Technical training

[Icarusflies]

Hello All;

I am planning to continue my training in the direction of technical diving. I was looking at several agencies IANTD, TDI and GUE. For what I have seen GUE seems to have the toughest requirements, which I don't think is a bad thing.

Besides the quality of the instructor would you recommend GUE?

Thanks;

 

[Carribeandiver]

I wouldnt

 

[tampausmc]

I'm actually interested in this too....i was wondering how TDI compares to IANTD as far as both being recognized everywhere....alot of local shops offer TDI...but i keep getting recommendations for IANTD...

 

[String]

You wont have an issue with recognition from any of the above agencies.

All well heard of, well respected and valid anywhere.

GUE is not quite the same thing as TDI/IANTD. It forces you into specific gear configs and systems etc. The others allow more flexibility.

As for the tough requirements, thats down entirely to the instructor running it not the agency. A good instructor on any tech course will make your life absolutely hell which is EXACTLY what you want.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

This really isn't be best forum for this question. I'd recommend you (1) search through and read the Technical Diving Forum and other subforums (cave, wreck), (2) post only when you can't find the answers to questions you have and (3) join and begin reading everything you can on TheDecoStop.com.

My 2 cents: Technical diving is almost an entirely different beast from sport diving in terms of gear requirements, training and risk. Read, learn, read some more, learn some more and make sure you're making an educated decision. Then, if technical diving is the only way to achieve your goals and to see what you want to see, then go down that route.

 

[Steve R]

Hello All;

I am planning to continue my training in the direction of technical diving. I was looking at several agencies IANTD, TDI and GUE. For what I have seen GUE seems to have the toughest requirements, which I don't think is a bad thing.

Besides the quality of the instructor would you recommend GUE?

Thanks;

I would highly recommend GUE.

When you're throwing the dart at the board I can't imagine you making a better choice. Consistent top shelf individuals, without a doubt.

I've done a fair amount of diving with tech divers from all levels and agencies, and there's no doubt that GUE trained divers as a whole are a far tighter lot.

 

[PerroneFord]

In large part, in technical diving, the agency does not make the diver. Those who complain that GUE locks you into specific gear, well, a great many technical agencies require nearly the exact same gear anyway. Perhaps placed a bit differently in some cases, but same stuff.

I have been in the water with divers from IANTD, GUE, NAUI, TDI, PDIC, BSAC, NSSCDS, NACD, and some others. A good diver is a good diver. Period.

Each agency has its own peculiarities. Do your homework and make your choice. Or do what I am doing. Take classes from a variety of agencies. I am trying to hand pick my instructors and that means I will end up with cards from a number of agencies.

Best of luck.

 

[JeffG]

Well...lets see.

With GUE, you are pretty much guaranteed a good instructor. (Might have to talk to a couple to see which one suits your personality the best.) One class (tech 1), covers everything you will need. (Deco/Helium) Since you will have to go through (and pass) DIR-f class, you can reasonably be assured that you will adequate skill in the water.

With TDI...you will have to take a mishmash of classes. Some instructors will force you to take more classes than others. (Think extended range here). The instructor quality is highly variable. Anything from a great instructor to a blithering idiot.

Which one would you choose?

 

[Steve R]

In large part, in technical diving, the agency does not make the diver. Those who complain that GUE locks you into specific gear, well, a great many technical agencies require nearly the exact same gear anyway. Perhaps placed a bit differently in some cases, but same stuff.

I have been in the water with divers from IANTD, GUE, NAUI, TDI, PDIC, BSAC, NSSCDS, NACD, and some others. A good diver is a good diver. Period.

Each agency has its own peculiarities. Do your homework and make your choice. Or do what I am doing. Take classes from a variety of agencies. I am trying to hand pick my instructors and that means I will end up with cards from a number of agencies.

Best of luck.

While that sounds all nice and warm and cuddly, nothing could be further from the truth.

When you've got but one shot at a decent education, your best bet is GUE. If you want to roll the dice that your choice is the right one, well good luck, you'll need it.

This is easily shown by looking at your typical tech trained diver from the ABC agencies, and you'll see exactly what I'm talking about.

I doubt our area is much different than anyone else's.

I'm not saying you CAN'T get a decent education outside of GUE, of course you can.

What I am saying however is, you're not likely to get top-shelf training that you can get from any GUE instructor just by grabbing the best slick-talker out there. That's been proven to be the case too many times.

Roll the dice.

What is great about some of the ABC agencies wth resepct to allowing the instuctor to 'do their thing' and create an excellent course, is also their achilles heel far too often, and one too many people have found themselves in because it leads to sloppy, anything goes training which is clearly poor training. This is what I have seen all too often for it not to be the way it usually goes.

"Doing your homework", when you don't even know what the topic is, is a lesson in futility and does not often enough lead to the correct choices. It is always a matter of not knowing what you don't know.

The again I have a fair chunk of training from quite a few agencies, so maybe I just don't know what I am talking about. :shakehead

 

[TSandM]

I think one of the things GUE has going for them at present is that the agency is small enough that all the instructors are pretty much hand-picked. There aren't that many instructors, even world-wide, who are qualified to teach the technical classes. That means each one has been carefully scrutinized by the tiny group of technical instructor trainers. It also means you probably won't have a tech instructor locally, and will have to pay travel expenses for one to come to teach a class (or go where a class is being taught). This can cause problems for the student, if you don't pass the class the first time. We have a group of Tech 1 students here who have chosen to go to Florida for their reevaluations, after getting provisionals the first time through. That's expensive.

In my admittedly limited experience, GUE instructors are not only good divers and knowledgeable, but are also very highly motivated people who are given good guidance in how to teach as well.