Mares

Mares Quad

The Quad Air's non-AI sibling, same oversized 3-line display, no wireless transmitter.

Open BLE sync (libdivecomputer)

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

Mares Quad
2.8Comparison Score
$519
Released—
Max depth rating150m
AlgorithmRGBM Mares-Wienke
Air integrationnone
Wireless—
Display3-line jumbo-size display, 2.25in across
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
  • Large 3-line "jumbo size" display readable at a glance
  • Mirrored button function keeps the interface consistent whether diving or on the surface
  • Usable to 12,100ft altitude with automatic adjustment
Cons
  • No wireless air integration (see the Quad Air for that)
  • No digital compass
  • Older RGBM algorithm rather than Bühlmann ZH-L16C
Diver community sentiment
Mostly positive

Across several Scubaboard threads, owners of the Mares Quad line consistently praise the oversized, easy-to-read display and simple four-button menu, calling it well-suited for divers with vision difficulties or drysuit gloves; several report 100+ dives with the unit performing reliably. Recurring complaints center on the air-integration side rather than the computer itself: multiple posters describe transmitter faults, and one prospective buyer cited Mares' companion PC software as less polished than competitors'. A minority view found the screen less readable than a Shearwater or OSTC, against a majority praising legibility. Professional outlets (ScubaLab/Scuba Diving Magazine) independently corroborated the community's display and value praise, naming it a Testers Choice and Best Buy.

Scubaboard: Quad line owner experiencesScubaboard: Mares Quad ease-of-use discussionScuba Diving Magazine: Mares Quad Testers Choice

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

The Quad is the base wrist computer in Mares’s Quad line, sharing its oversized display and RGBM algorithm with the Quad Air but without the option for a wireless tank pressure transmitter.