Ok guys, listen up:
I’ve had a whole bunch of dive computers in my time. The very first one I got was the humble Suunto Zoop Novo… cheap, simple and easy to use; it’s a perfect beginners dive computer.
Eventually, I progressed to my beloved Suunto D5; sleeker and flashier; it has extra features and customisability – which were perfect for seeing me through my divemaster days!
When I finally became a scuba diving instructor, I decided it was time to level up my dive computer once again; I wanted something that was even more sophisticated yet still looked awesome. This was what led me to the Shearwater Teric!
Now I have it, I gotta say: the Shearwater Teric is one incredible dive computer. If you can get past the higher price-point, this is a bit of kit that every scuba diver can benefit from – not just instructors! I kinda wish I’d had it all along!!
The Shearwater Teric is what happens when a dive computer gets fed protein shakes, rocket fuel, and a healthy dose of premium style. It’s sleek, powerful, customisable to the moon and back, and arguably the last dive computer you’ll ever need to buy.
I’ve never known a dive computer to have such a beautiful display; even with it’s default setting, it presents dive info in a super logical and easy to understand way. You can also customise it to look exactly how you want – more on this and the other many awesome features in just a mo!
I’ve spent quality time diving with this absolute unit, and now I’m convinced — the hype is real. Whether you’re a casual reef-hopper or a trimix-sipping tec diver, the Teric offers more features than you probably knew you wanted.
Let’s dive into why this colourful beast deserves a spot on your wrist.
Shearwater Teric – The Last Dive Computer you’ll ever need?
First, a shoutout to the legends behind the machine.
Shearwater Research is a Canadian company known for making no-nonsense, professional-grade dive computers. Since 2004, they’ve built a reputation for gear that just works — rugged, reliable, and actually designed with divers in mind.
They’ve won a slew of awards, including:
- 🏆 Red Dot Design Award
- 🏆 Multiple “Best Dive Computer” picks from dive mags and review sites
- 🏆 Worldwide praise from technical and recreational divers alike
Shearwater doesn’t mess around with gimmicks. They’re all about giving you the power to dive deeper, longer, and smarter — and the Teric is their flagship masterpiece.
What Is the Shearwater Teric?
The Teric is a wristwatch-style dive computer that supports pretty much every dive mode you could ever need:
- Air
- Nitrox
- Trimix
- Closed-Circuit Rebreather (CCR)
- Freediving
- Gauge Mode
Whether you’re on your first open water dive or planning a multi-gas deco dive at 60m, the Teric’s got your back. It’s one of the few computers that comfortably bridges both recreational and technical diving — without compromising on usability.
Display: AMOLED Glory and Triple Time Modes
The Teric features a gorgeous full-colour AMOLED display that is bright, crisp, and customisable. You can tweak everything: colours, layouts, brightness, font size — the whole works.
I’ve never known a dive computer to have a display that is this customisable!
But you don’t need to customise it – even in it’s default setting (see above), the display is extremely easy to read; clearly showing current depth, NDL (no-deco limit), TTS (time to surface) amount of time dived and the gas mix setting.
Unlike cheaper dive computers; the display doesn’t get dimmer or harder to read at depth and the digits are both bold yet stylish.
Even when you’re topside, it works as a fully functional watch with three time display options: Analog, Digital and Hybrid (Analog + Digital).
And just like the dive modes, you can personalise the colours and layout of your watch display too. Practical and stylish? Yes, please.
Design & Build: Looks That Kill
Let’s be honest — a lot of dive computers look like they crawled out of a Cold War submarine. Not the Teric. It’s sleek, modern, and has a beautiful stainless bezel that give it a stylish and somewhat nautical look!
My beloved Shearwater Teric has a blue bezel – but it’s also available in other colours, including black, bronze and silver!
One thing I will say about the bezel is that it is tough but it’s not 100% scratch-proof! You may see a few dings and dents on my one in the pictures on this page. However, I often manhandle my gear! Treat yours a little more gently and it should be fine!
You can also swap out the straps for different colours and materials. It’s rugged enough for deep technical dives but stylish enough to wear out to dinner.
Oh, and it’s depth-rated to 200m and built like a tank. The sapphire crystal face laughs in the faces of scratches.
Air Integration: Smooth, Seamless, and Powerful
Yep, the Shearwater Teric is fully air integrated.
You can pair it with up to two Swift transmitters to display:
- Tank pressure
- Air Time Remaining (ATR)
- SAC rate (Surface Air Consumption)
This is an absolute game-changer — especially for sidemount divers or those using deco bottles. The transmitters pair quickly, stay connected, and provide real-time gas data right on your wrist.
It’s smart, intuitive, and one of the most seamless air integration systems I’ve used.
User Interface: Shockingly Easy to Use
For a dive computer this powerful, the Teric is surprisingly beginner-friendly.
It uses four physical buttons — two on each side — which are responsive, glove-friendly, and don’t rely on any annoying touchscreen nonsense.
Menus are clean and well-organised. Want to switch gases, tweak brightness, or change alarms? Easy. You can even set shortcuts to access your favourite features with a couple of clicks.
Once you spend about 10–15 minutes poking around topside, you’ll feel like a pro.
Dive Algorithm: Trusted, Tuned, and Customisable
At the heart of the Teric is the Bühlmann ZHL-16C algorithm with gradient factors — the gold standard in decompression modelling. This means:
- Safe and accurate decompression tracking
- Support for multiple gas mixes
- CCR and trimix-ready
Even better, you can adjust how conservative the algorithm is by modifying the gradient factors. Want a more cautious profile for colder water or back-to-back dives? Dial it up. Feeling confident and diving within limits? You can make it less conservative!.
It’s the kind of control tech divers dream about — and rec divers benefit from too.
