PADI Nitrox or TDI Nitrox

[Eric Sedletzky]

If you already have a basic recreational nitrox cert for up to 40% and you only plan to do recreational dives, then what’s the difference what agency? Set your computer to your mix and go diving.
TDI adv nitrox is for usage from 40% to 100%. Unless you are doing technical deco dives why would you need that?

 

[ScubaWithTurk]

I took the PADI nitrox course and, while it was not within standards, what I was taught was how to analyze a cylinder, fill out a nitrox fill log and set my computer. That is it. 30 minutes and I was certified.

I teach RAID courses and my RAID nitrox course is much more in-depth. We plan dives using Dalton's triangle and then go over issues such as "you planned a dive to X meters and asked for Y gas mix. You get to the shop and realize your mix is actually Z. What are your options and how do you adjust the dive plan?" EAD as well as TOD and MOD are discussed in detail as is the CNS clock.

I actually just had a diver come do the RAID Deep 40 course with me and when I started talking about Dalton's triangle and planning using the correct mix for the plan, she was a bit lost. Her nitrox cert was via PADI and she told me the stuff I was talking about was never in her course. So I added in what was essentially a nitrox refresher for her as we planned our deep dives.

Not all nitrox courses are the same. When I first saw the RAID material for nitrox my head hurt due to all the formulas and math (it isn't hard but my original nitrox course did not have any of that)

Note: My above statements in no way disparages PADI or any other training organization. I know many who took a PADI course and came out with most of the same information that I teach. I can only speak to the course I took and the course my student told me she took. I was also a PADI instructor and taught most of the same info I teach in my RAID course.

Question the instructor about what will be taught, agency be damned.

 

[LordHavoc]

Better for what?

They both teach Nitrox mix to 40 but they are not the same. TDI Nitrox is a lot of calculations for many scenarios. Like ScubawithTurk says, you will use Daltons triangle for many different scenarios . You will also study CNS clock and when to use 1.6, 1.4 and 1.2 PPO2S based on CNS clock. You will also make your own Nitrox table for all the mixes using formulas. In TDI Nitrox, you will be doing more math on calculator than SSI Nitrox. They both teach you up to 40% but they are totally different.

 

[Wibble]

Do whichever is cheapest and most convenient. If about the same then do the PADI one as it’ll be more recognised by fill stations and dive shops.

Recreational nitrox isn’t a prerequisite for further courses. If you do go further into decompression diving, you can do TDI's ANDP (advanced nitrox and decompression procedures) which doesn’t have a nitrox prerequisite.


Edit: now seen that TDI's Advanced Nitrox does have a prerequisite for "TDI Nitrox Diver or equivalent"

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

Do whichever is cheapest and most convenient. If about the same then do the PADI one as it’ll be more recognised by fill stations and dive shops.

Recreational nitrox isn’t a prerequisite for further courses. If you do go further into decompression diving, you can do TDI's ANDP (advanced nitrox and decompression procedures) which doesn’t have a nitrox prerequisite.

 

[Sebs]

They both teach Nitrox mix to 40 but they are not the same. TDI Nitrox is a lot of calculations for many scenarios. Like ScubawithTurk says, you will use Daltons triangle for many different scenarios . You will also study CNS clock and when to use 1.6, 1.4 and 1.2 PPO2S based on CNS clock. You will also make your own Nitrox table for all the mixes using formulas. In TDI Nitrox, you will be doing more math on calculator than SSI Nitrox. They both teach you up to 40% but they are totally different.

From memory SDI computer nitrox includes most of that in its materials when I took it 4 or 5 years ago. I'm a big fan of SDI/TDI materials compared to PADI but I don't understand why you're asking about what are essentially the same course you've already done.

You really only need two certs, max. Computer nitrox/padi nitrox/tdi nitrox AND advanced nitrox (if you want to go tech/want to know the ins and outs of Nitrox).

The first three all give you exactly the same certification. If you really want to know more about EAN just google it or watch a YouTube video on.

 

[Sebs]

If you do go further into decompression diving, you can do TDI's ANDP (advanced nitrox and decompression procedures) which doesn’t have a nitrox prerequisite.

Advances nitrox requires a basic nitrox equivalent as a prerequisite...

 

[Wibble]

Advances nitrox requires a basic nitrox equivalent as a prerequisite...

That seems odd as one's recreational and the other's pretty much technical.

From TDI's Advanced Nitrox, the prerequisite is:

• Minimum certification of TDI Nitrox Diver or equivalent

That will mean the PADI Nitrox is fine.

Doubt if there's many people doing Advanced Nitrox without Decompression Procedures.

 

[Cheizz]

Apart from the certification, I think there is more than enough material online to help you/test you in all the different calculations. Or just do Advanced Nitrox since you already have SSI Nitrox, which is the prerequisite.

 

[Sebs]

They probably want people to be a little familiar with nitrox before taking on a more detailed course. I honestly don't quite understand what the point of TDI nitrox is because it doesn't give you anything that computer nitrox doesn't and if you want to use higher than 40%, you'll need to take advanced nitrox anyway.