What is the "normal" cost for the Nitrox class?

[Neilwood]

spending maybe thousands of bucks on scuba gear and then cheaping couple of bucks on the training, that one goes over my head
I can't even get a decent diving light with the cost of a nitrox course here so the course prices are the least of my worries but maybe in some warmer parts of the world this is more important (for example where one can get by with using only a rashguard or a shortie and alu80 without much any weights and the cheapest used ebay regulator works well enough at least half the time) . I dunno, maybe it is just so expensive to start with here that the PADI course prices are the least of my worries

We are talking about more than a couple of bucks here.

The Nitrox course essentially covers a few main points:
Discuss managing oxygen exposure.
Practice analyzing oxygen content in your scuba tank.
Set your dive computer for diving with enriched air nitrox.

There is only so much "added value" that can be had on a Nitrox course so having 2 courses where the standards are the same but the price is hugely different is a bit of an issue. If I were looking for the cert again, I have a number of options with regards to shops:
1) £110 locally with courses very infrequent (this has come down from £130 in the recent past)
2) £75 2 hours away

I went for option 2. Course arranged when I wanted and cheaper even allowing for fuel.

 

[CDMac]

in a classroom for around 5 hours

As someone else mentioned, I cannot fathom how they could fill 5 hours with the information contained in the Nitrox Books/DVD.

I bought the books to have for reference which contained tables for EANx32 and 36 plus the DSAT O2 exposure and Equivalent Air Depth tables.

I did the exercises (calculations using the tables) and the quizzes/knowledge review at home and then went in and watched the DVD.

I probably could have just done the DVD and took the test (not sure if that's allowed) because the 30 minute DVD is damn near verbatim the info from the book. I wanted the book to have for the future so it wasn't a big deal to buy them for $80 all in.

Anyway, by the end of the 30 minute DVD, I was damn near doing this

The other hour and a half of a 2 hour commitment from me was touring the shop's gas banks and filling station plus discussing the theories about O2-tox and Narcosis, taking the final assessment (10-15 minutes) and just shooting the breeze about upcoming AOW training.

I don't know what they plan to add to take another 3 hours, but my recommendation (should you go with that shop) is to drink a couple of Monsters and snort some No-Doz before going in.

That said, I have my temp EANx card so I can now dive Nitrox on my AOW dives.

 

[Neilwood]

@CDMac agreed - no way I can see a Nitrox class lasting 5 hours. Mine was done in under 2hrs and that included a fair bit of chat and discussion about an up coming trip.

Heck DSAT/PADI Trimix gas blender is only a day course - and that covers a hell of a lot more than Nitrox!