SSI Vs PADI

[Michael_Lambert]

Hey peoples!

Just signed up today to take my SSI Open Water course through a local dive shop.. I have heard now that that may have been a mistake most people are saying that im nuts for not takeing PADI, but it may have been a misunderstanding or just misinformation but was advised that SSI was just as good as the PADI.. and the SSI was cheaper. So i'm locked in either way.. non refundable my im booked for October 1/2 classes and then 15th/16th open water..

My Plans.. are to complete the SSI Open water, and then dive/work with my local shop who has alot of PADI instructors on board and next summer go and get my PADI Advanced.. i was advised that by doing this i would have certs for 2 reconized organizations and would have Zero issues diving anywhere in the world..

Either way im excited!

Thanks
Michael

 

[Blackwood]

This is the answer you are going to get from most everyone:

The certifying agency doesn't matter too much. One may have slightly better materials than other. One may be heavy on advertising themselves (caugh PADI).

But the instructor matters most of all. A good instructor should yield a good experience. A bad instructor can ruin it.



Good luck, by the way, and enjoy!

 

[Michael_Lambert]

Well, i have spoken to this instructor... Really seems like a nice guy very experienced and infact is a PADI Instructor as well as many others just they have this learn to dive course where you get the SSI Open water cert for about 30% of the PADI Courses being offered in my area.

 

[Wayward Son]

They all swap around & recognize each other. You can take:

SSI OW
PADI AOW
NAUI Nitrox

and you have effectively the same as if you had done:

PADI OW
SSI AOW
PADI Nitrox

There are relatively minor differences, but for the most part it doesn't matter much.

 

[Scottri]

The agency doesn't matter. The skills are the same regardless of what agency teaches them. I've worked with both SSI and PADI and you will learn the same stuff in SSI as you would in a PADI course. I've never had a problem with my SSI card anywhere in the world. It really is about the instructor and staff. You will learn more from a good instructor whether he or she is teaching through NAUI, PADI, SSI or the YMCA.

 

[Canadian_Diver]

Just signed up today to take my SSI Open Water course through a local dive shop.. I have heard now that that may have been a mistake most people are saying that im nuts for not takeing PADI, but it may have been a misunderstanding or just misinformation but was advised that SSI was just as good as the PADI.. and the SSI was cheaper. So i'm locked in either way.. non refundable my im booked for October 1/2 classes and then 15th/16th open water..

Tell those people to take their opinions and shove it.

I agree with everyone else here, all certification agencies are equal, it's the instruction of the material that you recieve that matters. All agencies are bound by the same governing agency and have to teach the same basic skills.

I am SSI Certified. The nice thing about SSI is the the rewards / levels based on experience. Also, the SSI Dive Control Specialist is interesting, because it's essentially the equivalent of Dive Master & Assistant Instructor.

So, with that said, all agencies are fine and accepted everywhere. It's the instruction/instructor that matters.

 

[Divin-D]

I have SSI OW cert and PADI AOW / Nitrox. I don't have a huge number of dives, but I've never had a problem with either cert. I use local shops that teach both and one that teaches NAUI. Never had a problem signing up for classes or getting gas fills.

 

[DeputyDan]

I have SSI OW - with a PADI Instructor
Also have PADI AOW
and
SSI Nitrox

Never had a problem.

 

[Tom Smedley]

Choose the LDS that best meets your comfort level and ability to grow. The agency is transparent to you as the consumer. PADI and SSI are both accepted as proof of certification anywhere you go. The SSI Advanced certification requires more dives but is well worth it if you have a great instructor.

After all - after you have training - the most widely accepted certification agency in the world is VISA.

 

[wetrat]

After all - after you have training - the most widely accepted certification agency in the world is VISA.

How true! I actually went diving several times before being certified - once in Cozumel and four times in Hawaii. The dives were under the guise of "resort course" or "introductory scuba." One dive was to 60 feet. The dive master was having problems with another diver who was panicing and he left me on the bottom for about ten minutes by myself hanging on to a piece of coral. That was really freaky and almost stopped me from getting certified because I remembered how scared I was (i.e. had to clean the **** out of wetsuit after!). My SSI dive instructor told me that guy should have been harpooned by a spear gun!