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Dive Computer Expert Reviews
Saving Your Precious Time And Finding The Best Dive Computer For You
Dive computer reviews are perfectly organized and consist of fully researched information and ratings of Aeris, Cressi, Mares, Oceanic, Sherwood, Suunto, Tusa, and UWATEC/ScubaPro brands. In Catalogue Section you may compare any models side-by-side and select dive computer according to your needs! Join thousands of happy customers!
CatalogueGeneral Information
Specifications
User Interface
Pre-Diving
Diving
Post-Diving
Summary
Your Review
Suunto Zoop is basic and straightforward and may be considered as an entry level dive instrument.It is well suitable and can be recommended dive computer for beginners and those recreational divers who values first simplicity and easiness of usage without devoting substantial time for learning deeply operation principles of dive computers or who doesn’t need additional features, like Gauge/Freedive and Simulation modes. Basic dive computer that allows us diving with Air and Nitrox, phosphorescent display, user-friendly interface, but small buttons, like with Suunto Vyper case - could be hard to press if you wear thick gloves. We may use it as a reliable backup instrument or main computer for recreational diving. Suunto Zoop user’s interface and display layout is very similar to Suunto Cobra, Vyper and Gekko and also this dive computer can be worn as a wrist unit or mounted into the console.
Copy this Suunto ZOOP Features & Alarms Card for your Reference and Share with your friends and buddies!
Suunto Zoop may be considered as a light version of Suunto Vyper because of its streamlined features and absence of Gauge and Simulation modes and factory fixed sample rate for dive data recording and few other minor things along with it.
Now we will have a closer look at the controls and display. Suunto Zoop has 3 control buttons on the user interface console.
This Suunto 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 and Vyper dive computers. Left side bar graph is shared between Mode Indication, Consumed Bottom Time (similar meaning to Nitrogen Tissue Loading Bar Graphs in Aeris and Oceanic dive computers) and Oxygen Limit Fraction (OLF) displays:
Right side bar graph is shared between Ascent Rate, Battery Status, and Logbook Page Indexing:
Setting up Suunto Zoop for operations is made really easy and intuitive – as it’s made streamlined – there are not many functions to set up and they are all accessible from Plan mode (for planning our next dive) and Set mode – menu based mode where all parameters are actually can be set. During the set up following functions are available for customization:
To access Dive Planner – just press PLAN button during Surface mode. When we did that – dive computer calculates and your No-Decompression limits at range 9 – 45 meters in 3 meters increments in accordance with nitrogen and oxygen absorption from previous dives, if you have any.
Just before diving we activate desirable Dive mode and Suunto Zoop does pre-checks. At this time we need to check the correct settings as well, like Altitude and Personal Conservative Factor settings, correct values for FO2 and PO2, etc.
Suunto ZOOP: Diving With Air & Nitrox
Copy this Suunto ZOOP NO-DECO Card for your Reference and Share with your friends and buddies!
To make a Bookmark of your dive profile – just press PLAN button. This Suunto dive computer saves data in its memory and later we may view it and download to PC. If you ascend faster than allowable maximum – dive computer will give you message SLOW, beeps, and all segments on Ascent Rate Bar Graph.
At certain conditions Suunto Zoop may give you Safety Stop prompt. Mandatory Safety Stop prompted if you are continuously ascending faster than allowable maximum. If you miss Mandatory Safety Stop by any reason – you will get shorter No-Decompression time for the next dive.
For diving with Nitrox we have to set exact values for FO2 and PO2. After we did that – activate Nitrox dive mode, Suunto Zoop will show you values entered and maximum operational depth, according to FO2 and PO2 you set before. Make sure – everything is correct and we are ready to dive with Nitrox then! In Nitrox mode, dive computer displays similar information to Air dive, but with few differences, related to diving with Nitrox only:
To see alternative display with more information - just press TIME button and you will get following:
If you exceed your No-Decompression Limits (NDLs) – Suunto Zoop will activate Decompression mode. During decompression you will be prompted to complete one or few decompression stops at the certain range of depths. All Suunto dive computers have 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. During Decompression mode we will have following data displayed (display layout is very similar to other models of Suunto dive computers):
If you missed correct decompression ceiling and ascended above it, dive 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. If you continue to violate decompression – Suunto Zoop will go into permanent Error Mode and will work as a depth gauge and timer only. If you get that - you should avoid diving for at least 48 hours if you don’t want to meet Decompression Chamber, which costs around USD$ 300 per hour!
As we finished our diving test, we have found out that Suunto Zoop is very easy to use underwater and it has all the tools to manage decompression stops perfectly! It is time to review our Logbook, check out History, and if we got PC data cable and Suunto Dive Manager (SDM) installed on our PC – download dive profile to computer. You will find all of those functions in Memory mode. Below I gave short descriptions each of them:
Suunto ZOOP: What Divers Say
As we saw from our test dives and users’ reviews – Suunto Zoop is user friendly and streamlined dive equipment. Very easy to set up and has all necessary features to make our dives safe and enjoyable! Large display area and its intuitive layout showed clear digits, and it worked great with SPG in console. Not very conservative and precise measurements.
Suunto Zoop is for those guys who just entered world of scubadiving; also it may be used as a backup dive computer, or by those divers who don’t want and don’t need to spend money for additional features like integrated compasses, wireless air-integration, and multigas options.
SIMILAR PRODUCTS
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Suunto Zoop is the same as Gekko, except it has PC interface function. Easy to read and operate and very comfortable. Does everything I need to dive in warm waters of Coz and Mediterranean. Learning it took me one day, sitting it on the beach near the hotel where I stayed. Small buttons, but still OK to press.
I've bought Suunto Zoop as a backup computer to use it with my D6 and found it very easy to use and navigate.
It has easy to follow documentation and I was ready to dive with it very quick.
I like its big screen and all dive data displayed at one screen - no need to press other buttons to find what I want!
I don't have any troubles with reading smaller digits that located near the edge of protective shield, and buttons are bit smaller - but I got used to it.
Quite often I dive in temperatures below 20 degrees Celsius, so Personal adjustment is a great addition to all other features that make this dive computer perfect not only for beginners, but for recreational divers and as a backup.
I found Suunto Zoop very affordable as a new diver. It is also very easy to set up and use. I am very happy with it!