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I am in Denver, and am interested in doing PADI's Tec 40 throughTec 50 classes. The only local shop that I've found that offers the PADI Tec classes is A1 Scuba. I've taken several classes through A1, and think they are a great shop. However, Tec training is a different game, so I would like some well informed opinions.
Has any one here taken A1's Tec program, and what did you think? Are there any other shops in CO or surrounding states that offer a better PADI Tec program?
I have not taken any tech classes with them, so I do not want to comment. The region we live in is awesome for many outdoor activities but the opportunities for tech diving and training are very poor.
While many instructors will take your cash and give you a cert card. After you have completed a tech class many beginners are stuck because they can't find an active group to go diving with. The class is only the beginning. Ask your prospective instructor how often they go on short trips and take their former students with them. Does the instructor try to form a cadre of divers to encourage diving? That is just one of many criteria of a good tech instructor.
In our region I'm aware of only 2 tech instructors who are currently active, one of whom is an active member of this board. PM me and I'll give you their names. Good luck.
Rob Calkins of Flatiron Scuba is a GUE and I think NAUI instructor. He's an active GUE instructor per GUE, but just for Fundamentals. He's a PADI instructor, but not apparently on the tec side. This is all from his GUE profile, I don't know him.
Is there a particular reason why you're specifically wanting a PADI tec course?
Speak to the instructors in the area. Find the ones that are actively diving - for fun - at the rating that they are certified to teach at. Find one that you mesh well with, personality wise, and go with them.
Rob Calkins at Flat Irons teaches via GUE and NAUI Tech. I took a class with him several years ago. He's a great guy and excellent instructor.
John Adsit (BoulderJohn) is a nice guy. I haven't taken any classes from him.
There are a handful of others as well. Take your time, do some research, get your finances in order (Scuba is about to get a magnitude more expensive), find a good instructor, and remember - at this level you pay for the course, but the certification is earned. Any instructor that can buy a certification from is doing you an injustice.
I am currently teaching TDI tech classes and have just recently added PADI tech. I have some students lined up to begin the PADI classes in the summer.
The TDI classes and the PADI classes are very different in their sequencing:
1. TDI classes start with the very basics. The prerequisites are minimal. Intro to Tech is very much an introductory course. You then should take the next two classes, Advanced Nitrox and Decompression Procedures, as if they were one class. The Advanced Nitrox class is really just more nitrox theory, and the Decompression Procedures is where you really get into decompression theory for the first time. In short, the program is very much back loaded in terms of theory.
2. The PADI program is very much frontloaded. The prerequisites are much more significant. It is possible to complete the TDI Decompression Procedures course and not qualify to begin the PADI program. The first course (Tec 40) has a lot of theory in it, and when done with it you will be able to do mild decompression dives. Tec 45 then takes you to about the same level as the TDI Decompression Procedures class. When you take the PADI Tec 50 class, you have already covered most of the theory, and the class focuses on getting you to be able to handle two decompression gases.
Since this thread is asking about tech dive instruction in the Colorado region, it is not too much diversion if I ask where are places that i can get fills as a tech diver? What shops in the region supply O2, nitrox and trimix nowadays? Are there any others than Flatirons? I used to visit Gobe Divers in Littleton and Divers Reef in the CO Springs for tech fills but both those shops succumbed to the bad economy. A1 used to provide O2 and nitrox but stopped. Nowadays I stock up on O2 and Helium when I visit the east or west coast to supply what little I need for my CCR. In recent years I rarely walk into a dive shop in Colorado except when I need an air fill.
I teach the Tec program at A-1 Scuba. I don't frequent ScubaBoard much and hadn't seen this thread. I like to think I do a good job! I offer Tec 40, 45 & 50. Also Sidemount, Tec Sidemount, Self Reliant Diver and Gas Blender. For economic reasons I have been exclusively offering the PADI programs for about 5 years, but I am also a TDI instructor and IT. I started as an IANTD Tec instructor in the late 90's and crossed over to TDI in 1999. I have been ramping up our program the last few years, primarily using Blue Hole and Rock Lake in New Mexico. I did run a Tec Sidemount course and Tec 45 course last month and completed the open waters in Key Largo, FL. I am working towards Tec Trimix and hope to be able to offer that by mid-summer.
I can provide references if need be. I am targeting spring for a Tec 40 course, maybe late February to mid-March. If anyone is interested you can PM me here or contact me at chris@a1scuba.com
John aka @boulderjohn is a good guy I havent taken any classes with him but it seems like he runs a good operation at least from what I have seen the couple of times we ran intoeachother at Bluehole.
I did my sidemount course with Chris aka @nite-rox and was satisfied with the instruction he gave me. I was able to observe part of his Tech 40 course and while I know it is a very basic class I could see he had his work cut out for him with his student. A1 scuba had a group of divers at blue hole for their AOW one (Me) for Sidemount and one for Tec40.
Since a lot of skills worked out we dis things like air shares valve drills etc together then I would break off and fun dive while they did simulated deco and other boring tec stuff. I will definataly keep Chris in mind if I decide on more classes.
I did my TDI Advanced Nitrox & Deco Procedures with ProTech Scuba ProTech Scuba LLC in Sierra Vista AZ and was very happy with the training I received. We did the Dives for the course in San Carlos MX. Im not sure how far you are willing to travel.
Just updating an old thread since there dosnt seem to be much in the way of local info available.
Just to add as an update to this thread, the original poster, CWC, has had quite a bit of progress since his original post, and he has spanned both organizations. I certified him for Tec 65 a few months ago (normoxic trimx), and it is only because of an a series of bad luck in dive scheduling that he is not already full trimix. He is also affiliated with A-1 scuba, where he recently got his instructor rating. I have a good working relationship with nite-rox as well; in fact, the 3 of us will be doing trimix dives to the bottom of Rock Lake in a couple of weeks. All in all, I would say that this situation worked out about as well as it could have.
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