Catalogue

Suunto Vyper has 3 control buttons on the user interface console. Even if it is intuitive and easy – you still need to set some time to study how to access certain features and program them, and what to expect underwater if you press certain button!

Dive computer has 2 bar graphs that are shared between functions and show information according to mode you are in certain situation. These Bar Graphs have similar meaning as in Suunto Cobra dive computer.

Left side bar graph is shared between Mode Definition, Consumed Bottom Time (similar meaning to Nitrogen Tissue Loading Bar Graphs in Aeris and Oceanic dive computers) and Oxygen Limit Fraction (OLF) displays:

1. Consumed Bottom Time (CBT) Bar Graph – it is graphical representation of No-Decompression Time that you have. As you stay longer and go deeper – your body absorbs nitrogen more and this bar graph adds new segment each time your No-Decompression time decreases. It has 3 coloured zones – green, yellow, and red. As these colours tell you – green zone – you are in No-Decompression zone, yellow zone – it is time for you to start ascending (still No-Decompression), and red zone – Decompression dive;
2. Oxygen Limit Fraction (OLF) Bar Graph – represents oxygen toxicity level when diving with Nitrox.

Right side bar graph is shared between Ascent Rate, Battery Status, and Logbook Page Indexing:

1. Ascent Rate Bar Graph – it is your ascent speedometer, if you ascent faster than allowed – speedometer will give you all set of segments with message SLOW and alarm;
2. Battery Status Bar Graph – all 4 segments mean that battery is OK, and less number of them means that battery needs your attention;
3. Logbook Page Indexing – when you view your log pages this indicator shows you corresponding page numbers of the logbook by displaying certain segments one after another from top segment to bottom segment

Setting up and customizing dive computer is a usual routine before diving in any mode. Suunto Vyper has all adjustable functions in Set menu based mode and below is a list of them:

• Altitude Program setting: A0(0 – 300 meters)/A1(300 – 1500 meters)/A2(1500 – 3000 meters);
• Personal Conservative Factor setting: P0/P1/P2 – to make this dive computer progressively more conservative;
• Dive Time alarm – range 1 – 999 minutes;
• Max Depth alarm – range 3 – 100 meters (factory preset for 40 meters);
• FO2 – 21% - 50%;
• PO2 – 1.2 – 1.6 bar;
• Time Mode settings: time, date, alarm;
• backlight duration: ON/OFF and user adjustable from 5 – 30 seconds;
• units;
• Dive Mode: Air, Nitrox, Gauge

If you familiar with Suunto Cobra, you may notice that customizable functions are similar in these two dive computers.

One of the good additions to other features is Dive Simulator that is a great help to get to know your Vyper. You may create a ‘virtual’ dive and watch how dive computer responds in different dive scenarios and how your dive profile will look like with all displays, warnings and alarms.

When you need to plan your dives ahead – there are 2 functions available to help you out - Dive Planner and Dive Planning Simulator. First one can be called up during the Surface mode by pressing Plan button, and it calculates your No-Decompression limits at range 9 – 45 meters; the latter may be accessed from Simulation mode and it shows the present No-Decompression limits and has possibility to add surface time between future dives.

Our dive started with Air and Suunto Vyper has very easy to read and interpret display - no any doubts about that!

Suunto Vyper: Diving With Air & Nitrox

Copy this Suunto Vyper NO-DECO Card for your Reference and Share with your friends and buddies!

If you want to enter Bookmark – press Plan button and you will get special mark in dive computer’s memory that you may download to PC to examine it later.

It is worth to mention about Consumed Bottom Time (CBT) Bar Graph here. It is an equivalent of the Nitrogen Tissue Loading Bar Graphs (NTLBG) in Aeris and Oceanic dive computers. Purpose is the same – to inform diver about level of nitrogen absorption. This bar graph has 3 coloured zones: Green, Yellow, and Red.

• Green zone means that you are in No-Decompression mode and have more available No-Decompression Time;
• Yellow zone shows that you are still in No-Decompression mode, but it is time to start ascending;
• Red zone means that your No-Decompression Time becomes ‘zero’ and No-Decompression dive becomes Decompression dive

When Suunto Vyper dive computer set for Nitrox - Consumed Bottom Time Bar Graph is replaced by Oxygen Limit Fraction (OLF) Bar Graph and Consumed Bottom Time Bar Graph can be seen at alternative display.

If your ascent is faster than allowable maximum – dive computer will give you full set of segments on Ascent Rate Bar Graph, message SLOW and audio alarm.

