RAID vs SDI vs GUE vs...

[berndo]

If you attack them, I would defend them, too. You do nothing but attack GUE in every thread where it's mentioned. Go after PADI, a bigger target than little GUE. I'll defend PADI.

I'm not attacking them. I'm making a fun of them in response to you and other people constantly pushing their products in ever other thread. Like in this one. Only praise is ok apparently.
Nobody cares if you say something about PADI or TDI or any other agency... it's only gue people who go nuts if they feel somebody doesn't believe their stuff.
And gue is not little, in some parts of Europe, gue is much bigger than TDI and IANTD combined, etc. ... unfortunately.

I really am going to a quarry next weekend that will be full of gue people, I wasn't kidding about that part. They actually are a divisive and rather rude bunch of people. It may be different in Florida, I don't care, I don't live there.

 

[Umpman]

I'm an Advanced OWD + Nitrox looking to advance even more. I am working towards diving longer (meaning deco dives, longer bottom times to enjoy marine life and wrecks more - not necessarily setting a record for depth, though). In terms of certifications, this means Advanced Nitrox, Deco diving, Wreck, and other specialties. But first, I think, it means: getting the fundamentals right (kicks, trim, breathing, buoyancy, gear configurations maybe).

In the Netherlands, there are some instructors/courses under RAID, SDI, GUE, PADI and SSI. I know the PADI model, I understand the SSI model, I have a picture of the GUE doctrine (not a nice word, but that's the impression I get of it). How do SDI and especially RAID compare? Both are derived from tech diving, it says on their websites. Any other info is welcome.

Are there any advantages to any of these agencies? How credible are their certifications in the courses I'm interested in? How best to go forward from where I am right now to where I want to go? Apart from chemistry with the actual instructor?

Thanks.

It’s more about the instructor and shop than the agency. All the agencies follow the same guidelines. I have certifications from PADI, SDI and SSI. I prefer SSI. Here are the basic differences and why I like SSI. PADI charges for everything and they charge instructors more money for their renewals and have to pay multiple fees, that makes your cost higher. For example, PADI charges for a Master Diver card whereas SSI gives you that certification card for free once you meet all the requirements. PADI also doesn’t allow crossover for Dive masters and instructors, they make you pay for and attend their courses (to make more money). They even do this for recreation. If you are an SSI OW diver and want to take PADI AOW, they make you pay for and take a refresher course.

SSI makes instructors be connected to a dive shop/facility whereas SDI/TDI you can be independent. This can be good or bad. On the good side, you aren’t getting a fly by night instructor that can run off with your money. If you have an issue with your instractor, you can call SSI and they will get it straightened out, possibly suspend the instructor/shop and set you up with someone else. On the bad side, sometimes it will cost a little more money and you can get more personalized service with an independent. The SSI shop I am affiliated with tends to do more individual instruction or small group of no more than 3-4 (Usually families)

What I like about SSI is that instructors can’t become an instructor until you are certified by an Independent Instructor Certifier. That prevents your Instructor trainer from passing you so they can simply rack up more Instructor certifications. IMO that makes sure you are a better instructor.

 

[exodusmaximus]

I'm an Advanced OWD + Nitrox looking to advance even more. I am working towards diving longer (meaning deco dives, longer bottom times to enjoy marine life and wrecks more - not necessarily setting a record for depth, though). In terms of certifications, this means Advanced Nitrox, Deco diving, Wreck, and other specialties. But first, I think, it means: getting the fundamentals right (kicks, trim, breathing, buoyancy, gear configurations maybe).

In the Netherlands, there are some instructors/courses under RAID, SDI, GUE, PADI and SSI. I know the PADI model, I understand the SSI model, I have a picture of the GUE doctrine (not a nice word, but that's the impression I get of it). How do SDI and especially RAID compare? Both are derived from tech diving, it says on their websites. Any other info is welcome.

Are there any advantages to any of these agencies? How credible are their certifications in the courses I'm interested in? How best to go forward from where I am right now to where I want to go? Apart from chemistry with the actual instructor?

Thanks.

All depends on instructor (s) - PADI, SSI etc, they all reputable

 

[AJ]

All depends on instructor (s) - PADI, SSI etc, they all reputable

Agree, it depends on the instructor. However, if you want to get deep in Tech diving the agency on the card does matter. In my opinion when you want to start deco diving, cave or rebreather, you're better of with a card from a Tech diving oriented agency. There's just a very different kind of looking at the way you dive between Rec and Tech.

I hold cards from SSI, Padi, GUE, RAID and IANTD so I know somewhat what I am talking about. The right instructor is key with the right philosophy during training, but after training the agency on the card does matter. Mostly to other divers and dive shops in my experience, more than it does to me.

 

[Alekseolsen]

I have been impressed with RAID and bridged over to be a RAID instructor a couple years ago.
One of the awesome ways they stay progressive is to open up the elearning to everyone for free. All you need to do is create an account (also free) then go to the list of free elearning and download what you want to check out. You only pay if you want to do the test and get credit toward the course.

Thanks a lot for this! As someone with an upcoming CCR class that won't happen until October it was great to have som "pretraining" content

 

[LFMarm]

If you are looking to get certifications, I would go for TDI which is the largest of all but as others have said, pick the right instructor.

If you are looking to improve fundamentals, I would personally do it with GUE who has a very strict standard on their instructors. I, however, don’t care for their gear standardization approach so I would not do any of the tec levels with them.

 

[Oldbear]

Over the course of my dive training journey I have taken classes from about 10 different training agencies. While some classes we better than others, the really good ones, it was the instructor that made or didn’t make the course good. The agency just provided a teaching platform for the instructor to use.