mares nemo apneist

[macmoley]

after a heap of research i have decided [almost] to purchase the aforementioned freediving watch. has anyone had any experience with it and does anyone know where it can be purchased in australia? im finding it difficult to locate a local supplier. any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[trux]

Well, you did not need to open yet another new thread about it, but try contacting the Mares distributor in Australia. The Nemo Apneist is rather rare in stores even in Europe, and the AU distributor does not have it on catalogue, so they may need to order it for you from the European headquarters. The question is whether the computer is still in production - although it can be found on the website of Mares Pure-Instinct, it is not in their main catalogue, and I heard rumours it was discontinued and replaced by the Nemo Excel. It may be wrong though, so you better ask them directly (please let us know what they tell you).

Mares - just add water

Cape Byron Imports & Wholesale Pty. Ltd.
+61 266 857185
http://www.capebyronimports.com.au

Byron Bay
+61 266 857245

Their Australian retailers are here:
http://www.capebyronimports.com.au/45/Australia.html

 

[Dennis77]

I own it since 2008. And I love it.

You have a solid piece of metal on your wrist. It looks very nice. So I just took the Apneist with me during holidays, no additional watch is needed.

Regarding its functions; it works perfect. That´s it. After a short period of time you don´t need the manual anymore. Navigating through the settings is easy and self explaining.

 

[orfreediver]

Have you tried scubastore.com (also attached to this site)? Here you go:
Mares Nemo Apneist. Instruments Computers, Scubastore.com, buy, offers, dive

 

[macmoley]

Hey mate. tried cape byron imports and they informed me that, as of the first of July this year, they were no longer the distributors for Mares as the company had set up its own distribution centre at Yatala on the Gold Coast here in Oz. I have tried to find out contact details for this new centre but have so far been unsuccessful. I will keep you posted if I can find anything out.

 

[orfreediver]

I just ordered mine from scubastore and should get it here in a couple of days. I am heading to Michigan next week (can't always dive the sweet spots right) and I will let know what I think of the watch. I still think you should check out scubastore, I have done many orders with these guys and saved a lot of money. I saved a little over $100US from my local shop. I would support my local shop but when the money is that high, what can I say. I also found out that Mares was only shipping 5 into the states with three going to a spearfishing competition. It may be cheaper and easier there in AUS but it doesn't hurt to check your options right?

Hey Trux I am glad he opened a new post, sometimes we don't have the time to hang out in the forums, it's all about communicating right? We are after all a small group and it's good to find out what others have found out.

-Derek

 

[macmoley]

Cheers mate.Thanks for the info and the back up! Ha Ha. Was just wondering how you go with warranty issues if you buy it on the net from overseas? Do you simply take it to a Mares distributor? Are they willing to help because you didnt purchase the item from them? Or do you have to post it back to scubastore? Thanks again for the help.

 

[orfreediver]

I have no idea about dealing with warranty issues but it seems like I could contact my west coast Mares guy and hopefully he can help. It is still their product so I would think he would cover it. I really hope I won't have to find out.

 

[orfreediver]

I got my Apneist yesterday, so no water usage yet. Macmoley get your hands on one (or at least an Excel) before you buy. I don't know if I would have gone forward with this purchase if I had gotten my hands on one. Keep in mind this is one day of ownership but it is harder to read than I thought, the alarm is really weak and the strap is very short. The strap is one thing I was having trouble getting my mind around when I was researching this watch. I just sold a Geo and loved that I could change out the strap. It came with strap extension and I didn't use it because I really liked the velcro strap and it even went around a 7mm suit. I am also not a fan of rubber bands because of the sweat factor outside of diving. Mares really needs to come up with a way to change the strap over or at least sell a longer strap (I hate strap extensions). They might have one, I don't know yet. I will say that using the computer is so much easier than the Geo, it is more “intuitive” than the Geo was. I don't know if the F.10/Beuchat depth gauge is any different to use, once again I can't get my hands on one.
As for reading the watch, look at the upper left figure of the watch, see the am/pm above the colon-
Mares - Pure Instinct That am/pm is a little less than a mm. This should give you an idea of the size of the numbers, not as big as the brochure makes you you think.

