Deep6

Deep6 Excursion

A budget Bühlmann computer with a free technical-diving firmware unlock.

Open BLE sync (libdivecomputer)

Syncs wirelessly with third-party apps (Subsurface, Currents, etc.), not just the manufacturer app.

Deep6 Excursion
3.8Comparison Score
$350
Released2020
Max depth rating100m
AlgorithmBühlmann ZHL-16C
Air integrationnone
Wirelessbluetooth
Display1.14" (110x110px) screen with K1 tempered glass lens
Batteryrechargeable
Digital compassNo
Gas typesair, nitrox, trimix
Gas switches11
CCR capableYes

"Gas switches" is how many different mixes this computer can be programmed to switch between mid-dive, mostly relevant for technical/staged-decompression diving. It doesn't tell you which gas types (air, nitrox, trimix) are supported. See Gas types and the product description above for that.

Pros
  • Very low price for a Bühlmann ZHL-16C computer
  • Free optional technical/multi-gas firmware unlocks up to 11 gases, trimix, and CCR bailout
  • Rechargeable battery rated for 300+ charge cycles
Cons
  • Default recreational firmware caps nitrox at 40% until you flash the tech firmware yourself
  • Could not confirm whether the display is color or monochrome
  • No wireless air integration
Diver community sentiment
Mostly positive

Across several Scubaboard threads, divers consistently praise the Excursion as strong value for an entry-level or backup computer, citing the same core decompression algorithm as pricier Shearwater units, good backlight/vibration/audio alerts, long battery life, a compact watch-sized form factor, and responsive customer service from Deep6. One poster called it "an excellent buy" and said they "remain a happy camper." Recurring gripes are quirks rather than dealbreakers: Bluetooth sync issues with some apps (DiverLog+ specifically), confusion that the unit only auto-switches into dive mode from "watch mode," and gradient-factor settings behaving more conservatively than a paired Shearwater at the same values until reset to default. No reports of computer failure underwater turned up.

Scubaboard: Deep6 Excursion reviewScubaboard: GF conservatism vs Shearwater discussionScubaboard: Bluetooth/app sync issues

Summarized from public forum discussion (Scubaboard, Reddit, and similar), not a survey we ran ourselves. See the linked threads for the original conversations.

The Excursion is Deep6’s own-brand budget computer, shipping in a stripped-down recreational mode but with a free firmware download that unlocks trimix, up to 11 gases, and CCR bailout for divers willing to flash it themselves. It’s Deep6’s only in-house dive computer. The rest of their computer lineup is Shearwater and Divesoft gear sold under the Deep6 storefront.