Starting Technical diving GUE Vs TDI VS PADI?

[justinthedeeps]

Just go with the best shop and/or best available/affordable instructor in your area(s)--regardless of agency--if you think you have the sense to find them.

As much as GUE has a strong brand and strives to be unique, TDI courses include most of the same skills and components as GUE courses. You may or may not be "forced" to perfect your technique as much in a boilerplate non-GUE course, but it depends on the instructor. A solid and qualified TDI (or even PADI Tec) instructor would probably be willing to spend extra time with you to make that happen, if you paid them GUE rates.

I did PADI Tec40 & 45 + GUE Fundamentals all with the same instructor, then TDI for CCR Mod1, and have no regrets. There has not been a day yet that I wished I had done GUE Tec1 instead of doing TDI CCR Mod1. I don't need someone to haze me in order to be competent, and I don't need to do back-kicks in formation for another six hours just for permission to go diving. I don't need to get super clique-y about a magic number of basic dives, or stop and watch clock every 3 metres starting from 21 metres on a 40 metre dive.

But it might all depend on your goals, community, buddies, environment, etc.

 

[leadduck]

I don't have any experience with Faisal or Sameh, but I know exactly what they'll teach you and how you'll develop as a diver if you go with them. If you don't have a good feel for what you're looking for in an instructor or training philosophy yet, go GUE. If you decide it's not right for you, you'll still end up a better diver with the knowledge to evaluate your next choice. If you do like it, they'll get you where you want to be with enough time and effort.

I don't know Sameh but I've been diving with Faisal and he's a good guy, can recommend.

@YahiaAmed: Looking at your gear list it seems you dive sidemount. Note that GUE Fundamentals is a backmount-only class and cannot be done in sidemount gear. Taking the class won't hurt though, but it won't help much either if you want to proceed with openwater sidemount diving.

 

[huwporter]

UTD is almost gone except in SE asia, maybe Jeff will revive it as an agency but I have my doubts.

I was curious about the way you phrased this so I had a look. Is AG no longer with UTD? Doesn't even seem to be listed as a current instructor. Couldn't see anything from searching SB.

 

[YahiaAhmed]

I don't know Sameh but I've been diving with Faisal and he's a good guy, can recommend.

@YahiaAmed: Looking at your gear list it seems you dive sidemount. Note that GUE Fundamentals is a backmount-only class and cannot be done in sidemount gear. Taking the class won't hurt though, but it won't help much either if you want to proceed with openwater sidemount diving.

Side-mount is one of my favorite recreational diving styles, however I want to advance in Techincal diving, so really it doesn't matter what gear I have currently. I could always buy new gear to suit my diving styles and experience level. I was just wondering if I can use some of these gears in GUE, as I saw in GUE websites and other discussion that they mainly focus or "advertise" Halcyon equipment.

So my question is, can I use my regulators (first & second stages) for example, mask, Fins, Drysuit in GUE trainings or they just allow Halcyon gear?

 

[leadduck]

Side mount is one of my favorite recreational diving style, however I want to advance in Techincal diving, so really it doesn't matter what gear I have currently. I could always buy new gear to suit my diving style and experience level. I was just wondering if I can use some of these gears in GUE, as I saw in GUE websites and other discussion that they mainly focus or "advertise" Halcyon equipment.

So my question is, can I use my regulators (first & second stages) for example, mask, Fins, Drysuit in GUE trainings or they just allow Halcyon gear?

"Coincidentally" the GUE chairman is the CEO of Halcyon, but that doesn't make Halcyon gear the only allowed option for GUE classes. Others vendors are fine. But there are requirements on the type of gear. Please contact your future instructor first before buying new gear, not to show up with a bungeed wing and splitfins ...

 

[seeker242]

since I saw posts that GUE is all about Halcyon gear.

It's not. I did fundamentals without even having 1 pc of Halcyon gear. My buddy did it in the same wing you have, the Hollis LX. What matters most is how it's configured, not what brand it is.

Regardless of what agency you choose for further training, you really can't go wrong with starting at GUE Fundamentals. Trim, buoyancy and propulsion are fundamental to any training regardless of agency.

 

[JBFG]

Go with the best instructor regardless of agency. Someone that dives Tec often and in the same system that you want to dive. You want SM Tec, get the best SM Tec instructor

 

[leadduck]

Go with the best instructor regardless of agency. Someone that dives Tec often and in the same system that you want to dive. You want SM Tec, get the best SM Tec instructor

I'm actually not sure if this is really necessary. The DIR backmount valve drill is special and you take a backmount class (Fundamentals, ITT, ...) to learn it.
But then, let's say he takes Fundamentals and T1 or AN/DP in backmount, and then figures out that he can do dives with only 1 or 2 deco stages just as easy in sidemount and actually prefers to do so in wrecks and caves -- I don't think he has to take another SM Tec class to relearn anything.

 

[wstorms]

I think the point was to immediately take the tec course in the configuration you want to dive. If that happens to be SM, you pick up the tips & tricks straight away if you go with a SM tec class

 

[ginti]

To the OP, in case you choose GUE, there is another GUE instructor based in Egypt, Antonio Bresciani, who can teach up to CCR1 class. But I don't know him personally.

GUE unless you want to go CCR, then TDI

Why?