All I can say is volume, what the hell? Why can my $125 Casio Sea-Pathfinder be so loud and my Apneist/Geo be so weak (I did a side by side comparison)? This is an area where these manufactures need to work out some issues. I am not an engineer or anything but hey come on when a diver needs to have a watch on their neck to hear it, really. And come on guys don't make us suffer by only having one kind of band/strap to use (I know, sorry, but I can't say enough about this).
I know that these watches are kind of a way to avoid having a computer and a watch separately but I might be heading in that direction. I really suggest getting your hands on one of the Nemo versions so you can decide if it would work or not. In my area (one freak'n local shop) I couldn't do this and I know this is the way with most freediving gear, at least here in the states. And if you don't need a watch/computer I would maybe look at the Sol/Luna because the Apnea 1.5 software looks like it might be really good and it could double for a scuba computer.

I think the ultimate watch would be:
-Strap setup and readability of Geo/F.10 - the strap thing is a really big deal to me, the Geo/ F.10 has high marks for this, “old school” style which all watches seem to be going away from.
-Usability of Apneist
-Alarms (both quantity and volume) of a Casio (I am the weirdo that loves having 5 alarms), I also really like the usability and readability of the Casio watches. Straps, again suck here. As well as surface time and depth limitations but it is after all a Casio.

This is my two cents and I will add more later if you want,
Derek

[ame="http://www.flickr.com/photos/51906945@N03/4777949642/sizes/l/"]All sizes | Apneist and Casio small | Flickr - Photo Sharing!@@AMEPARAM@@http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4081/4777949642_201b63210d_m.jpg@@AMEPARAM@@4777949642@@AMEPARAM@@201b63210d[/ame]

 

[macmoley]

Thanks heaps for the info.Am keen to know what you think of it after a few dives and I will hold off ordering mine until I hear from you again. The thickest wetsuit I wear is a 3.5 mm, do you think the strap would go around this or is it ridiculously short? I have seen extension straps advertised for them but am not keen on them myself and would avoid them if at all possible.
Thanks again for the help, I look forward to your next message and hope your opinion of the watch has improved!

 

[macmoley]

I own it since 2008. And I love it.

You have a solid piece of metal on your wrist. It looks very nice. So I just took the Apneist with me during holidays, no additional watch is needed.

Regarding its functions; it works perfect. That´s it. After a short period of time you don´t need the manual anymore. Navigating through the settings is easy and self explaining.

Hey mate. Have heard that it has a very short strap and some guys cant fit it around their wrist with a wetsuit on, just wondering if you have experienced any problems in this area.

 

[Dennis77]

Hm. I can wear it over my 5mm Cressi suit, size L, without any problems. I even don´t have to use the whole strap for it. I think, even a 7mm suit would be no problem.

But I have to say, that I don´t have wrists like a canadian lumberjack.

 

[macmoley]

and a watch separately but I might be heading in that direction. I really suggest getting your hands on one of the Nemo versions so you can decide if it would work or not. In my area (one freak'n local shop) I couldn't do this and I know this is the way with most freediving gear, at least here in the states. And if you don't need a watch/computer I would maybe look at the Sol/Luna because the Apnea 1.5 software looks like it might be really good and it could double for a scuba computer.

I think the ultimate watch would be:
-Strap setup and readability of Geo/F.10 - the strap thing is a really big deal to me, the Geo/ F.10 has high marks for this, “old school” style which all watches seem to be going away from.
-Usability of Apneist
-Alarms (both quantity and volume) of a Casio (I am the weirdo that loves having 5 alarms), I also really like the usability and readability of the Casio watches. Straps, again suck here. As well as surface time and depth limitations but it is after all a Casio.

This is my two cents and I will add more later if you want,
Derek

[ame="http://www.flickr.com/photos/51906945@N03/4777949642/sizes/l/"]All sizes | Apneist and Casio small | Flickr - Photo Sharing!@@AMEPARAM@@http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4081/4777949642_201b63210d_m.jpg@@AMEPARAM@@4777949642@@AMEPARAM@@201b63210d[/ame]

[/quote]
Hey mate. just wondering if you have used your apneist on a dive yet and what you thought of it now if you have. Cheers mate

 

[Dennis77]

Regarding the readability; I never ever looked at the Nemo underwater. So I can´t say if its not so good. Above the water I never had a problem with it.

The loudness of the alarm; I set it at a intervall of 5m for testing it. No problem at all to hear it.
I an indoor diving center here in germany guys even asked me to disable the sound because they were able to hear it in the whole pool and was a bit annoyed by it.

 

[orfreediver]

Hey Macmoley,
Sorry I haven't gotten back to you, I have been dealing with some other stuff (read United killed my vacation, thread). I will get some stuff on here ASAP.