Question PADI vs SDI for Advanced Certification

[exodusmaximus]

I know nothing about the SDI course, but anything has to be more valuable than PADI AOW in terms of diver education.

Oh, please do explain lol

 

[exodusmaximus]

Thanks for the reply Robert! I have emailed Nanaimo Dive Outfitters to see if I can swap out the boat course with either Nitrox, Search & Recovery, or Night/Limited Visibility. I'm kind of leaning toward the latter two.

Do nitrox for sure

 

[Jafo19D]

I’ve taken PADI OW, AOW and Deep ; and I’m doing Nitrox now. None of the courses are earth shattering and to me it sounds like SDI is better but nothing beats experience.

It’s like two recent graduates working the same job at the same place. The Harvard head might have an advantage over the average state school grad in the beginning but after a while it’s the actual experience that counts.

 

[exodusmaximus]

I’ve taken PADI OW, AOW and Deep ; and I’m doing Nitrox now. None of the courses are earth shattering and to me it sounds like SDI is better but nothing beats experience.

It’s like two recent graduates working the same job at the same place. The Harvard head might have an advantage over the average state school grad in the beginning but after a while it’s the actual experience that counts.

It's all up to instructor and your own responsibility. All these courses do is introduce you to depth or let's say wreck under supervision - so you have experience beyond just reading about it. Rest It's up to you.

 

[ginti]

I’ve taken PADI OW, AOW and Deep ; and I’m doing Nitrox now. None of the courses are earth shattering and to me it sounds like SDI is better but nothing beats experience.

It’s like two recent graduates working the same job at the same place. The Harvard head might have an advantage over the average state school grad in the beginning but after a while it’s the actual experience that counts.

Recreational courses are designed to make people dive without significant issues (avoid significant issues = avoid accidents/incidents). The receipt of most commercial agencies to achieve these goals is simple:
(1) Easy courses (low barriers to make as many people as possible joining).
(2) Restriction (in terms of depths, gases, time, etc.) to avoid dangerous situations.
This is true both with SDI and PADI (and other agencies).

If you are looking for challenges, the primary point is not the SDI vs PADI. I would look for an instructor with a tech/cave background - these people are way more skilled than average rec-instructors and should be able to make courses more challenging, depending on your level (read it: push your limits without making the course too hard for you or your buddies).

By the way, your next step should be Rescue, which, according to most people, is quite a tough course (I did it too long ago, so I cannot say whether it is true). Carefully choose your instructor if you want to do it (I would still go for tech-trained people).

An alternative is to go for intro-to-tech style courses, which most tech instructors I know recommend straight after OW. Although these instructors might be biased, and they surely have an interest in pushing these courses, their reasoning is sound:
(1) Most rec-divers develop "bad" habits (performing skills only in certain positions, not controlling their trim/buoyancy when swimming, etc.).
(2) The sooner you work to start learning "good" habits, the easier it is to "forget" the "bad" ones.
This reasoning overlaps well with my experience, but other people don't have the same view, so in the end, it's up to you.

Whatever you choose to do, good luck and dive safe!

 

[BoltSnap]

Recreational courses are designed to make people dive without significant issues (avoid significant issues = avoid accidents/incidents). The receipt of most commercial agencies to achieve these goals is simple:
(1) Easy courses (low barriers to make as many people as possible joining).
(2) Restriction (in terms of depths, gases, time, etc.) to avoid dangerous situations.
This is true both with SDI and PADI (and other agencies).

So you let's get the students into dangerous circumstances??

An alternative is to go for intro-to-tech style courses, which most tech instructors I know recommend straight after OW. Although these instructors might be biased, and they surely have an interest in pushing these courses, their reasoning is sound:
(1) Most rec-divers develop "bad" habits (performing skills only in certain positions, not controlling their trim/buoyancy when swimming, etc.).
(2) The sooner you work to start learning "good" habits, the easier it is to "forget" the "bad" ones.

Do you really believe this nonsense? How much did you drink from the Kool aid?

 

[hendrik jr]

Hello everyone:

I'm trying to decide whether to take either AOW through PADI or the Advanced Diver Development Program through SDI. I'm just having trouble deciding which route to go since I see merits to both camps. I know the instructor factors into this equation, but I want to focus on the course material aspect. My plan is to do my training in Nanaimo, BC. So my choices of shops are either Nanaimo Dive Outfitters (SDI), Sink or Swim (PADI), or Sundown (PADI).

What I like about the PADI AOW route is that you first do a sampler of 5 different types of diving with navigation and deep being mandatory. If I go this way, I would do dives that would improve my overall skills as a diver (navigation, deep, buoyancy, drift, search & recovery). Then I can take the full specialty courses for whatever I am interested in afterward.

With SDI, I take four complete specialty courses, but it sounds like they go into more depth. What I'm wondering about is what you get out of something such as a full SDI navigation course versus 1 PADI navigation dive? If I go the SDI route through Nanaimo Dive Outfitters, they would have me do the Boat, Buoyancy, Deep, and Navigation courses. Since I have already done a few boat dives, I don't really see any value in taking that course. I have to ask the shop if I can substitute that with something else (preferably Search and Recovery).

Besides having fun which is priority #1, my long-term goal is to to become a very proficient diver and a better buddy. Some other courses that I see myself taking eventually are Rescue and Self-Reliant/Solo.

I would be interested to hear everyone's thoughts on what path I should take to get to where I want to be.

Thanks!

James

definite SDI ! no marketing mercantilism straight forward.

 

[hendrik jr]

Recreational courses are designed to make people dive without significant issues (avoid significant issues = avoid accidents/incidents). The receipt of most commercial agencies to achieve these goals is simple:
(1) Easy courses (low barriers to make as many people as possible joining).
(2) Restriction (in terms of depths, gases, time, etc.) to avoid dangerous situations.
This is true both with SDI and PADI (and other agencies).

If you are looking for challenges, the primary point is not the SDI vs PADI. I would look for an instructor with a tech/cave background - these people are way more skilled than average rec-instructors and should be able to make courses more challenging, depending on your level (read it: push your limits without making the course too hard for you or your buddies).

By the way, your next step should be Rescue, which, according to most people, is quite a tough course (I did it too long ago, so I cannot say whether it is true). Carefully choose your instructor if you want to do it (I would still go for tech-trained people).

An alternative is to go for intro-to-tech style courses, which most tech instructors I know recommend straight after OW. Although these instructors might be biased, and they surely have an interest in pushing these courses, their reasoning is sound:
(1) Most rec-divers develop "bad" habits (performing skills only in certain positions, not controlling their trim/buoyancy when swimming, etc.).
(2) The sooner you work to start learning "good" habits, the easier it is to "forget" the "bad" ones.
This reasoning overlaps well with my experience, but other people don't have the same view, so in the end, it's up to you.

Whatever you choose to do, good luck and dive safe!

I like the reasoning behind the choices offered. Fair enough

 

[scubadada]

definite SDI ! no marketing mercantilism straight forward.

PADI AOW and SDI Advanced Adventure Diver is the correct comparison. This has been discussed previously Question - PADI vs SDI for Advanced Certification