Taking the Adv Nitrox/Deco plunge. (Warning, LONG)

[wedivebc]

I did IANTD adv nitrox (which includes deco). I found the book very basic but then again, I had already read all the nifty papers out there on decompression theory (e.g. Understanding M-values, O2 window, etc). The instructor also threw in a TDI adv nitrox card because he didn't feel the 50% limitation in IANTD was appropriate for Florida cave diving. He said he much preferred the IANTD book over the TDI book so I can't imagine how bad the TDI book is but I've seen the TDI trimix book and it is a complete joke (a whopping 9 pages cover trimix).

TDI books have been lacking in the past. The trimix manuals have been re-written by Steve Lewis (Doppler on this board) and he has done a fantastic job. I hope that the deco procedures manuals will be re-written soon. Joe Odom's books are dated and lack relevent material. Padi's material seems to contain little substance and seems to me to teach one how to act/talk/behave like a tech poser. In the end the instructor is the main ingredient in the program.
I suggest looking at the instructor's log book. See what dives they do when they are not teaching. No instructor should refuse that request if they have nothing to hide.

 

[Steve R]

I can agree with Dave here about researching your instructor. Unfortunately for the prospective student, that's a tad tough to do. Too many instructors are excellent posers (lol, good call) so you would have to dig deeper and see how they run their own personal diving, expeditions, trips etc. When they've taken the "I'm here with students" hats off, you'll see their true colors (or colours if they're Canadian).

You be suprised at what sounds good on a phone interview quickly becomes a complete 'effing stroke-fest' when they think no-one is watching To me the truest mark of an instructor is how they conduct their own diving, without a doubt.

Good luck dude. It's a lot of real homework for you to do.

 

[texdiveguy]

TDI books have been lacking in the past. The trimix manuals have been re-written by Steve Lewis (Doppler on this board) and he has done a fantastic job. I hope that the deco procedures manuals will be re-written soon. Joe Odom's books are dated and lack relevent material. Padi's material seems to contain little substance and seems to me to teach one how to act/talk/behave like a tech poser. In the end the instructor is the main ingredient in the program.
I suggest looking at the instructor's log book. See what dives they do when they are not teaching. No instructor should refuse that request if they have nothing to hide.

TDI materials are much better than the earlier ones.....when I completed my TDI Trimix cert. I had to first read and complete all knowledge reviews and the written tests for both the TDI Trimix material and the TDI Adv.Trimix texts both,,,my instructor was insistant and I am glad for the extra effort and instruction. On my own I also read both DSAT Tec books and one of the NAUI Tec manuals.

PS--- fire_diver hope you got my earlier PM.

 

[PerroneFord]

I suggest looking at the instructor's log book. See what dives they do when they are not teaching. No instructor should refuse that request if they have nothing to hide.

Man, that's a biggie! Where is your instructor diving? Perfect question.

I have taken my technical courses with two guys. I got plugged into the community I was interested in, and then rooted around for the best guys I could find.

I think you also have to look at your goals. Why do you need the mixed gas class? Is it because you want to explore deeper? Is it because the dives you are doing will force you into deco? Do you want to simply reduce narcosis inside recreational limits? I took originally took Adv Nitrox, because I wanted to be able to have oxygen available on my dives, in case something got screwed up. If your mixed gas instructor is a cave diver doing 4 hour cave dives at 80ft, is his experience really relevant to you doing 240ft ocean dives? We all have our reasons for doing this, so let that guide you to the right person.

 

[Rainer]

Perrone, if the TDI Adv. Nitrox book is better than the IANTD I would hate to think what it is like. I thought the TDI book was pretty lacking. Sure it went over the basic info okay but there was not much more than what was in my PADI nitrox book. Wasn't IANTD coming out with an update to their tech book?

As for the OP when doing a course like this we decided to travel from slc to Florida for our classes. I wanted someone who does this all the time.

Have got to agree. My buddy is currently doing the TDI Adv Nitrox / Deco Proc courses, and I jsut read both books two nights ago. Really not much there at all. I'm assuming the classroom stuff is a lot deeper. Nothing in the books that you couldn't find with a few searches on the net. I glanced at the PADI DSAT books a few weeks ago. High production values, but didn't get a chance to check the content.

 

[texdiveguy]

The manuals are just the tip of the iceberg in tec training....its experience and practice and a good instructor/mentor that really counts in getting one started..

 

[Rainer]

The manuals are just the tip of the iceberg in tec training....its experience and practice and a good instructor/mentor that really counts in getting one started..

Obviously. That said, the TDI manuals I looked over offered little more than what I got back in my intro to nitrox course. That, and lots of bad jokes (e.g. while He might be inert, it can "ert" you).

 

[ianr33]

The TDI Trimix manual is Truly Pathetic. The Advanced Trimix manual is better but still not great.

While I am whining about manuals I did a Full Cave course this last weekend (WooHoo!!) What is the point of doing problems using the Navy Air tables?? has anybody ever (or at least in the last 20 years) planned a cave dive using those tables ?

"Tech" manuals seem to be outdated for the most part,which is kinda surprising as "tech" is now so hip and trendy.

 

[PerroneFord]

ianr33,

I believe there is just too much intertia in some of the agencies to change this stuff rapidly. I was wondering when I was taking the IANTD Adv. Nitrox course, "where are the bubble models?" Little did I know...

 

[texdiveguy]

"Tech" manuals seem to be outdated for the most part,which is kinda surprising as "tech" is now so hip and trendy.

LOL...you are right!! ian33 congrats on your certf.!

I have both the IANTD Cave Diver manual and read it in a weekend....very basic material...also read the NSS Cavern manual which was even more non informative....so not only do many of the the agencies 'mix' text lack... its across the differant disaplines texts. I own and have completed the text for the TDI Adv. Wreck....it is newly written and much better than the past one but still just the tip of instruction....its all about class/field work and instruction.