At certain conditions Suunto Vyper may give you Safety Stop prompt.
Dive computer displays 2 types of Safety Stops (like other Suunto dive computers): Recommended and Mandatory.
If we miss Recommended Safety Stop – there will no be penalty time applied, but Mandatory Safety Stop must be completed.
Mandatory Safety Stop prompted if you are continuously ascending faster than allowable maximum. Vyper manages all stops perfectly by displaying corresponding notations and icons – no worries about that!

When we set Suunto Vyper for Nitrox dive – we must enter exact numbers of FO2 and PO2. After we did that – dive computer would calculate maximum operational depth (MOD) according to FO2 and PO2.

This Suunto computer allows us to set only 1 Nitrox mix with FO2 22% - 50%.

In Nitrox mode dive computer displays similar information to Air dive, but with few differences, related to only diving with Nitrox:

• Consumed Bottom Time (CBT) Bar Graph is substituted by Oxygen Limit Fraction (OLF) Bar Graph on the main display and OLF shows us oxygen toxicity level ( CBT Bar Graph is shown on the alternative display);
• FO2 value;
• High PO2 alarm (if conditions exist);
• High OLF alarm (if conditions exist)

For more data – just press Time button to see alternative display with following information:

• current time;
• Consumed Bottom Time (CBT) Bar Graph;
• max depth reached during a dive

If you exceed your No-Decompression Limits (NDLs) – Suunto Vyper will activate Decompression mode. All data that you will get after that is related to this mode. During decompression you will be prompted to complete one or few decompression stops at a range of depths.

As other Suunto dive computers, Vyper has Continuous Decompression feature that allows us to perform decompression within the certain range of depths. It starts from the ‘floor’ (deepest depth where deco stop time won’t increase) to the ‘ceiling’ (shallowest depth) and decompression is done between them.

In Decompression mode Suunto Vyper will display following data related to decompression stops:

• guiding arrows (for your correct ceiling depth and ceiling zone);
• Ascent Time in minutes (total time to surface, including time to reach the correct ceiling, time to stop at the ceiling, Mandatory Safety Stop (if any), time to surface after ceiling);
• Ceiling depth and ceiling zone;
• Elapsed Dive Time (EDT);
• max depth reached during a dive;
• temperature;
• applicable icons and notations

If you missed correct decompression ceiling and ascended above it by any reason, this Suunto computer would give you an audio alarm with corresponding icons, your current depth and ceiling depth, and Error notation. It means that you have only 3 minutes to correct you position and return to ceiling depth displayed or a bit below. Alarm is clearly heard underwater – so we won’t miss it!

If you continue to violate decompression – dive computer will activate permanent Error Mode and will work as a depth gauge and timer only. You must not dive for at least 48 hours then!

Suunto Vyper: Diving In GAUGE Mode

And the last dive mode of Suunto Vyper is Gauge mode. In Gauge mode Vyper won’t calculate nitrogen and oxygen loadings and it will work as a depth gauge and timer, also we may use it for freediving and tech-diving.

Dive main display has following data:

• current and maximum depth;
• Elapsed Dive Time (EDT);
• Ascent Rate Bar Graph;
• time;
• temperature

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After we tested our Suunto Vyper underwater – it is time to discover other functions, like Memory and Simulation modes that are available on surface.

In these modes following functions are easily accessible:

1. Dive Simulator and Dive Planning Simulator;
2. Dive Profile Memory and Logbook – very detailed history of 36 diving hours and contains 4 pages of diving data; 4th page is for scrolling of your dive profile;
3. History is a summary of all your dives. It stores information of 999 dives and 999 diving hours and shows the maximum depth reached, total number of dives, and total accumulated dive hours;
4. PC downloading – optional feature that allows us to download data to PC and then organize your diving records, view and print logs and diving profiles

Suunto Vyper: What Divers Say

As we have learnt, Suunto Vyper is a basic dive computer that has all necessary functions for Air, Nitrox, and Gauge modes diving and to manage Decompression perfectly. It is well suitable for beginners and good solid choice for backup dive equipment. You can even place it in console by adding pressure gauge.

During test dives I didn’t have any problems reading display, but I completely agree with one of our reviewers that it might be inconvenient pressing small buttons if you dive in cold waters and wear thick gloves. So, our experiences with reading the display are controversial!

Another 'minus' for this Suunto dive computer - optional PC data cable, but it doesn’t cost too much to be very upset about it!

Suunto Vyper	Dive-Computer-Wizard Rating

Overall Suunto Vyper is very reliable and friendly dive computer and it is definitely for you if you want to have easy, reliable and straightforward primary dive equipment with just one Nitrox gas mix or need a solid backup with competitive price!