Considering SCUBA certification

[Walter]

Im assuming you meant SSI??

I think he meant SDI, as he said. SDI does not teach tables. I'm not thrilled with the concept, but there are worse things in other classes.

 

[tbeindit]

I'm PADI, but their cetification should be good enough

 

[J.A.S.]

My .00002 cents, in addition to what most have said, look for a good instructor AND shop you feel you will be comfortable with in learning.

As for agencies. After personally taking SDI OW/Nitrox, unless you will only be diving for vacation or a few times a year, this is ok. It's quick and dirty computer diving!
I felt very short changed with SDI after doing additional research, if not for the information in this board.
If you want thoroughness, go with NAUI, SSI, ANDI and PADI. There are others, but these are the main ones. Always think of your advance goals, before deciding.

Walter provided a good link for reading.
As for equipment follow these rules,
Rule number #1: Don't ever buy anything you have not tried on, seen or borrowed that you know will suit YOU, unless you are willing to take the risk of buying it twice or can become a backup.
Rule #2 -- when in doubt, -------------- go back to rule number 1!!

Take Care and hope you enjoy the sport.

 

[Garrobo]

SoCalMike; No I didn't mean the SSI course. I meant the SDI (Scuba Divers International) course which doesn't teach the tables but uses computers exclusively.

 

[jbd]

As noted by others SSI is internationally recognized. Find an instructor you like and feel confident about--following the link Walter provided is a good start in that direction.

As for things you will need to buy--typically you will need to buy mask, fins snorkel and boots. Some places will provide this but not many. The primary concern for most of this stuff is that it fit properly and be comfortable. The other concern is cost to you. The more bells and whistles something has the more it will cost you and most of the bells and whistles on this stuff are truly unnecessary. If you can find one, get a plain old snorkel without the purge feature and without the dry feature.

Fins don't need hinges or splits or fish tail shapes or whatever other contrivance there is.

Masks don't need purge valves.

 

[Jasonmh]

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?

This sounds like something your LDS told you, not "SSI". SSI has only recently gotten into tech training, and does not have a Rebreather cert.