Sport Products
As avid divers, we all know how crucial accurate pressure readings are for safe and enjoyable dives. A reliable dive gauge is an indispensable piece of equipment that provides peace of mind underwater and helps prevent potentially dangerous situations. Enter the Blackburn Honest Digital Pressure Gauge, a sleek, durable, and highly accurate device designed to elevate your diving experience. In this comprehensive review, well explore every facet of the Blackburn Honest, from its design and durability to its accuracy and user-friendliness. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting out in scuba diving, this gauge is worth considering as an upgrade to your gear.
The first thing you notice about the Blackburn Honest Digital Pressure Gauge is its modern aesthetic. It features a slim profile with rounded edges and a large, easy-to-read display. The gauge itself has a robust aluminum housing that's both lightweight and durable perfect for resisting impacts and corrosion in harsh underwater environments. The face of the gauge showcases a clear LCD screen that displays pressure readings in PSI or BAR (user selectable). Its backlit with bright LED lights, making it easy to read even in low-light conditions. The buttons are large and responsive, allowing you to navigate through settings quickly and easily without fumbling around underwater. The Blackburn Honest has two connection options: a standard 7/16" male thread for connecting to your first stage regulator or an optional hose adapter that allows you to connect it to your octopus or alternate air source. This versatility makes it compatible with almost any dive setup, ensuring you can always have pressure readings readily available.
Blackburn has a reputation for producing high-quality diving equipment, and the Honest Digital Pressure Gauge is no exception. The aluminum housing is CNC machined and anodized to protect against scratches and corrosion. The gauge also boasts an impressive 300 meters (1000 feet) water resistance rating more than adequate for recreational or technical dives. The LCD screen is protected by a thick layer of scratch-resistant glass, which helps prevent damage from accidental impacts with rocks or other underwater obstacles. Blackburn even includes a silicone boot to further protect the gauge during transport and storage. While I haven't subjected my Honest Digital Pressure Gauge to extreme conditions (yet!), I have handled it roughly on numerous dives without any noticeable wear or tear. The overall build quality is top-notch, giving me confidence that this gauge will last for many years of diving adventures.
The most important aspect of any dive gauge is its accuracy. Thankfully, the Blackburn Honest excels in this area. It utilizes a high-quality pressure sensor and sophisticated electronics to provide precise readings within 0.5 PSI (0.3 BAR). This level of accuracy surpasses that of many competing digital gauges on the market, providing you with confidence that your pressure readings are reliable. The gauge is incredibly responsive too it updates pressure readings every second, ensuring you're always aware of any changes in tank pressure. It also features a low-pressure alarm (user selectable) that alerts you when your tank pressure drops below a set level, preventing unexpected out-of-air situations. Furthermore, the Blackburn Honest Digital Pressure Gauge offers depth compensation for accurate readings at various depths. This is particularly important because air expands as it ascends, and failing to account for this can result in inaccurate pressure readings if using a non-compensated gauge. During my dives with the Honest, I've compared its readings against those of other gauges on my dive buddy's console, and they consistently matched or were within a PSI or two well within acceptable limits. This level of accuracy is simply outstanding for a digital pressure gauge in this price range.
The large LCD screen with bright LED backlighting ensures excellent readability even in the darkest depths. The display clearly shows your current tank pressure, depth, dive time, and remaining airtime (based on average consumption). Navigating through menus is simple thanks to the intuitive button layout. You can easily switch between PSI/BAR units, adjust alarm settings, and access other advanced features like max depth recording and low-battery indication. The buttons are also designed to be operated with gloves on, which is a crucial feature for cold water divers. While some digital gauges require multiple clicks or complex sequences of button presses to change settings, the Blackburn Honest makes it remarkably easy. It's clear that usability was a top priority during its design phase.
The Blackburn Honest Digital Pressure Gauge has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from users online. Many divers praise its accuracy, durability, and ease of use. Here are some excerpts from customer feedback:
The Blackburn Honest Digital Pressure Gauge is competitively priced at around $150 - $200 USD. This puts it in the mid-range of digital pressure gauges, but its superior accuracy and build quality justify the slightly higher cost. While you can find cheaper digital gauges on the market, many of them lack the precision or durability of the Blackburn Honest. Investing a bit more upfront for a gauge that will last for years (and potentially save your life) is definitely worth it in my opinion.
