Advice needed for a freediving watch

[time4d]

Hi everyone. I have just got into freediving, and I'm looking for a watch that I can use for freediving. I need some advice as to which would be most suitable for me.

Here are the functions that I am likely to need:

-Depth meter (max depth of at least 30m)
-Updated at least once every 3 sec (or better)
-Dive log (at least 5 logs)
-Thermometer
-Countdown timer
-Stopwatch
-Backlight (important)
-Depth alarms would be nice, but not necessary
-Altimeter, barometer or compass would be really nice but not necessary
-I don't need any kind of scuba diving function (decompression tables, etc)


The most I'm willing to pay is US$250, nothing more than that. I'm open to using vintage watches, as Casio used to produce some fantastic professional divers watches.

Do you have any recommendations for me? Or bad experiences with certain dive watches?

Your input will be valued!

[MG Designs]

Suunto Core has all the features that you are asking except for the maximum depth lecture, that is of 15 metres more or less.
Take a look also to Citizen's Aqualand series.

[Pint of Brew]

I'm affraid to say you're not in luck. Several watches are excellent at measuring depth, many of which refresh every 3 sec or quicker, but log is something that has fallen out of fashion. Also, I'd like to add, if you're free diving most watches will get pissy about recording logs: some automatically assume a "dive" starts whenever depth>2m and stops whenever depth<2m, meaning each time you resurface they'll probably consider the dive over and reset themselves. Current Casio Frogmans have a wealth of (useless) information but only log 1 dive at a time (though I believe they let you specify when it starts and when it ends, rather than assuming surface = end). Suunto are notorious for being annoying bastards with deco time. If you ascend faster than they consider acceptable they start squealing and refuse to display anything further until you've pulled out the battery and reset them: I've seen scuba-divers literally have to do this between dives.

Best watch I've had so far has been a now discontinued Casio DEP-700, which uses the same module as the DEP-500/510/600 etc, it records depth every minute in it's log and the depth gauge refreshes every 2-3sec or so to within 0.5m. It also displays water temp, though only records temp@ max depth. The memory is good for 20 dives, provided they're less than 99m long. Sadly they're extremely rare.

For free-diving, I'd say you're better off with an analog bourdon-tube type depth gauge. I feel that time is mildly irrelevant: how long you've been under isn't important. Whether your lungs/heart feel you can stay given your depth is, and I've never found that related to time. Depth is useful for free-diving. Time isn't, unless you're training for a competition or something.

Edit I must clarify where my viewpoint is from: I've been free-diving and spearfishing since I was 9, scuba-diving since I was 18. I've logged about 120 scuba dives but I mostly just spear-fish with no air. No experience or desire to competitively free-dive.

[Noodlefish]

There are no "watches" that I've seen that cover everything you need... To be honest, there's only one sub-250 computer that springs to mind - the (discontinued) Suunto Mosquito**. Simple to use, 2s sampling and a decent Free Diving mode... but no depth alarm.

If you can buy second hand - the Suunto D4 would be ideal.

There's an interesting model called the Immersion Challenger, which looks more like a watch (i.e. it has hands). But I can't seem to find the prices...

**Suunto's replacement model has 10s sampling, I believe.

[time4d]

I've since found a couple myself by doing some research.......

1. Casio SPW-1000 Sea Pathfinder
2. Casio SPF-70 Sea Pathfinder
3. Casio SPF-100 Professional divers watch

Unfortunately they're really hard to come by, like Pint of Brew said. The reason why I'm not willing to spend more than US$250 is that any more than that and I can get a full-fledged dive computer.

Additionally, I'd rather get a watch than an analog depth gauge, as I'm not a hardcore freediver and I could use the watch for other things as well.

I found this watch which was specially designed for freediving. Not sure if I'm allowed to post links, but here goes.

DiveAeris.com - Scuba Diving Computers - Manta SCUBA / Free Diving Computer Watch

[Noodlefish]

If you like the Aeris, look out for the Beuchat Mundial. Very similar.

[time4d]

If I'm not wrong, that is an OEM clone of the Aeris.

Companies like Casio and Citizen made excellent dive watches in the past. I wonder why they were discontinued. Perhaps they just couldn't compete with the modern dive computers.

[lexvil]

Suunto D4 works well for free-diving, has a free-dive mode, it meets or exceeds all of your needs except price.

[A MattR of Time]

Check out the Citizen Aqualand Duplex series.

[Pint of Brew]

If I'm not wrong, that is an OEM clone of the Aeris.

Companies like Casio and Citizen made excellent dive watches in the past. I wonder why they were discontinued. Perhaps they just couldn't compete with the modern dive computers.

It's a combination of that and market forces: 99% of all "dive" watches never get to see a dive. It's infinitely more profitable to make a "dive" watch that looks like one and isn't than to make a good actual diving instrument (which does not look appealing: how many of you would wear a Suunto thanks to it's visual appeal?) and hope that keeps your sales up. I've lost track of how many serious professional divers I know who dive with a 100$ 200m casio that only serves to tell them the time outside the water so they know whether it's time to go for another iced coffee or lunch.

The fact remains, a watch is a fashion statement, and a dive watch is an instrument. One looks good and tells other people about you (even fallaciously, in this case) and the other does a job and looks like ..... Only the former shifts product in volume.

I often thought I'd look into a more serious wrist instrument for my sea-time but decided that since 250$ is about the price of the most awesome, super-stiff, ultra-powerful and efficient carbon fiber straight spear-fishing fins, I'd probably get 10x more enjoyment out of those. Plus let's be honest: What looks cooler? Another dude on a beach with a dive watch, or a dude on a beach lying next to a pair of 80cm CF-blade flippers?