Are crew packs required for PADI specialties?

[whodunit68]

all,
I hope this isn't too naive a question but I'm looking to do some specialties since I've received my PADI AOW. I did one specialty and the instructor wanted me to purchase the PADI crew pack. Now, I'm going to spend a week with an outfit doing a few more and they tell me that all I need is my advanced OW book and video from that class. Which is it? Do I need to purchase each crew pack (such as night, deep diver, search & recovery, etc) or can I use my advanced OW book and video as the source (along with the course video)?
Thanks in advance.
Safe dives & lotsa bubbles,
Steve

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

PADI students are required to have the specific course text in their possession, be it web, disk or print. Some Specialties also require additional training material, such as tables for EANx and the nav tool for Navigation. Most also require the Specialty video to be viewed. Ownership of the video is not required.

Some dive shops require purchase of the crew pack but PADI does not. A dive shop that teaches Specialties just from the Adventures in Diving manual and video would not be following standards as I interpret them.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

If you want you can find most of them on ebay for very good prices. Markup on them is high with the bigger stores selling them for 30-70% over cost dependig on the size of the dealer. I see no need for one for night, deep maybe, search and recovery as well. What are you looking for? Experience or cards? If it's a good instructor they won't follow the book to the letter anyway. They'll add material and maybe let you borrow a book.

 

[masterof0]

I have recently taken several specialties from different LDS's and one dive shop only sells the the crew packs and the other sells the books and allows you to borrow the dvd. The one thing they are consistent about is having you fill out the knowledge review and keeping it on record in your file (which ultimately means you need the book at a minimum because it is cut out of the book). From discussions with several other LDSs, this seems to be a common practice.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Never cut out the KR's. Standards allow copies of the completed reviews to be kept in your file. In the event you should wish to review the info for Dm or Instructor or for your own knowledge why would you destroy something you paid for. I have all my books and none of them are written in. Some courses have been revised. Others have not. Best to keep everything you paid for. Should you decide to go the profressional route those things could come in handy.

 

[whodunit68]

agreed about cutting it out of the book. even from day 1 in OW PADI I made a copy of the page then filled in the answers....my books won't get written in as I see value in having them on hand always. Information will get updated but it's great to have them around for quick reviews.
Thanks to everyone for the answers....
Steve

 

[SDAnderson]

all,
I hope this isn't too naive a question but I'm looking to do some specialties since I've received my PADI AOW. I did one specialty and the instructor wanted me to purchase the PADI crew pack. Now, I'm going to spend a week with an outfit doing a few more and they tell me that all I need is my advanced OW book and video from that class. Which is it? Do I need to purchase each crew pack (such as night, deep diver, search & recovery, etc) or can I use my advanced OW book and video as the source (along with the course video)?
Thanks in advance.
Safe dives & lotsa bubbles,
Steve

Depends on which class and your instructor.

Night Diver is a good example: There is a student manual and a student video, PADI recommends that both of you have copies but it is not a requirement for either of you.

The instructor is required to make sure that you know the information contained in the material, however. How, precisely, he does that, is up to him. If he wants to give you the information via a lecture and test your knowledge verbally, he can. If he wants to require you to purchase the manual and the video and assess your knowledge through the knowledge review, he can.

I suspect that in most instances students will learn more from the book and video than they will from a lecture - a good reason to buy the materials. I also suspect that in most instances it will be cheaper to buy the book and the video versus paying for the extra costs the lecture represents.

YRMV.