Entry level trimix vs. Advance Trixmix

[alexxred]

Hi All,

I'm pretty close to taking my next course. Currently I have Adv Nitrox and Deco procedures. So I'm looking to do extended range and combining that with a trimix course.

My instructor said that entry level trimix and adv trimix are pretty similar courses. From my understand you can actually skip entry level trimix and move on to doing adv trimix. So my question is this, is it actually worth doing entry level trimix? Should I just skip it and go straight to advance trimix?

My concern is this. Entry level takes you to 60m, advanced to 100m. If the biggest difference between the 2 courses is learning the theory behind using mixes that allow you to dive to 100m then it might make sense to skip entry level. But if the advance course means your going to be doing dives to 80+ meters, then I'm thinking maybe the jump is to big.

Obviously the adv course means I would be taking more stages, then entry level. Dealing with that is something I figure I could practice beforehand.

Anyone here have any experiences with skipping entry level and going straight to advanced?

Your thoughts?

Cheers

Alex

 

[Kern]

Just for a variation on the theme, I skipped extended range & did normoxic trimix & followed that with hypoxic trimix.

 

[alexxred]

I was thinking about doing that as well but here in Victoria, Australia we do most of our tech dives in the 45-55m range on air (in our backgas). Not the best Idea I know but helium costs a fortune ($200+ to fill 12L twins). Without being rude I'm not interested in anyone telling me that it's not safe. I know it's not ideal but I'm pretty sure I would not have access to dives in the 45-55m zone if I don't do extended range. The dive charter services will not let you dive to depths your not qualified for. And I think if I only had my Normoxic (without ext range) they would only allow me to to a dive past 45m+ if I was on helium. Need to check up on that though.

 

[Kern]

Sounds like you're going through TDI. I did deco procedures through TDI. I did TMX through IART though. Seems strange that TDI would let you dive deeper on air than TMX. I just had a look on the TDI site, normoxic TMX is rated to 60 mts, couldn't see any mention of prerequisites though, so not sure if you can go straight from deco procedures.

You can be as rude as you like, no skin off my nose. Most of my staged decompression diving on air was down to 50 & 55 mts. 1 day at 54mts nothing went wrong, but I thought I was irrevocably lost & was probably going to die, my heart & breathing rate went through the roof. For the next couple of minutes I basically stayed motionless a metre or 2 above the deck looking down thinking all manner of strange little things. A still, very small voice of sanity told me to stop being a fcunkig idiot & to look up & away from the stern, & there only 40mts away was the up line with all those pretty strobes flashing away. My breathing & heart rate came back down to normal, I had seen the light & I was found. This was obviously an epiphany, so I decided there & then that as soon as posable I'd get me the certification to use some of that horribly expensive He stuff.

Oh, by the way, as I'm from Oz I'm probably paying as much as you are for He. I'm not asking you or any body else to come to the same conclusion, but I'v decided, that if you do deep, staged deco dives, that 1 of the better things money is good for is to buy He.

 

[bletso]

Alex,

The biggest difference between entry and full is entry uses a mix which can be breathed on the surface, i.e. 18/50 and full trimix uses hypoxic mixes i.e. 10/60 and usually requires another stage bottle (3 vs 2). The discipline is slightly different and the skill level required is more exacting.

I would recommend doing the entry and then doing 10-20 60-70 MSW dives and then get an instructor to mentor you into the leaner mixes. If you are planning on doing many deep dives I would recommend maybe switching to the dark side and perhaps getting a rebreather. The cost savings in gas would pay for it and the training. One caveat though; rebreather diving requires a completely different mind set than OC diving.

Dale

 

[Rhone Man]

I am pretty sure that you cannot combine TDI Extended Range and Advanced Trimix - the former is a prerequisite for the latter. However, you can "skip" Extended Range and go straight to Basic Trimix having done Deco Procedures.

I think also there are some pretty hefty experience requirements before you undertake Advanced Trimix. From memory, I think you need to have logged 30 staged decompression dives below 50 metres. Not all dive centres rigorously check your log before you start, but it is probably something you want to be sure you are ready for before undertaking. I haven't done the course myself, so I can't speak to it (perhaps others can?), but I would have thought you would want to be pretty comfortable with equipment and skills before heading down to 100 metres.

 

[Rhone Man]

Sorry, double checked and I was exaggerating. The experience requirement for Advanced Trimix is: "Show proof a minimum of one hundred (100) logged dives with 25 deeper than one hundred (100) feet/ thirty (30) meters." which is actually pretty light. So probably best nobody listens to me...

 

[Rick Inman]

What Dale said. Hypoxic mixes and additional bottles.

I started with Recreational Trimix and then went to Full (IANTD). It was good to get training and experience with a single deco bottle, because for me it seemed like a lot to learn and apply (gas management, deco bottle deployment protocols, the physics, the deco procedures, the endless emergency procedures and drills...). And then with some single bottle experience under my belt, the move to full hypoxic trimix with more bottles was a relatively easy one. Same basics.

Now I have a CCR on the way, but I wouldn't have skipped over any of the steps to get to this point.

 

[battles2a5]

As others have stated, the biggest difference between Advanced and Basic is using hypoxic mixes. But we also did a lot around CNS management, logistics, surface support, etc., etc. that you probably wouldn't cover in a basic course.

As far as I know, you cannot skip basic trimix with TDI unless you take extended range. However, I think the instructor can credit 2 dives from your basic or extended range class towards advanced trimix.

 

[Matthew Mandziuk]

Ryan is correct about his synopsis about the differences in the courses.

Not only though are the depths different and the mixes, but the students will also be carrying more bottles.

Students at the Advanced Trimix level or Trimix level 2 will be required to be proficient in utilizing up to 4 stage bottles. At least 1 bottle as a stage cylinder containing either bottom mix or travel mix, followed by up to 3 additional deco mixes.

It's not uncommon for us to be wearing 3+ AL80's on a deep trimix dive.

The Advanced Trimix course is a great program. There is not much more in the way of theory that differs from the previous deco/helitrox/trimix level 1 courses, however, it is the problem solving and experience with stages that will make the course different.

I usually ask my students to take some time between L1 and L2.