Tech diver issues with Nautic
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So been using it a while now, here’s my 2 cents of features that are not right at moment but could be all fixed easily in firmware:
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Should be able to display current gas on ALL screens. I don’t need temp and battery % on every screen during a tech dive - I do need current gas. This would be useful to be able to add without wasting one of the custom displays as o use many others. It could be displayed bottom right.
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When setting compass bearing at surface, sometimes u descend and it undoes the bearing. I know in manila it says stay in compass view - but it has sometimes reset on me even in that screen as soon as dive starts. This is useless. We want to set things and leave them not have a computer decide to turn them off 10 seconds afterwards. Please change that.
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GF99 does not act/display correct info, it is vastly different to my Garmin and shearwater at all points during the ascent. This has nothing to do with sample rate being different as the information is miles out. With this in mind, gf99 on the Suunto cannot be trusted for tech diving in its current state.
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GPS entry and exit doesn’t work. From 40+ dives so far not one map is remotely correct for entry exit points, it draws random squiggles that are completely unrelated to the dive.
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3D map is miles off, I know it’s not using gps underwater of course, but it’s appears to be not using any technology. Just random squiggles that make zero sense.
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The app is useless for divers, especially tech, zero info related to a tech dive. No deco profiles, can’t see any of the basic tech details we want post dive. Can’t even number dives. Useless.
Is this complete beta product with no insight from divers? It feels like?
P.s. the screen is nice. Good job
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@garyt687 about 30 dives with the unit and you are absolutely right in every point. + add small compass.
Returned to my shearwater teric until the next firmware update, just miss the lovely screen…
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@garyt687 This post honestly deserves way more attention. If Suunto really wants to break properly into the tech diving / enthusiast market, this is exactly the kind of feedback they should listen to.
What’s frustrating is that the hardware actually seems really solid. Big screen, long battery, GPS, nice design… it genuinely feels like the foundation for a top dive computer is already there. Most of the problems you mention sound software/firmware related, which means they could realistically be fixed.
And the thing is, when people ask for dive computer recommendations on Reddit, Scubaboard, forums etc., it’s usually experienced rec divers and tech divers answering. Those communities massively influence what people buy. If those users don’t trust features like GF99, compass behavior, or GPS tracking, word spreads fast.
The app point is also super important. A lot of divers want a proper digital logbook with deco info, profiles, gas switches, equipment tracking, dive numbering, all that stuff. Right now it sounds like the app is way too basic for the audience Suunto is targeting.
But honestly, with the hardware they already have, this could become a seriously good platform if they iterate fast and actually listen to users like you.
Btw regarding the entry/exit GPS points: why are they so wrong exactly? In theory those should be GPS-corrected at the surface before descent and after ascent no?
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@garyt687 When setting compass bearing at surface, sometimes u descend and it undoes the bearing. I know in manila it says stay in compass view - but it has sometimes reset on me even in that screen as soon as dive starts. This is useless. We want to set things and leave them not have a computer decide to turn them off 10 seconds afterwards. Please change that
The Compass Bearing is active for 5 Minutes above water. Then Suunto resets the bearing. I have noted this also as something that can eaily confuse people setting the Bearing at the parking and during walk to the water entrance will loose the bearing fix. Suunto should fix that.But I overcome this by setting my bearing jsut before going under water. Within 5 minutes and under water it remains active and set.
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Hi all,
we are reading the feedback here. Here is one reply from the Dive team that is directed to this thread but maybe also covers others
Thanks for the detailed feedback from a technical diving perspective. The feedback is very valuable when looking into improvements of current features.
Regarding the current gas visibility: totally fair point. We understand that for technical diving, current gas is significantly more critical than some of the default information currently repeated across views. We’re developing more customizable dive view options to better support both recreational and technical diving needs, and feedback like this helps us prioritize planned updates.
On the compass bearing reset: we understand the frustration. In some cases the bearing can unintentionally unlock due to accidental button press or screen changes during descent. Locking the buttons before descent can help prevent this behavior. Totally agree on the expectation that the bearing should stay persistent unless the diver intentionally clears it, and we’re looking into improving that behavior.
For GF99 differences: GF99 is calculated and displayed differently across manufacturers, so exact parity between brands should not be expected. That said, we absolutely understand that large deviations raise concerns, especially in technical diving where divers closely monitor these values during ascent. We are actively reviewing feedback and logged dive data and will release an update to this in next software update.
Regarding GPS entry/exit points and the route line: part of what you’re seeing currently is related to how the app visualizes surface GPS points in other sports. This is already being improved. GPS accuracy is also heavily dependent on when the computer receives its latest surface fix. For the most accurate entry point, it’s important to start the dive from the dive screen and wait for GPS lock before descent. Exit accuracy can also improve by shortening the end-dive delay, since the final GPS point is recorded before the summary screen appears.
For underwater route tracking and the 3D map: the route estimation is not random, but it is important to understand its limitations. The system is based on accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, and pressure sensor data, assisted by machine learning models to estimate underwater movement. GNSS is naturally only available at the surface. Overhead environments, magnetic disturbances, scooter use, uneven finning pace, or complex movement patterns can all reduce accuracy. This is still an evolving technology area across the entire industry, and we continue improving the models and filtering.
On the app itself: fair criticism, especially from a tech diving perspective. Dive-related app functionality is continuously being expanded, and we know there’s still a gap in the amount of post-dive technical data available compared to what some technical divers expect. At the same time, the Suunto app is designed as a broader ecosystem because many divers also use the same device for outdoor sports, training, and daily activity tracking. The goal is to support both worlds without losing focus on diving, which remains one of the core pillars of the platform.
And no — this was definitely not built without diver input
Many of us working on these products are divers ourselves, including technical divers. But real-world feedback from active users is exactly what helps refine and improve the experience further after launch. -
@garyt687 Same feelings and remarks…
In my club, we are several rebreather divers who have invested in this computer to take advantage of the CCR mode since it was announced shortly…
If Suunto wants to break into the market with this computer (which is a good machine), they will have to move much faster on our topics…
We kind of get the impression that it’s a secondary topic for them. -
@Ldive Suunto has a dedicated department for this. So its not secondary.
