Deep Diver Training - PADI vs IANTD

[Cave Diver]

MechDiver once bubbled...
I personally excelled in Bark 1 and Bark 2. I would not, however, eat the doggie biscuit.

During Rescue we were introduced to the Cat Litter. Does that count?

MD

I am thinking about enrolling in the advanced Sit and Stay class.

There's also a Roll over and Play dead class that sounds pretty interesting. I think it's a prerequisite to the Rescue class, but I'm not sure... Mebbe O-ring knows?

When you are ready for some real technical diving, be sure to take the SMF (surface marker feline) class. It takes excellent bouyancy and trim control to get a cat under water, much less deploy one as a marker device. (no offense to our resident cat who has been much too quiet lately )

 

[Cave Diver]

wwdiver once bubbled...
To put this question into context, I am looking to expand my area of knowledge and techniques so I can eventually move to deeper wreck dives...so my thinking is that IANTD will be "better" as a foundation course.

Thanks in advance.

I did my "Basics" through PADI (BOW, AOW, Rescue, Nitrox)

I started my "Technical" through IANTD (Nitrox, Deep Diver, Advanced Nitrox).

A lot of it comes down to the instructor, as always, but I think that the IANTD courses provide more information and builds a more solid foundation. Having taken both PADI and IANTD nitrox courses I have a good basis for comparison. It also seems that the IANTD courses allow the intstructor more discretion in the way they teach.

If you are considering going down a path leading to more advanced diving, I would vote for IANTD.

 

[wwdiver]

Thanks Cave Diver...your comments are much appreciated.

 

[WYDT]

I know you didn't ask about it but I'd also suggest looking into GUE.

www.gue.com

Some of the best technical instructors in the world are GUE... not saying no other agencies have good instructors just that GUE has many of the best.

DSAO!

 

[Pez de Diablo]

A good link to a previous discussion about the DSAT/PADI Tec/Rec course is located here:

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18361

I found it very interesting and it helped me in choosing a course.

 

[LUBOLD8431]

Ha, ha, ha ,hahahahahaha........... GUE??? For Technical training??? Ummmm.... i would hope not... GO IANTD.... Its the only way to dive deep. That pro-GUE post sounded like an advertisement for them... hey, thats not you Jarrod, is it???? No, really, I have no ill will for GUE, i just hope they go away quietly.

 

[bwerb]

LUBOLD8431 once bubbled...
Ha, ha, ha ,hahahahahaha........... GUE??? For Technical training??? Ummmm.... i would hope not... GO IANTD.... Its the only way to dive deep. That pro-GUE post sounded like an advertisement for them... hey, thats not you Jarrod, is it???? No, really, I have no ill will for GUE, i just hope they go away quietly.

OK, I'll take the bait and bite at this...what is your derision for the GUE path? What is it about their training which you feel would better serve the dive community if they went away? I see from your profile you are a dive instructor and shop manager, I'm just curious as to your rather interesting response. Care to enlighten us?

 

[wwdiver]

Thanks to all and thanks to Pez de Diablo for the excellent link to the previous discussion...it was certainly an eyeopener!!

 

[WYDT]

LUBOLD8431 once bubbled...
Ha, ha, ha ,hahahahahaha........... GUE??? For Technical training??? Ummmm.... i would hope not... GO IANTD.... Its the only way to dive deep. That pro-GUE post sounded like an advertisement for them... hey, thats not you Jarrod, is it???? No, really, I have no ill will for GUE, i just hope they go away quietly.

Nope not Jarrod and your reply is quite amusing.... care to elaborate on why you think IANTD is superior to GUE?

BTW: I did not bash any other agency in my post I merely recommended the original poster consider GUE if they hadn't before.

 

[LUBOLD8431]

Ok, I will spill my guts and get all you guys pissed at me... but oh well, you asked for it... My problem with GUE in general is the way they try to brainwash you and tell you exactly how to dive... Its like a whole bunch of little Hitlers diving around the caves in FLorida, and elsewhere now. I dont like being told that in order to take a class, my equipment needs to be of some certain type and i may have to buy new equipment. I have done some technical diving, and I am sorry, but I love my poseidons and my high pressure tanks. I also like my Mares Quattro fins. ANother thing that drives me nuts about GUE, is they feel that eveyone should use Trimix for any dive deeper than 100 feet. I think that is ridiculous. I have dove deep on air, and it gets you ready for the Trimix class, which I dont plan on using under 150 feet. Everyone has their opinion, i guess. Its just we get their students in our shop to fill trimix to do the Crane wreck at 145, and they say, oh thats what GUE does, so thats why we use it. They cant explain it. Maybe its just the ones i deal with in the Boston area. MAJOR ISSUE WITH GUE: About two years ago or so, we had a guy from my area go down to Florida and take a Tech 1 class. He then got fills from us for 50 % o2 for deco. About 3 months after that , he comes in and says he wants 100%. I ask him, did you take another class??? He says no, GUE just changed the standards and now, he can use 100% o2 for deco also. SO, after a class where he only used up to 50% as a deco gas, now, they just decide to let everybody use 100%. I dont get that how GUE can just change the standard, and without any further training about high o2 deco mixes, he can now use it. It blows my mind. :bonk: That, in a nutshell, is why i dont like GUE and I never will.... GO IANTD!!!!!