Casio depth gauge watches

[aquatelier]

Hey there,

I was looking for a moderately priced depth gauge - I figured a Suunto is too expensive and an analogue gauge doesn't have enough features.

I checked out this link:

http://world.casio.com/euro/wat/new_products/top_body02.html

What do you think of the MRS-300 / MRS-300D ? Is it a tool or a toy ? Does anyone have any experience with any of the casio depth gauge watches ??

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated !!!

Cheers,
Paul

 

[primoz kosak]

Six years ago I bought Apollo Sun Fish digital diving watch. Casio has similar or same model like Sun Fish. It costs around 300 DEM. For me for freediving is yust enough. It has total and current dive time, max. and current depth, but it has no warnings or alarms about the time or depth limits wich is quite important for freediving.
In our country, we like to say: "little money, little music"!

 

[cjborgert]

Cheap substitutes

I checked out the Casios you listed but cannot find any shops locally that carry them. I'd like to see one, 'cause I'm as bad as the next guy . . . always interested in a better gadget.

One thing that concerns me with all of these - the Suunto Mosquito, Citizen watches, Casios - is whether my aging eyes could actually make out the depth and time function readings underwater in limited light (like in a dark cavern with a bright flashlight shining on the face).

I've found that a UWATEC depth gauge purchased cheap on eBay and a Timex Ironman give me most of the features I would like and all the essentials (time warning alarrm; chronograph; a bright light on the face of the watch, and a depth gauge with max depth reading I can actually see) for $a total of $75.00 Granted, this requires two gadgets instead of one; the depth gauge is a bit bulky; I don't have a depth warning alarm; and, I can't chart my dives or upload to a computer.

But, I'm not sure I really want to get that scientific about this anyway. Next thing you know, I'd need a statistics consult to help me decide whether this month's dives were significanlty better than last month's and whether I do statistically significantly better when I descend at one rate versus another. . . AAAHHHHHH! I freedive to get away from all that!!!

 

[fjohnson]

inexpensive watch/depth gauge

I have a Casio Weather Station / Barometer watch from R.E.I. (usually listed in their spring sale catalog) for around $55 U.S.. they give present depth and maximum depth and that's it. Until I read the manual on the Casio nothing said anything about it working as a depth gauge. .. now I have a suunto mosquito.. the mosquito is great but the Casio served me well for a few years now.

 

[aquatelier]

Casio DEP610C

Just letting you know I ended up getting a Casio DEP610C. It is really a diving watch rather than a freediving watch, but still has enough features to make it useful to me:

Current depth and max depth (to 80m)
Dive time (automatic stop/start)
EL light
Sturdy stainless steel case
Dive profile covering the last 60 mins of submersion

All this for under US$100 on ebay (they ship worldwide - my watch got to Australia in 10 days).

Just out of interest, what was the model of casio weather station/barometer watch that you could also use as a depth gauge, fjohnson?

Happy diving!!

 

[fjohnson]

aquatelier,
The Casio that I have just says "Weather Station" at the top and "Barometer" at the bottom of the front. Other than that it has four buttons labeled "adjust", "light", "mode", and "tendency". Haven't seen one for awhile now. Can't find any model name or number on it. Water resist to 100 m. Wouldn't that be a heck of a dive?
Fred