stopwatch for DNF/DYN/STA sought (min. 120 memory slots, pressable buttons)

[Piotrek]

Hi all.
I've spent the past several days on trying, on and off, to find a stopwatch for DNF/DYN/STA training (at 5m depth at the most, but more likely at 3m max), with two functionalities that are easily attested separately, but just mysteriously can't coincide, it seems:

1. stop-timer memory with at least 120 memory slots
2. buttons pressable underwater, to mark off the laps

I have seen watches with pressable buttons, but without sufficient stop-timer memory (e.g. the Decathlon watch mentioned in another thread here). I've seen stop-watches with memories with as many as 200 positions but not suitable for use when submerged. I've seen dive computers of all kinds (= pressable buttons, no stop-timer memory). And I've looked at the Finis swimmers' watches and similar, which require you to hit the pool wall in order to register the end of the lap -- but crucially, I don't expect to hit the wall, at least not all the time, and hitting it is the least of my training concerns.

My instructor has a CASIO W S200H 1BVEF Sport (120 timer memory slots), which, at the declared 100-meter depth water-resistance, has a clear warning from the manufacturer that one shouldn't press the buttons underwater. He uses it for his training and instructing and is absolutely satisfied with it. My concern is that if I get one, it will die on me after the 10th underwater button press, and the manufacturer will only spread their arms and point me to the "don't push buttons" notice.

I thought that maybe before trying my luck with the above model of CASIO (I'm a bit desperate to start recording my lap times), I will ask here for potential pointers to gear that I will be able to use without nullifying the manufacturer's guarantee in the process. Many thanks in advance for any hints that you can offer!

 

[Piotrek]

PS. I'm now looking at the CASIO series G-Shock G-7700-1ER, G-7710-1ER, G-7710C-3ER (so far, I have no idea if the differences are merely aesthetic or maybe involve something more). This is like an exercise in compromise: the buttons are pressable (20 atm), but they only have 100 memory slots, which I believe translates into storing the most recent 25 laps (it looks like each one comes with 4 data items).

I start my DNF sessions by 10 arms-only laps, 10 legs-only laps, and then 10 full laps. I guess I could skip the first 5 of the full ones, because they usually involve some arm-leg synchronization issues... sigh

But in one review, I have found a complaint about the buttons being difficult to press -- if someone has experienced that difficulty with these models during training, I'd be extremely grateful if you could share. TiA!

 

[harleysevillover]

I have the G-7710C. I think it is a good watch for freediving. The display can be read under water better than most others. The best feature, in my opinion, is the dual timer. For the buttons: I think there are watches with easier to press buttons, but i never had trouble with them (in the water or outside). I did even use it with gloves, before i got my dive computer.

If you have questions about the watch i m at your service ;-)

 

[John B Griffith Jr]

Seiko S141 w/300 Lap Memory, but this is a stopwatch and might not be what you are looking for...good to 10 bar, so probably no issues with pushing the buttons

 

[Piotrek]

Thank you, harleysevillover and John!

I've waited until now with my update, because yesterday I got my new Casio, and today I took it to the pool for testing.
I have decided to include one more factor in weighing out my compromise: time. I simply decided to immediately try the brand recommended to me, namely W S200H 1BVEF Sport, because since it's not very expensive (30 EUR), I can survive its potential drowning, and while I learn to use it and train some more, maybe Casio will offer a G-Shock with an even larger number of memory slots. Or maybe I will find an alternative, like the Seiko that John mentions (nice memory space there!). I can then always give this one to my daughter...

I managed to do 30 lengths during the hour or so that we had allotted, and while my finger slipped three times, I was able to catch the lap timing quite well. The 30 lengths took exactly half the slots out of the 120, used as follows: the timer ran continuously, and I only pressed at the "lap" button at the beginning and at the end of each lap. That showed me the result for the freshly finished lap for around 10 seconds, and then switched to showing the new lap, which I used for resting (and made sure to rest around a minute, so that I could then clearly see the difference in the log, between the actual laps, and the virtual, resting laps; I made 2-minute breaks when switching from legs to arms to full DNF, so that I could later be sure that I don't confuse the results when I put them down from the log). In other words, one can capture the lap times for 60 "real" laps with the Casio Sport used in this way, while the G-Shock would/should suffice for 50 laps -- not bad at all. Given that, the Seiko sounds like an instrument for very advanced trainings.

I hope the information that we've left here is going to be useful to someone else as well.
And I'll be sure to dig up this thread and update it if my Casio meets its underwater doom too soon... ;-)