Descent MK1 - Surface Intervals in Apnea Mode is nothing more than a countdown timer?

I have just got my Descent. I am a freediver and starting to feel hard done by with the MK1.

In my mind the main reason for having a freedive computer is safety; the main safety feature of a free dive computer is time the surface interval. While the watch starts timing your time on the surface after ascending, the alarm function is nothing more than a countdown timer of a pre-set amount of time. Even the cheapest of freedive computers have better functions than this! How hard can it be to have that count down time count down a multiple of the length of the dive. i.e 2x or 3x the dive time at the very least. No doubt in this watches smart brain it could do way more like calulate based on depth and time of dive a little like the $150 SEAC Driver.

Have I missed something in the settings? Or is this really what a $1,000 "free" dive watch gets?

Any chance Garmin will do an update for this???

To me the other "preferances" are surely just that, (while can be frustrating) surely this SAFETY feature is pretty key!?

0 ndames13 over 3 years ago in reply to atj777

Yes very true of many big companies. But keeping your main revenue stream happy is important.

atj777 said:
The problem is that the Descent Mk1 is such a niche product the model fails miserably.

Only thing is if you are going to spend the RnD money breaking into a niche market you would think the cost of listening to those willing to trust you in the endeavour would be worth it, before they lose faith.

0 ndames13 over 3 years ago in reply to ndames13

Below, is what I would suggest as I think it will be the simplest to implement and will be very user friendly and adaptable to peoples preferences.

A surface interval alert based on a multiple of the dive time.
- Currently: Dive setup => Apnea Sufr. Alert => “Set the fixed time alarm”
- Recommendation: Dive setup => Apnea Surf. Alert => “Set a multiple of dive time i.e x1, x1.5, x2, x2.5, x3...etc.” Possibly with a safety minimum standard of 2 and a maximum equal to like 10 minutes.
  - This function will take the dive durations time and multiply it by the factor in the setting. Eg. Dive duration of 1min 30seconds set to a multiple of 2. The Apnea Surf. Alert would notify the diver after being at the surface for 3 minutes.
- Ideally they could maintain the existing as an alternative option.
  - Dive setup => Apnea Surf. Alert => “Set a multiple” or “Set fixed” => “Set a multiple of dive time i.e x1, x1.5, x2, x2.5, x3...etc.” or “Time in 00:00” respectively

0 atj777 over 3 years ago in reply to TheMtotheJ

TheMtotheJ said:
There used to be an issue with the NDL alert with scuba diving on the single tank dive which they have seemed to have corrected with the last update.

The one that says "Approaching NDL" when your tissues get to 80%?

I got it on Saturday (NDL was > 30 minutes but tissues were at 80%) so it is still there. :(