Mares Puck Pro+ Dive Computer

The Mares Puck Pro+ is a straightforward wrist-mount dive computer that keeps things simple and readable, making it a solid first computer for recreational divers who do not need bells and whistles.

Dive computers range from stripped-back basics to full-featured wrist consoles that do everything short of making your morning coffee. The Puck Pro+ plants itself firmly in the simple end of that spectrum. It runs air and nitrox, has a single-button interface, and displays your depth, time, and decompression status in numbers big enough to read without squinting. At $359, it sits in the budget-to-mid tier alongside competitors like the Suunto Zoop Novo and Cressi Leonardo, and it competes well on display readability while keeping the learning curve as flat as possible.

## Overview

The Puck Pro+ uses Mares' RGBM algorithm, which is on the conservative side — it will give you slightly shorter no-decompression limits than Suunto's RGBM or the Bühlmann-based algorithms found in Shearwater computers. For recreational diving, this conservatism is arguably a feature rather than a bug. The large segmented display is the headline selling point: numbers are genuinely big, with depth and dive time prominently placed so you can check your status with a quick glance rather than a prolonged stare. The single-button interface means all navigation is done by pressing or holding one button, which keeps things intuitive but can be slow when scrolling through menus on the surface. In the water, where you mainly need to read data rather than change settings, the simplicity works in its favour. The computer handles air and nitrox up to 99% O2, with audible and visual alarms for depth, time, and ascent rate. Compared to the Suunto Zoop Novo at a similar price, the Puck Pro+ offers a larger display but fewer configurable options. Against the Cressi Leonardo, it is a close match on features with a slight edge in screen legibility.

## Key Features

- Wrist-mount design with large segmented display - Single-button navigation for all functions - Air and nitrox modes supporting up to 99% O2 - Mares RGBM decompression algorithm - Deep stop and safety stop prompts - Audible and visual alarms for depth, time, ascent rate, and PO2 - User-replaceable CR2430 battery - Depth rating to 150 metres - Logbook memory for approximately 35 hours of dive data - Operating temperature range -10°C to 50°C

## The Good

- The display is the star of this computer. The numbers are large, bold, and easy to read even in low-visibility conditions like the green water off Sydney's southern beaches or silty wreck interiors. Older divers or anyone who wears prescription lenses underwater will appreciate not having to bring the screen to their face to read it. - Single-button operation is genuinely easy to learn. New divers can be shown the basics in five minutes and will not accidentally enter gas-switch mode or toggle into gauge mode mid-dive. The interface essentially gets out of your way. - The RGBM algorithm's conservatism provides an extra safety margin, which is reassuring for newer divers building experience. On repetitive dive days at the Great Barrier Reef, the slightly shorter NDLs encourage good habits. - User-replaceable battery is a major practical advantage. You can swap the CR2430 yourself rather than sending the unit to a service centre and waiting weeks. For divers heading to remote locations like Christmas Island or Lord Howe, carrying a spare battery is a sensible precaution. - Build quality is solid. The housing feels robust, the button has a positive click, and the unit has a chunky, no-nonsense aesthetic that withstands being knocked around in a dive bag. - At $359, it is one of the more affordable wrist-mount computers from a major brand. It does its core job — keeping you safe and informed underwater — without charging a premium for features you may never use.

## The Bad

- The single-button interface, while simple underwater, becomes tedious on the surface. Scrolling through logbook entries or adjusting settings requires repeated press-and-hold sequences that feel slow compared to multi-button or touch-screen computers. - No wireless air integration. If you want to monitor your tank pressure on your wrist, you will need to step up to a more expensive computer or carry a separate SPG. For recreational diving this is standard at this price, but it is worth noting. - The RGBM algorithm does not allow user-adjustable conservatism settings. You get what Mares gives you. Divers who prefer to fine-tune their algorithm behaviour or those who find the default too conservative for their diving profile have no option to adjust. - The display, while large, is not backlit — it uses a side-mounted LED that illuminates the screen when activated. In dark conditions, you need to press the button to light it up, which means using one hand. Automatic backlighting would be a welcome addition.

## Verdict

The Mares Puck Pro+ does exactly what a first dive computer should: it gives you clear, readable data with minimal fuss. The oversized display is its strongest asset, and the single-button operation means you will spend your dive looking at fish rather than fumbling with menus. The lack of air integration and limited configurability mean experienced divers will eventually outgrow it, but for recreational divers doing straightforward air or nitrox dives around Australia — from tropical boat diving in the Whitsundays to cool-water shore diving in Melbourne — the Puck Pro+ is a dependable, affordable starting point. Buy it as your first computer, not your last.

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5)