Trying to understand PADI's Enriched Air - Nitrox certification costs

[WarrenZ]

My class was $100 including the book. But that was at a shop who doesn't do Nitrox at all. In fact one of the owners doesn't even understand partial pressure mixing or gas law so you get what you pay for.

 

[DENLASCUBA]

In the PADI books the students are supposed to complete all the Knowledge reviews and the instructor should be verifying they are completed. If the student has actually filled in the reviews in the book then you would technically be unable to use that book in the class, that is not to say an instructor may allow you to still use the book and fill your answers in on a blank sheet. As long as your materials match the current version in use than the condition technically does not matter; but if it is in very bad condition to where the student will not be able to read part the instructor could say no. As for .pdf I have seen some copies around for PADI materials but mostly for the older manuals so you might be able to find one but the instructor does not have to allow you to use it if it is not produced by PADI as this would be copyright infringement.

As for the cost that is quite reasonable at both places I charge apox 260 USD with materials,equipment if needed, and 3 boat dives on nitrox.I also offer the course for about 150 USD but this excludes diving you will only learn and be certified in the classroom so you need to check what method your shop will offer. I have worked on some live-aboards that will include, a certain number of nitrox tanks, nitrox for the entire trip, or discounted price on nitrox when you do the course on board.

 

[bl6394]

I am going to call BS on part of this statement. One needs current materials - nothing more, nothing less. If you can borrow needed books go for it, there is nothing wrong with it.

From a student's point of view - perhaps. I don't recall ever reviewing my SSI EANx book after certification...

But, frankly - it's a "standards" issue for the PADI instructor. PADI standards require that the student own their personal set of required materials for the class they are taking. Paraphrasing for conciseness: either the student needs to have viewed the PADI Enriched Air Diving Video and must own a PADI Enriched Air Diver manual and have it available later for reference or the student must complete the online class.

From a practical standpoint, if it was found that an instructor had permitted a student to borrow required materials - e.g. when the student filled out their quality survey and acknowledged borrowing the book - that instructor could and probably would be sanctioned for a standards violation.

Now - if my student stated that he bought a used book and was going to keep it afterwards for reference. Well - that may technically meet the standards, but hypothetically - would it be far fetched for PADI to claim the "intent" of the standards had been violated and sanction the instructor anyway? Who's to say. For the prudent PADI instructor, it is safer to require each student to purchase their own new personal set of required PADI materials.

 

[halocline]

The idea of it being important to have a current book sounds good until you realize that they probably said the same thing five years ago; now all of those students are presumably still diving nitrox successfully with the knowledge from their outdated books, and it's not like PADI sends you a new book every time a new edition comes out. This is suspiciously like the college textbook scene; students are required to buy the 10th edition of a history book for $100, when there are piles of 9th edition available from last year's students for $50.

If the information in these courses really needed to be current, the only way to effectively achieve that would be to discard the printed book altogether and charge students for lifetime access to a website where the materials are constantly updated.

PADI is trying to make a buck; it's a popular class and they know it. I don't think it's fair to blame PADI for doing this, but let's dispense with the B.S.

 

[DaleC]

The idea of it being important to have a current book sounds good until you realize that they probably said the same thing five years ago; now all of those students are presumably still diving nitrox successfully with the knowledge from their outdated books, and it's not like PADI sends you a new book every time a new edition comes out. This is suspiciously like the college textbook scene; students are required to buy the 10th edition of a history book for $100, when there are piles of 9th edition available from last year's students for $50.

If the information in these courses really needed to be current, the only way to effectively achieve that would be to discard the printed book altogether and charge students for lifetime access to a website where the materials are constantly updated.

PADI is trying to make a buck; it's a popular class and they know it. I don't think it's fair to blame PADI for doing this, but let's dispense with the B.S.

I'll buy that as long as PADI comes right out and says it's making a buck by selling books and not some BS about how every diver needs one for future reference as a training standard.

It is a bit like college. I have a whole bookshelf full of text books that have never been cracked.

 

[RJP]

I'll buy that as long as PADI comes right out and says it's making a buck by selling books...

Has this ever been in question?

 

[mmerriman]

I am going to call BS on part of this statement. One needs current materials - nothing more, nothing less. If you can borrow needed books go for it, there is nothing wrong with it.

Let me clarify - if you want a PADI certification, what I said is correct. Can't attest to any other agency. Might a PADI instructor look the other way? Maybe, but it doesn't change the requirement.

"Diver​

Ensure that student divers have a personal set of currentPADI materials for study and use during the course and forreference afterward, to include, at a minimum, the coursemanual (book, digital or app version) unless unavailablein a language understood by the student diver. Ensure thatstudent divers have a log book.​

PADI eLearning​

® meets course manual and video material​

requirements"

 

[RJP]

Let me clarify - if you want a PADI certification, what I said is correct. Can't attest to any other agency. Might a PADI instructor look the other way? Maybe, but it doesn't change the requirement.

"Diver​

Ensure that student divers have a personal set of currentPADI materials for study and use during the course and forreference afterward, to include, at a minimum, the coursemanual (book, digital or app version) unless unavailablein a language understood by the student diver. Ensure thatstudent divers have a log book.​

PADI eLearning​

® meets course manual and video material​

requirements"

But even that doesn't say "which must be brand new"

 

[bl6394]

But even that doesn't say "which must be brand new"

RJP - you're looking at this the wrong way. Its the book donor that really is at risk. Remember, the required personal materials must be "available for reference afterward."

Any instructor permitting the use of used books would be implicitly condoning the irresponsible and unsafe diving practice of ... not having required personal materials available for reference afterwards.

 

[AfterDark]

Hi all,

I am heading to my 1st liveaboard in mid April and thought this would be a good opportunity to get certified to dive Nitrox so I can take advantage of it during the LOB. I have the option of taking couse on first day on the boat for $135 + 55 (for materials), but it sounds like a lot for a theoretical-only course. I did find a LDS close to work which charges $85 for the course and sells the crew pack for $80. I asked if I could buy a used manual, borrow, etc... They said that I probably could but if the instructor thinks it's outdated he/she might not certify me. (this guy is not trying to force me to buy his material, he even said I can also buy online).

Does anybody know more about this course?
Has the material been updated a lot in recent years? Besides the manuals, what else do I need?

I did find this crew pack on Amazon for $58. Is this all I need?
http://www.amazon.com/PADI-Enriched-Diving-Crew-Pack/dp/B004287914

Thanks so much for the help here.

Think of as a rip off. Which is what it is. Yes that is all you should need, then a quick test. However you'll have to sit through a couple of hours hearing about stuff you already know if you read the book, a brief demo on using the O2 analyzer and maybe some hands on with the analyzer. All things you can do on your own if you don't already know how. A rip off.