Considering SCUBA certification

[Bammer]

Probably has been asked one-thousand times.

What certification should I seek? I found an afforable school that offers SSI certification. Is this internationally recognized?

What equipment is necessary that I PURCHASE, rather than RENT?

Any other input would be great appareciated.

Many thanks.

 

[Danman589019]

The agency that you get your open water from doesn't matter as much as the instructor. Find a good instructor.

I'm PADI, but I am almost certain SSI is internationally recognized.

First purchased equipment would be quality mask, fins, a snorkel, and probably booties too. After you are certified it is up to you where you go from there as far as gear. Research and test some gear and see what you like, and what will take you where you want to go in diving.

 

[victor]

SSI is as good as PADI or NAUI, as above the instructor is more important.
Don't be railroded into buying gear over and above mask fins and snorkel until you decide what kind and how often you will be diving.

Try and avoid a quicky course, time in the classroom and in the water with an instructor are the most important ingredient to gaining enough experience. It takes time to move information from short term memory to long term. So a 4 week course 1 night a week is a lot better, in my opinion, than a 2 day crash course.

 

[Walter]

SSI is internationally recognized. If all you want is a c-card, go to the cheapest class you can find. If you want to actually learn to be a good safe diver, follow these recomendations.

 

[Diver Dennis]

Let everyone know where you are from by filling out your profile. There are probably members of SB in your area that can point you toward a good instructor.

 

[Garrobo]

Take the SDI course and become computer hip. It's easier and you don't have to go through the archaic dive tables BS.

 

[DIR-Atlanta]

Take the SDI course and become computer hip. It's easier and you don't have to go through the archaic dive tables BS.

What's so "archaic" about tables? I have been diving for 15 years and use tables for almost every dive. I do own a dive computer (several, in fact), but haven't used one on any dive in the last 5 years.

I personally believe that learning dive tables is good for beginning divers, as it allows them to develop a good "feel" for what types of profiles (depth and time) are permitted by their agency's preferred decompression algorithm. It also forces them to be more actively engaged in their dive planning, instead of just blindly following whatever the electronic gizmo tells them to do.

It's kind of like learning basic math skills before using a calculator - it gives you a better idea of what the final results ought to look like, which provides a form of sanity check. This might let you know if you made a mistake in your calculations somewhere (which is always a good thing).

 

[SoCalMike]

Take the SDI course and become computer hip. It's easier and you don't have to go through the archaic dive tables BS.

Im assuming you meant SSI?? If so, this sort of follows what my expierence with an SSI school was like about 8 years ago. They told me that as a beginning diver, I should take the OW course, then get into Nitrox then Rebreather right away, cause breathing regular air was now old school. The only reason I can surmise that SSI does stuff like this is to upsell people to more expensive gear?

 

[Guba]

Hmmm. "Old school"?
Tables and air are old school?
Computers are good tools, but they are just that...electronic tools, subject to breakage, battery failure, and loss. While it's possible that tables might get lost or left at home (I always travel with mine in my kit) it's darned hard to break them, and they are definitely not subject to battery failure. I dive with a computer, but I always have the tables for planning and backup.
As for air...well, see the thread about the benefits of Nitrox. Lots of opinion there, and debate enough to keep one thinking for a long time.
However, if air and tables are "old school", then yup...I guess I've been pegged.

 

[TSandM]

As has been said above, it's the instructor, not the agency, and very short certification classes are not a good idea. You might want to take a quick look at the thread linked to in my signature line for some discussion of what an OW certification class should be.

It's my personal opinion that a class should run over several weeks, so that you space out your practice sessions and give your brain a chance to absorb stuff. That also allows for some extra time in the pool if you end up having issues with anything, like mask skills or buoyancy control.

Also as said above, fill in your profile, and you will almost certainly be able to get some instructor recommendations for your location. ScubaBoard is an amazing resource for that kind of thing!

I think most shops require that you buy your mask, snorkel and fins. Mask you SHOULD buy, because fit is important and individual. My suggestion is to buy the least expensive fins the shop offers, with the knowledge you will replace them with what you actually want once you are certified. Most shops will try to encourage you to buy the most expensive fins in their lineup. I did, and replaced my $180 fins with $75 fins I like better in less than six months.