Mares

Mares Puck 4

An affordable, one-button puck-style computer with Bluetooth sync.

Open BLE sync (libdivecomputer)

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

Mares Puck 4
3.0Comparison Score
$389.95
Buy on AmazonBuy on Scuba.com
Released2024
Max depth rating150m
AlgorithmBühlmann ZH-L16C with adjustable gradient factors
Air integrationnone
Wirelessbluetooth
DisplaySegmented 800-segment display with mineral glass
Batteryuser-replaceable
Digital compassNo
Gas typesair, nitrox
Gas switches3
CCR capableNo

"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
  • Simple one-button control, easy for new divers to learn
  • User-replaceable CR2450 battery rated for about 100 dives
  • Bluetooth sync to the Mares or SSI app for logging dives
Cons
  • No digital compass
  • No air integration option on this model
  • Segmented monochrome display, not a full matrix screen
Diver community sentiment
Mostly positive

Divers on Scubaboard generally view the Puck 4 as a solid step up from older Mares Puck models, praising its large, easy-to-read display, solid build quality, simple single-button operation, and its switch from Mares' proprietary RGBM to a Bühlmann ZH-L16C algorithm with adjustable gradient factors. It's widely recommended as a reliable, inexpensive entry-level/backup computer that dive shops use as a rental workhorse. The most recurring complaint is Bluetooth pairing, users report it frequently fails to show up in standard Bluetooth discovery with the Mares app, SSI app, or Subsurface, confirmed as a known bug by multiple posters. Secondary gripes include Mares' historically weak customer support and the mandatory 24-hour deco-violation lockout.

Scubaboard: Puck 4 algorithm/feature discussionScubaboard: Bluetooth pairing complaintsScubaverse: Mares Puck 4 review

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

The Puck 4 is Mares’s current entry-level puck, updated with the Bühlmann ZH-L16C algorithm and adjustable gradient factors that older Puck models lacked. It’s built for divers who want an uncomplicated computer that clips to a console or straps to a wrist, without console-level pricing.