About
Diveplanner Tec & Rec, developed by Sensetrails LLC, is a comprehensive dive planning application designed for technical and recreational scuba divers. Available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, the app allows users to quickly generate detailed dive schedules for depths up to 300 m (985 ft) in fresh or saltwater, at sea level or altitude, compliant with EN13319 standards. The app is powered by the Bühlmann decompression algorithm ZH16L-C with user-selectable gradient factors for adjustable conservatism. Divers can configure open circuit or closed-circuit rebreather (CCR) dives with multiple gas mixes, and the planner automatically handles gas switches, decompression stops, and bailout plans. Full automatic contingency planning covers lost decompression gas, travel gas, and 'too long/too deep' scenarios. A dedicated dive table module covers depths up to 66 m (210 ft) and 60-minute bottom times, also supporting multi-gas and CCR profiles. The app accounts for up to six consecutive dives with surface intervals to factor in residual nitrogen saturation. Gas weight and volume requirements are calculated automatically, and divers receive real-time warnings for high or low PPO2, isobaric counterdiffusion (ICD) risks, and deep equivalent narcotic depth (END). Diveplanner Tec & Rec supports both metric and imperial units, is available in English, French, and German, and is free to download with in-app purchases for premium features. It is best suited for experienced technical divers who need a reliable, detailed dive planning tool on Apple devices.
Key Features
- Bühlmann ZH16L-C Decompression Algorithm: Uses the industry-standard Bühlmann model with user-selectable gradient factors to compute safe, customizable decompression schedules for dives up to 300 m.
- Multi-Gas & CCR Support: Supports open circuit and closed-circuit rebreather (CCR) configurations with multiple gas mixes, automatic gas switching, and setpoint management.
- Automatic Contingency & Bailout Planning: Automatically computes contingency plans for lost decompression gas, travel gas, and 'too long/too deep' scenarios, plus CCR bailout plans.
- Consecutive Dive Planning: Accounts for up to six consecutive dives with surface intervals, factoring residual nitrogen saturation into subsequent dive calculations.
- Gas Requirement & Dive Table Modules: Calculates gas volume and weight requirements and provides a full decompression dive table for depths up to 66 m and 60-minute bottom times.
Use Cases
- Technical divers planning multi-gas decompression dives to depths exceeding recreational limits
- CCR divers computing bailout plans and setpoint-based decompression schedules
- Recreational divers calculating no-decompression limits and gas requirements for single or multi-dive trips
- Dive instructors and dive masters preparing dive tables and contingency schedules for student or group dives
- Divers at altitude or in freshwater environments needing EN13319-compliant dive planning with adjusted decompression calculations
Pros
- Comprehensive Technical Dive Planning: Covers an exceptionally wide range of technical diving scenarios including multi-gas, CCR, decompression, and altitude diving in a single app.
- Automatic Safety Computations: Automatically generates contingency, bailout, and safety warnings (PPO2, END, ICD) reducing manual calculation errors.
- Cross-Device Apple Ecosystem Support: Runs natively on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, allowing divers to plan on any Apple device before or during a trip.
Cons
- Steep Learning Curve for Beginners: The interface and feature set are geared toward experienced technical divers; recreational divers may find it unnecessarily complex and hard to navigate.
- Apple-Only Platform: Limited to iOS and macOS, with no Android or web version, restricting access for non-Apple users.
- Limited User Reviews: With only 6 ratings and a 2.8 average, community feedback is sparse, making it harder to assess reliability for edge-case dive profiles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What decompression algorithm does Diveplanner Tec & Rec use?
The app uses the Bühlmann ZH16L-C decompression model with user-selectable gradient factors, allowing divers to adjust the level of conservatism in their dive schedules.
Does the app support closed-circuit rebreather (CCR) diving?
Yes. Diveplanner Tec & Rec fully supports CCR mode, including setpoint management, automatic bailout plan computation, and CCR-specific warnings.
What platforms is Diveplanner Tec & Rec available on?
The app is available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac through the Apple App Store. There is currently no Android or web version.
Is Diveplanner Tec & Rec free to use?
The app is free to download with optional in-app purchases for additional features, making it a freemium product.
Can I plan multiple consecutive dives with the app?
Yes. The app supports up to six consecutive dives with configurable surface intervals, and it accounts for residual nitrogen saturation from prior dives when computing subsequent dive schedules.
