Mares

Mares Quad Air

An air-integrated wrist computer with a roomy, easy-read screen.

Open BLE sync (libdivecomputer)

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

Mares Quad Air
3.2Comparison Score
$370
Released—
Max depth rating150m
AlgorithmRGBM Mares-Wienke (10 tissue)
Air integrationwireless
Wireless—
DisplayLarge segmented display with mineral glass, roughly 1.5x2.25in
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, easy-to-read segmented screen
  • Optional LED wireless transmitter for tank pressure and remaining bottom time
  • Up to 3 gas mixes (air and nitrox blends)
Cons
  • No digital compass
  • Uses Mares's older RGBM algorithm rather than Bühlmann ZH-L16C
  • No Bluetooth app sync on the base model
Diver community sentiment
Mostly positive

Across several Scubaboard threads, divers consistently praise the Quad Air's large, easy-to-read display, rugged build, simple four-button navigation, and strong value for an air-integrated computer, cheaper than Shearwater or Aqualung alternatives. Owners report it holding up well over 100+ dives with no major failures. Recurring complaints center on the wireless transmitter/Bluetooth link: some divers in cold water needed hose extensions to stop pressure-related transmitter faults, and others reported spurious low-battery warnings or flaky app syncing. A few threads note the computer is dated relative to newer Mares models, using a monochrome screen and RGBM rather than Bühlmann, though posters generally agree this isn't a functional problem for recreational diving.

Scubaboard: Quad Air owner opinionsScubaboard: Quad Air value discussionScubaboard: Quad Air vs newer Mares models

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 Air pairs Mares’s older RGBM-based algorithm with an oversized, easy-to-read display and optional LED wireless air integration. It’s since been superseded in Mares’s lineup by the Quad Ci, which adds a Bühlmann algorithm and digital compass, but the Quad Air is still sold as a lower-cost air-integrated option.