TDI GUE course differences

[tomcat]

I'm thinking about going into deco/trimix diving and have been gathering information on GUE and TDI courses. GUE is rather informative about course standards and topics covered but I couldn't find out much about TDI.

Would like to have your opinion on:

a. Significant differences between GUE and TDI tech courses (not cave/penetration courses)

b. Major advantages that each curriculum has over the other

c. Major disadvantages that each curriculum has over the other

d. Time/$$ differences between the two

thanks in advance!

 

[AquaTec]

here is a site for TDI course information...there are a lot more if this does not give you what you need. just let me know
http://www.tdisdi.com/tdi/courses/courses.html

Your questions
Would like to have your opinion on:

a. Significant differences between GUE and TDI tech courses (not cave/penetration courses)

I have never taken a GUE course so i can't respond to the differences....personaly i think they are more simular than difference except for the way they perform decompression.
make sure that you consider your sourse as others respond. and make sure they have taken a decompression course with both agencies...there are a lot of wanta bees on this board with strong oppinions

b. Major advantages that each curriculum has over the other
the most popular style of tech diving comes from either IANTD or TDI based on numbers of students and facilities. also TDI is more open to adjusting gear etc to your style of diving, i think of it as a more free form of diving, this of course requires the diver to not be a follower but someone who makes decisions on their own and justifies those decisions with good background info

c. Major disadvantages that each curriculum has over the other
TDI's disadvantage is that GUE's followers are very bonded together in their oppinion and to their agency where as TDI's divers get there instruction and then just get about their business of diving, it doesn't have that RA RA go team mentality.


d. Time/$$ differences between the two
TDI Advanced Nitrox Deco Procedures combined course I charge $1,000.00us plus gasses and charters. time varies based on the students usualy about 6 days.

again i have tried to give you some ideas about TDI but can't really compare with GUE as I have not taken one of their courses

 

[db8us]

I suggest first do the TDI course, let´s say extended Range

Most likely you will use steel stages, bondage wings, independent doubles, double-bladder, reels for shoting bags, etc.

Afterwards you will do the GUE course, sell all the crap and buy a decent rig.

Then you really have the maximum out of it. I sometimes feel sorry for the DIR-dudes that directly went the "right" way, because they have no clue how bad diving can be

By the way: I HAVE done both courses !

Michael

 

[MikeFerrara]

db8us once bubbled...
I suggest first do the TDI course, let´s say extended Range

Most likely you will use steel stages, bondage wings, independent doubles, double-bladder, reels for shoting bags, etc.

Afterwards you will do the GUE course, sell all the crap and buy a decent rig.

Then you really have the maximum out of it. I sometimes feel sorry for the DIR-dudes that directly went the "right" way, because they have no clue how bad diving can be

By the way: I HAVE done both courses !

Michael

I must have picked better instructors than you I got all halcyon stuff but my cards are IANTD and NACD.

You really think most TDI instructors would recommend independant doubles?

 

[AquaTec]

db8us once bubbled...
I suggest first do the TDI course, let´s say extended Range

Most likely you will use steel stages, bondage wings, independent doubles, double-bladder, reels for shoting bags, etc.

Afterwards you will do the GUE course, sell all the crap and buy a decent rig.

Then you really have the maximum out of it. I sometimes feel sorry for the DIR-dudes that directly went the "right" way, because they have no clue how bad diving can be

By the way: I HAVE done both courses !

Michael

See the RA Ra has started allready...
sounds like you had a either a bad instructor or just a bad experience.....or they did not make you feel like part of the team that GUE does for you.

it is OK to use the gear stated above if that is what you want to use. TDI doesn't teach that you MUSY use a certain type of gear and configuration, the idavidual instructor will show you several types of gear configurations and then you decide what works best for you, your diving sty;e, and your diving enviroment.

I was just in Scapa Flow Scotland, and guess what they do not have manifolded doubles there. so if you are going to dive there you better know how to use independent doubles...and those who brough their own manifolds etc could not rig them because of size difference etc.

that is not to say that TDI teaches independent double, heck i have never met an instructor teaching anything but manifolded doubles and aluminium stages. but who know who is out there.
I knew the precasions associated with independents because i used them prior to manifolds being invented.

I love bondage wings, for a well balanced rig there is not much better...i won't go into it here as there is at least a 1000 posts on the pros and cons of bunggied wings here.

I will never realy on anything but my bladder for lift, therefor i will always use a double bladder. have you ever used your drysuit to slow you down on a rapid descent after your bladder has failed.

try this out start your decent, at about 30 feet let all the air out of your bcd and disconect it, check your air pressure, etc. and in this time about one minute you will probably find yourself descending at about 100 feet per minute. now you are at about 90 feet start inflating your drysuit to slow you down and stop your descent, this will probably take place at about 140 feet. hopefully you are not breathing the wrong nitrox mix.

now do you continue the dive or abort.....with a double bladder you would not experience any of this and you would continue your dive as normal

now a question for you....are you suggesting that you do not use a reel for shooting a bag, or that you do not shoot a bag at all.

 

[sheck33]

the answer is simple, the GUE courses are by far the better courses for reasons already discussed 1000 times. No need to repeat that here. :boom:

db8us is so right

 

[MikeFerrara]

AquaTec once bubbled...



now a question for you....are you suggesting that you do not use a reel for shooting a bag, or that you do not shoot a bag at all.

They only use spools. If you use a reel they accuse you of living in a barn. It will surely kill you if you use a reel didn't you know that?

 

[AquaTec]

sheck33 once bubbled...
the answer is simple, the GUE courses are by far the better courses for reasons already discussed 1000 times. No need to repeat that here. :boom:

db8us is so right

it would be interesting to hear from you as to why they are better

 

[MikeFerrara]

sheck33 once bubbled...
the answer is simple, the GUE courses are by far the better courses for reasons already discussed 1000 times. No need to repeat that here. :boom:

db8us is so right

I don't think db8us really said anything at all. He sort of said that after your TDI class you would want to buy all new gear. He didn't say GUE was good or why he thought it was good.

Since he didn't really say anything I don't think he was right and I don't think he was any help to the person asking the question. I do think he was sarcastic and arrogant while saying nothing of value.

So why don't you tell us? What will you get with a GUE class that you can't get with a TDI or IANTD class?

 

[boomx5]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...
So why don't you tell us? What will you get with a GUE class that you can't get with a TDI or IANTD class?

It seems like it would be a more prudent thing to ask someone who is an instructor, or who has taught for all three agencies before we can make an accurate assumption on which agency is better.