Where it gets more different is at the Tech level. GUE jumps from Fundies to Tech 1 (150 ft, 21/35 and 50%, up to 30 minutes of deco). UTD goes to their Tech 1, which is a 25/25, 130 foot class with O2 deco up to 15 minutes. It's a little less stressful class, designed for folks who don't really want to do deep dives, but would like to do some deeper recreational dives properly planned with staged decompression. I took it, and it was a good decision for me, especially as I have repeatedly struggled with GUE classes the first time through.
GUE has the upcoming rec 2 (triox) and already available rec 3 (trimix) courses as intermediary from fundamentals to the tech program.
the triox step has been around for 4 or 5? years, as my buddy Lamont took it some time ago.
the following is from their site.
GUE’s Recreational Diver level 2 course is a no-decompression class structured to prepare divers for
deeper recreational diving using proper equipment, diving techniques, and breathing mixtures. In this class,
students will be introduced to the theory and practice of decompression and schooled in correct ascent
procedures. GUE’s Recreational Diver level 2 training focuses on expanding the fundamental skills learned
in GUE’s Recreational Diver level 1 course and/or the GUE Fundamentals course (or elsewhere), and is
designed to cultivate, integrate, and expand the essential skills required for safe deeper diving. This will
include problem identification and resolution, and building the capacity for progressively more challenging
diving. In this class, students will be trained in: a) the use of single or double back gas tanks/cylinders, and
in the potential failure problems associated with them; b) the use of Nitrox and Triox for extended bottom
times; and c) the use of Helium to minimize narcosis, CO2, gas density, and post-dive “nitrogen stress.”
The GUE Recreational Diver level 3 course is a minimum decompression class structured to prepare divers
for deeper recreational diving using proper equipment, diving techniques and breathing mixtures. In this
class, students will be introduced to the theory and practice of decompression and trained in correct ascent
procedures. Recreational Diver level 3 training builds on the fundamental skills learned in previous GUE
Recreational courses (GUE Fundamentals, Level 1 and Diver level 2) and is designed to cultivate the
essential skills required for safe diving at greater depths. The training will include problem identification
and resolution as a means of building capacity for progressively more challenging dives. In this class,
students will be trained in: a) the use of double, back-gas tanks/cylinders as well as the problem resolution
skills required for safe doubles diving; b) the use of Nitrox for decompression; c) the use of Helium to
minimize narcosis, CO2, gas density, and post-dive “nitrogen stress”; and d) the use of a single
decompression cylinder for stage decompression techniques.
for more detailed information, link to their standards...
http://www.gue.com/files/Standards_and_Procedures/GUE_Standards_Version_51.pdf
