into things by wearing on the inside of the wrist versus outside. It's easier for me to monitor my assent rate as well.

That said...ask yourself the question navymhc asked: what kind of diving do YOU do?

[CompuDude]

I prefer wrist, by far. No need to worry about securing your console, it's always right there on your wrist. No need to fumble, find, and bring up the console, just lift your arm naturally and glance at your wrist, the same way we've been looking at watches our whole life. Much less danger of damage due to dropping/setting a tank down wrong when the computer is on your wrist... keeps it much safer.

The only downsides to a wrist computer are: Easier to forget it (at home or up on the boat), easier to lose it, and if you need to stick your arm deep into holes or under rocks, they could be damaged.

While I'm shooting photos, I don't have to reach down, grope to find the console, bring it up, and put it back. I just glance slightly to the right at the arm that's already holding the camera in front of me, and my info is right there.

[BouzoukiJoe A.K.A. wrecker130 AKA Chuck Norris AKA joeforbroke (banned)]

I have both. I prefer the wrist computer for ascents along a line- leaves one hand to hold the line and one to vent the BC. I also found the console computer to be awkward for my deep stops. Until I started doing deep stops the console computer was just fine for me. If all your ascents are free ascents I don't think it matters.

I might suggest a hockey puck style computer that can be mounted in your console or on your wrist, that way if you decide you don't like it, you can just move it.

[Lulubelle]

Hi, not sure if the OP is male or female, but some of us ladies have a definite preference for the wrist computers, let's just say that they are far easier for us to see/get to.

[Straegen]

I think they will both work just fine as others have stated. For us newbies, a console is hard to pass up since we should be checking everything like clock work and that is easier with everything in one place. That said, I was warned that consoles tend to cause new divers to drift a bit more and looking down can often destabilize a diver that doesn't have excellent buoyancy control. Also in low vis, it seems to me that a wrist is easier to frequently get in close for reading. If you move into using cameras and such, it seems the wrist mount would really shine since it more or less frees up a hand.

A double bungee'd wrist computer has very little chance of being lost. I am sure it has happened, but a lot has to go wrong for two pins or two straps to break.

[rawalker]

The advantage of a wrist computer is that you can use it with any gear whether it be your own gear, a friends, or rental gear. This means you be familiar with it and less prone to make a mistake.
Even if you should opt to purchase a wireless AI computer it will still function (althought without the pressure related functions) when using equipment other than your own.

[mrm777]

Lots of good reasons for wrist mount...only bad ones I can think of off hand is forgetting to put it on (uh huh...done that), and it's easier for one to "walk off" if you don't keep an eye on it.

[Zenagirl]

I went from console to wrist, and back to console (simply put my wrist computer on a retractor). My old eyes couldn't quite see the numbers on my wrist, due to a combination of distance and angle. Have no problem seeing the same computer directly in front of me at the same distance though.