Rechargeable Battery with Impressive Life
The Teric is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, and it’s a serious workhorse. You can expect up to 30 hours of runtime in dive mode (depending on brightness and features), and around 50 hours in watch mode — plenty for multi-day dive trips without needing a top-up.
It charges wirelessly via the included induction charging dock, which connects to power via a standard USB-C cable — so it’s super easy to plug into just about anything: wall adapters, power banks, laptops, you name it.
No fiddly proprietary connectors, and no need to open up any ports that might compromise water resistance. Shearwater even makes it easy to replace the battery down the line, so this computer stays alive for the long haul.
No Lockouts for Skipped Stops
Another win: the Teric doesn’t treat you like a child.
Skip a safety stop or ascend a bit too fast? It’ll warn you, but it won’t lock you out for the rest of the day like many dive computers do.
Instead, it logs what happened, gives you clear info, and leaves the decisions to you. It’s designed for divers who know what they’re doing — or are learning fast.
Compass: Advanced Navigation That Just Work
The Shearwater Teric’s 3D digital compass is hands-down one of the best on any dive computer today. It’s full-tilt compensated, meaning it still works accurately even when your wrist isn’t perfectly level — which, let’s face it, is most of the time underwater.
Whether you’re hovering sideways, upside down, or frog-kicking at an awkward angle, the Teric keeps your heading stable and spot-on.
You can also customise the compass display to show your choice of colours, degree headings, and cardinal points.
It includes bearing markers, allowing you to set a reference heading on the fly — super useful for navigating a return route, swimming a square pattern, or following a buddy who swears he knows where the boat is (but doesn’t).
There’s even a tilt angle indicator, which shows you how far off-axis you are when reading the compass — helping you fine-tune your navigation for precision.
In short: it’s fast, smooth, dead accurate, and intuitive. No need to fumble with separate compasses or deal with jumpy displays — the Teric’s built-in nav system is everything you need, right on your wrist.
Care & Maintenance: Show It Some Love
The Teric is rugged — but not immune to neglect.
Take note: the buttons can collect salt crystals if you don’t rinse it properly after diving. That can lead to stiffness or sticky presses over time.
The fix? Easy. After saltwater dives, soak it in fresh warm water for 10–20 minutes and press the buttons while submerged to flush everything out. That little bit of TLC goes a long way.
As mentioned the Bezel is tough but not entirely scratch proof; so try to avoid dropping it lots of times or scraping it against hard surfaces.
Connectivity: Finally, an App That Doesn’t Suck
The Shearwater Cloud app connects via Bluetooth and actually works (what a concept).
With it, you can:
- Upload dive logs
- View and edit dive profiles
- Change settings
- Plan dives
- Update firmware
It works across iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS — smooth and stable. You’ll actually want to use it.
Does the Shewarwater Teric have any CONS?
- ❌ Pricey – The Shearwater Teric a premium unit, and you’ll feel it in your wallet.
- ❌ Needs proper rinsing – Salt can build up around the buttons if you don’t soak it after dives.
- ❌ No smartwatch features – No calls, texts, GPS tracking, or wellness features.
- ❌ No touchscreen – Honestly, move dive computers don’t have a touchscreen and I like it better this way but some divers would rather that there was one!
Shearwater Teric vs the Competition
Here’s how the Teric stacks up against some popular rivals:
🟩 Suunto D5
- Both have colour screens and air integration, but Teric supports more dive modes (like trimix and CCR) and the display is a lot more customisable (and in my opinion, better laid out!).
- D5 has touchscreen, but Teric’s buttons are more reliable underwater.
- Teric has better customisation and deeper tech capabilities.
- Verdict: D5 is solid for rec diving. Teric is next-level.
🟧 Suunto Zoop Novo
- Simple and much cheaper but limited settings and huge display that is bulky and not at all stylish.
- Suunto Zoop Novo has no air integration, no colour screen, no tech dive support.
- Verdict: Great beginner computer. Teric is in another league entirely.
🟦 Garmin Descent Mk2
- Garmin Descent MK2 does have smartwatch features (GPS, heart rate, notifications, music) which are very much it’s selling point.
- Also supports multiple dive modes and air integration.
- Bigger and bulkier; more expensive.
- Verdict: Garmin wins on lifestyle features. Teric wins on dive-first design and simplicity.
Final Verdict: Should You Buy the Shearwater Teric?
If you’re after a top-tier dive computer that can grow with you — from air to nitrox to full-blown tec and CCR — the Shearwater Teric is damn near unbeatable.
It’s powerful, customisable, rugged, beautiful, and trustworthy. Whether you’re diving deep or shallow, it’s got your back — and even looks incredibly good whilst doing it.
Yes, it’s an investment. But it’s one that’ll serve you for years — and through every level of your diving journey.
Honestly, I cannot more highly rate the Shearwater Teric – it’s the best dive computer I’ve ever had! This isn’t some random person telling you about a product they don’t even have by the way!
I’ve owned many dive computers (and tried even more!) and the Shearwater Teric beats all the rest of them hands down!
Why? Besides looking the best (!), it has the highest quality and most customisable display, is crammed with cool extra features and is the easiest to use. Simple as! If you get this dive computer; you’ll never need another in your life.
Do yourself a favor and get one now! Oh and since you’ve read all the way to the end of this article can I ask you something? If you choose to buy the Shearwater Teric please do so through one of the big orange amazon buttons on this page.
Clicking on one; we’ll open up a tab whereby for any product you buy in that tab, I’ll get a small, delicious and nutritious commission at no extra cost to yourself. It’s support like this which helps keep Diving Squad as the freshest, sexiest scuba blog in the multiverse- so thanks in advance!
