• Welcome to the DeeperBlue.com Forums, the largest online community dedicated to Freediving, Scuba Diving and Spearfishing. To gain full access to the DeeperBlue.com Forums you must register for a free account. As a registered member you will be able to:

    • Join over 44,280+ fellow diving enthusiasts from around the world on this forum
    • Participate in and browse from over 516,210+ posts.
    • Communicate privately with other divers from around the world.
    • Post your own photos or view from 7,441+ user submitted images.
    • All this and much more...

    You can gain access to all this absolutely free when you register for an account, so sign up today!

Suunto D3

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.

Nikkey

Well-Known Member
Dec 18, 2005
79
8
98
38
I am looking at getting a suunto d3 and I was wondering how other people's expeirences with them were, any common problems?

Also if you own one, neoprene strap or plastic?
Thanks!
 
Hi Nikkey,
The D3 is a great computer. Dependable and simple to use. I have been quite satisfied with mine. Sometimes you can have some trouble with the download connection between the watch and the PC. Simply clean the contacts well before trying to download into your laptop. The graphics and the dive log are easy and informative. Records and stores a thousand dives, made for freedivers, has several alarm profiles.
I like it because it gives you surface duration as well as time submerged so you can tell how long to go between dives....
Anyway, its a good tool.
Regarding the strap, thats more personal. I prefer neoprene myself but others don't.... I think it feels better over a wetsuit.
One trick is to wear it on the inside wrist of your equalizing hand - makes for quick checking on a descent without changing your profile.
Anyway, I did have a problem with the first D3 I ordered. The battery wouldn't hold a charge for more than a couple of days. The replacement watch has worked flawlessly.
Another fun point, I was using the alarm function and it was set to go off anytime I went below 110ft. There was a group of dolphins nearby and when I descended a couple came down with me. When my alarm went off the whole pod (about 35animals) joined me for the ascent. I think there is certain "urgency" in the alarm sound itself that attracted them.....
Lungfish
 
If you want a Suunto watch, I would choose the Stinger over the D3. It is FAR more reliable. I have three D3's and all have malfunctioned. However, my Stinger never malfunctioned, and it was eventually stolen. I know of only two Stingers which have ever malfunctioned, whereas I know of dozens or hundreds of D3's which have malfunctioned.
 
Huh,
News to me, Eric, however I will defer to your experience. Like I said, my first purchase was a bust but the second one has been just fine...maybe I will look into a Stinger on the next purchase.
Lungfish
 
FWIW, I've had my D3 for about three years with no problems. Of course I like the standard things like depth and time of last dive, but a thing I've really come to value is the surface interval display. I'm a spearfisherman, and without the D3 to tell me, I tend to use too short an interval between dives.

I wear a thick wet suit and gloves, so the neoprene band is essential for me to get around all that rubber. I think its more secure too.
 
I have had a D3 for about 3 years or so and I have had to get it replaced once during that time and it seems I will have to get it fixed once more as it is not registering all of my dives and sometimes starts counting the length of a dive only after I have already passed 5 metres which is quite anoying. All of the features on the watch are great, its just that some of them are faulty.

What is this Stinger watch and who makes it?
 
I had this problem after a few years. Can't remember where the advice came from, but an overnight bath in a solution of 80% water and 20% vinegar followed with a tooth brush scrubbing under running water and the problem went away.
Aloha
Bill
 
I've had my D3 for a couple of years and it's been fine. Having said that, I only wear it when I'm in open water and I do tend to give it a lot of TLC.
 
ive been using a mosquito for a couple of years now with no problems. i reckn its a good alternative between the D3 and stinger.
 
The Mosquito is exactly the same case and works as the D3, just with slightly different software.
I am currently on my 3rd D3. the previous 2 both had a resetting problem (which I think may have been partially to do with using generic CR2032 batteries) but were replaced by return of post by Suunto UK with no quibbles, despite being very beaten up, my admission I had used non Suunto batteries and no receipt- excellent service!
cheers
dave
www.spearo.co.uk
www.c-ski.co.uk
 
Nothing but trouble from the 2 D3s that I have owned and that is why I'm in the line for one of Eric's F1s. Having said that, I haven't had as many problems now that i'm diving in a fresh water lake.....just can't see or hear the thing but at least it's recording my dives now. My CW PB was not recorded on my unit as the D3 didn't start registering the dive until 20m and was never right for the rest of the dive. This has happened many times with both of the units I've owned. Luckly I was on a PFI course at the time and the guys had loaned me a back up unit.....Suunto were not popular with me that day.:head

I owned a mosquito as well for about a year and apart from the drag of the 2s sampling it was more dependable. Strange given I'm sure the only difference is software/firmware.
 
Last edited:
ADR said:
Nothing but trouble from the 2 D3s that I have owned and that is why I'm in the line for one of Eric's F1s. Having said that, I haven't had as many problems now that i'm diving in a fresh water lake.....just can't see or hear the thing but at least it's recording my dives now.

I can't help myself.

Did you wash it after diving in salt water?
 
I once had my D-3 and my Stinger die on the exact same day! I was diving fresh water at the time. Sunnto gave me a brand new D3 and replaced the battery on the Stinger.

Jon
 
example on computer
suuntocourbe8lp.jpg
 
Thanks for all the help I appreciate it. I found out my boyfriend bought me the D3 already for Valentines Day, I'm a lucky girl. Hopefully I won't have any probs with it but from what you have all said Suunto sounds like a good company to deal with even if there are some. I'm excited to try it out.
 
I love my d3, it's bounced all over the world with me taking serious abuse and keeps on ticking :D maybe I got a good one? :D
 
Bill McIntyre said:
I can't help myself.

Did you wash it after diving in salt water?

.....:) Fair question and yes I did. I always soak my sensitive equipment (d3, still and video housings) in warm water for about 30mins after diving. Still do it now even though I'm diving in fresh water. I think salt water even when the salt is in solution is harder on the sensors.
 
I'm shopping around for a computer too that is primarely designed for freediving rather than scuba diving. I already own a Suunto Vyper that i use for scuba diving and it works just fine but it has limitations if one wants to use it both for freediving and scuba diving - it cannot be done within 24 hours. In other words, I cannot switch it from the gauge mode (good for freediving) to the aid and or nitrox mode (good for scuba diving) within the same day. This may not be a big problem for somebody who wants to use the computer just for one kind of diving.

Another limitation is the recording time. For scuba diving computers such as Vyper, Stinger, Mosquito and now D9, D6 etc all from Suunto, the lowest increment is 20 seconds which is far from appropriate in case of freediving (in D3 case i understand is 1second).

So before buying a D3 myself, i would like to ask you guys if you know of any other reasonable alternative to it from other good brands. I only found some Casio or Citizen watches which have depth meter function but are rather small and not designed with the freediver in mind for sure.

:thankyou

Serge
 
DeeperBlue.com - The Worlds Largest Community Dedicated To Freediving, Scuba Diving and Spearfishing

ABOUT US

ISSN 1469-865X | Copyright © 1996 - 2024 deeperblue.net limited.

DeeperBlue.com is the World's Largest Community dedicated to Freediving, Scuba Diving, Ocean Advocacy and Diving Travel.

We've been dedicated to bringing you the freshest news, features and discussions from around the underwater world since 1996.

ADVERT