I bought the Ultra last September because I thought it would be a better running watch than my AW6 and I thought it would be a great dive watch. I've been running with my Ultra since it arrived 9/23 and it is a definite improvement, but I have not had the opportunity to dive until last week. We spent the week at a dive resort in Roatán, Honduras, and I used it for 11 dives. To turn the Ultra into a true dive computer, you need to install Oceanic+. The app is free to download and there are several price plans, depending on how long you want to use it ($4.99/per day, $9.99/per month, $79.99/per year).
In short, I am VERY satisfied with the Ultra as a dive watch. It is extremely easy to set up and use, the super-bright display is crystal clear and always tells you exactly what you want/need to know at a glance (click on the Oceanic+ link to see screenshots). In fact, it's informative even when you aren't looking at it. For example, if you need to change what you are doing (perhaps you're approaching a decomp limit, ascending too fast, moving out of a safety stop zone, etc.), the watch taps you to indicate you need to look at it. This is SO helpful. Everyone on our boat had a dive computer and I'm sure some were very expensive. Having seen other dive computers, I'd definitely choose the Ultra because it is much easier to read and manage underwater. And, once you complete the dive, it creates a detailed log, which it then syncs to your phone.
I only have one complaint - if you get too close to the surface during a dive (perhaps you're passing over a shallow reef), it can think you are ending the dive. I think there is a way to tell it to continue, but I didn't figure it out either time it happened. It's no big deal, because it creates a separate log entry that it labels "ghost dive," and you can then delete those.
Caveat! The max depth for the Ultra is 130 feet. With open-water PADI certification, that does not limit me, but if you are beyond a recreational diver, that may be a problem.
If you are thinking of using an Ultra for diving, I'd be happy to answer questions.
In short, I am VERY satisfied with the Ultra as a dive watch. It is extremely easy to set up and use, the super-bright display is crystal clear and always tells you exactly what you want/need to know at a glance (click on the Oceanic+ link to see screenshots). In fact, it's informative even when you aren't looking at it. For example, if you need to change what you are doing (perhaps you're approaching a decomp limit, ascending too fast, moving out of a safety stop zone, etc.), the watch taps you to indicate you need to look at it. This is SO helpful. Everyone on our boat had a dive computer and I'm sure some were very expensive. Having seen other dive computers, I'd definitely choose the Ultra because it is much easier to read and manage underwater. And, once you complete the dive, it creates a detailed log, which it then syncs to your phone.
I only have one complaint - if you get too close to the surface during a dive (perhaps you're passing over a shallow reef), it can think you are ending the dive. I think there is a way to tell it to continue, but I didn't figure it out either time it happened. It's no big deal, because it creates a separate log entry that it labels "ghost dive," and you can then delete those.
Caveat! The max depth for the Ultra is 130 feet. With open-water PADI certification, that does not limit me, but if you are beyond a recreational diver, that may be a problem.
If you are thinking of using an Ultra for diving, I'd be happy to answer questions.
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