Ares II or Viso II+

[skow 6]

In short, is AresII worth 100 bucks more, and if so why?

[aonsquared 9]

AON2 X2

For how much the AresII is, you might as well get GPS and a colour screen

(disclaimer: yes I do work for AON2!)

Edited April 26, 2019 by aonsquared

[Guest]

The Ares II has precisely the same software, features and barometric hardware as the Viso II+.

It differs insofar as it has a toughened scratchproof glass screen versus plastic, and the screen is ~120% larger than on the Viso II+.

[DougH 270]

My next one will be an Ares for the tougher and larger display. I would probably pay more over if they could have a metal machined housing too, but my Viso's have held up fine, and I only lost one optima screen to a riser slap but it dodged it for seasons of tandems before it got hit.

[PlaneFun 11]

I upgraded from the Viso II to the Ares II and it was totally worth it. The digits are so much larger in a container that's almost the same size. Plus, I sold the Viso for $250 to a new skydiver who was happy to get the deal-so worked out for both of us.

[Rsaaronson 1]

Love my Ares II. Never jumped a viso, but a bigger screen and metal casing is what did it for me. Very solid construction, no complaints. 

[sundevil777 102]

Does the Ares, like the Viso, show the “tens” of feet digit in free fall (a useless, distracting blur in freefall)? Am I the only one to think it is amazing they continue to show that digit?

I think the readability of the L&B products is much worse than the Alti-2 products because the numbers are displayed on a seven segment display type arrangement - straight line segments to display the number. The Alti-2 display (even way back to the Neptune 2) does not have this restriction, allowing a much more quickly readable display. I think the “rounded” font, with higher aspect ratio of each character, and the narrower stroke makes for a huge distinction between the brands. 

[PlaneFun 11]

Yes, it does, and I pull at exactly 3,525 feet ha ha

[Nabz 30]

I don't have any complaints about the VISO II except that it is very weak in terms of construction of the unit, I had mine fall from a picnic table onto little rocks (like the peas we land on) and it cracked my screen.

If the ARES is built better - which it seems to be - I would go with this on for longevity purposes. Otherwise I see the VISO numbers just fine and it does its job.

[gowlerk 2,241]

32 minutes ago, Nabz said:

I don't have any complaints about the VISO II except that it is very weak in terms of construction of the unit, I had mine fall from a picnic table onto little rocks (like the peas we land on) and it cracked my screen.

If the ARES is built better - which it seems to be - I would go with this on for longevity purposes. Otherwise I see the VISO numbers just fine and it does its job.

Yes, the II+ version is somewhat tougher. But an instrument that costs this much should be in a far more robust case.