In conclusion, the Blackburn Honest Digital Pressure Gauge is an excellent choice for divers looking to upgrade their gear or purchase their first digital pressure gauge. Its accurate readings, durable construction, and user-friendly interface make it a standout product in its category.
The Blackburn Honest Digital Pressure Gauge is a high-quality, reliable gauge designed for divers and snorkelers to monitor their depth and air pressure during underwater adventures. It's an essential piece of diving gear that provides accurate readings in both metric and imperial units. This gauge helps ensure safety by providing real-time information about your remaining air supply and the depths you are reaching.
A digital pressure gauge offers several advantages over traditional analog gauges, including greater accuracy, easier readability (especially in low light conditions), and longer battery life. The Blackburn Honest Digital Pressure Gauge is particularly useful as it provides immediate feedback on air consumption rate, helping you manage your dives more efficiently and safely.
Yes! The Blackburn Honest Digital Pressure Gauge is user-friendly and ideal for both beginner and experienced divers alike. Its clear digital display makes it easy to read even in murky water conditions. The gauge also provides audible alerts when air pressure gets low, ensuring you never run out of air unexpectedly.
This gauge boasts a large, backlit LCD screen for excellent visibility underwater. It offers dual scale readings (PSI and BAR), along with depth and ascent/descent rate indicators. It also has a user-replaceable battery, low battery indicator, audible alarms, and is water-resistant up to 328 feet (100 meters).
The Blackburn Honest Digital Pressure Gauge stands out due to its high accuracy and reliability. It offers a combination of features not often found in lower-priced gauges, including audible alarms for low pressure warnings. The long battery life also sets it apart from many competing models.
Absolutely! The large, backlit LCD screen is designed for optimal readability in any lighting conditions, making it incredibly easy to check your air pressure and depth while diving or snorkeling.
Changing the battery is simple. Locate the small screw on the back of the gauge that secures the battery compartment cover. Remove the cover using a screwdriver (Phillips head), replace the CR2032 lithium coin cell battery, and re-secure the cover with the screw.
Yes, it does! The Blackburn Honest Digital Pressure Gauge provides both depth and air pressure readings on its LCD screen, giving you a complete picture of your dive conditions at all times.
The CR2032 lithium coin cell battery typically lasts for over 150 hours of continuous use or several months with intermittent use during dives. A low battery indicator alerts you when it's time to replace the battery.
While most standard regulator hose fittings are compatible, we recommend checking your regulators specifications before purchase to ensure compatibility.
Blackburn offers a one-year limited warranty on their products from the date of original purchase. This covers defects in materials and workmanship but does not cover damage caused by misuse or normal wear and tear.
To switch between units, hold down the 'MODE' button until the display cycles through PSI, BAR, meters, and feet. Choose your preferred setting with a brief press of the MODE button.
Yes, it is! The Blackburn Honest Digital Pressure Gauge has been tested to withstand depths up to 328 feet (100 meters). However, we recommend rinsing it thoroughly with fresh water after each use and storing it in a dry environment.
The gauge features adjustable alarms that alert you when your air pressure reaches pre-set levels. You can set these alarms through the menu system by holding down the 'MODE' button until it displays "ALARM SET." Then use the '+' and '-' buttons to adjust the desired pressure level for each alarm.
The hose fitting is integral to the gauge assembly, so it cannot be easily replaced. If you need a different size or type of fitting, we recommend contacting Blackburn customer service directly.
To reset the depth counter, hold down both '+' and '-' buttons simultaneously until the display resets to '0'. This will clear any incorrect readings and ensure accurate depth tracking from that point forward.
The Blackburn Honest Digital Pressure Gauge uses a CR2032 lithium coin cell battery. These are widely available at most convenience stores, pharmacies, and online retailers.
Yes! A comprehensive user manual is included in the package to guide you through all of its features and functions. It also provides important safety information for using your pressure gauge during dives and snorkeling trips.