Suunto DX User Guide

Safety stops and deepstops

Safety stops are widely considered good diving practice and are a critical part of most dive tables. The reasons for performing a safety stop include: reducing sub-clinical DCI, microbubble reduction, ascent control, and orientation before surfacing.

Suunto DX displays two different types of safety stops: recommended and mandatory.

With every dive over 10 meters (30 feet), there is a three-minute countdown for the recommended safety stop. This stop is taken in the 3-6 m (10-20 ft) range. Suunto DX shows a STOP icon and a three-minute countdown.

When the ascent rate exceeds 10 m (33 ft) per minute for more than five consecutive seconds, the microbubble build-up may be more than is allowed for in the decompression model.

In this situation, Suunto DX adds a mandatory safety stop to the dive. The time of this stop depends on the speed violation of the ascent rate.

The STOP icon is shown in the display. When you reach the depth zone between 6 m and 3 m (18 ft and 9 ft) the following is displayed:

1. CEILING and STOP
2. Ceiling depth
3. Safety stop time

Wait at the ceiling until the mandatory safety stop warning disappears.

Deepstops activate when you dive deeper than 20 m (65.6 ft).

If the dive timer is on the screen when deepstop activates, the timer is replaced with deepstop.

After deepstop is over, the user can change between deepstop and the timer by long pressing the MODE button.

Deepstops are presented the same way as safety stops. Suunto DX notifies you that you are in the deepstop area by displaying:

• CEILING in the top
• DEEPSTOP in the center row
• Stop depth
• Countdown timer

Deepstop is on by default in Air and Nitrox modes. To turn deepstop off:

1. While in a dive mode, keep DOWN pressed.
2. Press DOWN to scroll to Deepstop and enter with Select.
3. Press UP to toggle on/off.
4. Press MODE to exit.