Which agency to choose for nitrox class?

[southjerseydiver]

I currently have my AOW cert. and have been refining my skills ever since. i have always been tech oriented and want to get into more technical diving. my question is what training agency should i go with to get my nitrox cert. my LDS offers NAUI, TDI, and Padi nitrox classes. i figure since i am wanting to get into tech later i should go with TDI, but that is why i am asking everyone here. i want your opinions on each one.

 

[Belmont]

IANTD

International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers.

Their curriculum is geared toward what you are looking for.

 

[nadwidny]

I'm not sure this thread belongs in this forum.

 

[CompuDude]

If you are leaning towards DIR (based on the forum you posted in), your fundies class will include a GUE Nitrox cert. You won't need to take any of these others.

For general Nitrox use, any of the ones you mentioned are fine. I've taken both TDI's and PADI's, and the basic information is about the same. TDI's went a little more into the underlying math, since it's geared towards continuing more than PADI's. Either do the basic job, however.

 

[b1gcountry]

PADI sells more Nitrox certs than anyone else. They can afford to put much more money into their training materials, and PADI's Nitrox book was very user friendly and well presented IIRC.

I'm normally not a PADI supporter, but their materials are pretty nice in this case.

Tom

 

[lamont]

Yeah, I'm not sure exactly why this is in the DIR forum.

I'm going to assume the poster wants to go the DIR/GUE route at some point for now. In which case the answer is that the nitrox cert is now included in the DIRF cert. It says nitrox on the back of the card now.

If you're worried about a GUE DIRF card being accepted as a nitrox card around the world, then you might want to get a recreational nitrox cert, in which case i think there's better things to stress over. Nitrox isn't brain surgery. PADI is the most available and most well-known so it would seem to be the best choice there, but NAUI, SSI, etc, etc all should work.

 

[southjerseydiver]

thank you everyone for your help. And yes the reason i posted it here is because im looking to continue my training and gear configurations using gue and dir diving concepts. thank you everyone for the advice. great diving, ryan

 

[Rick Inman]

IANTD

International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers.

Their curriculum is geared toward what you are looking for.

I guess I'll second that. Having taken fundies and IANTD classes, and PADI Nitrox, the IANTD Nitrox class is geared toward the diver who is moving on to more technical type diving. And although DIR isn't necessarily "technical", the method-ology fits better going from an IANTD nitrox class to DIR, than from a PADI nitrox class to DIR - especially if you do plan on moving on. For example, both IANTD and DIR teach the T formula, and PADI teaches tables and mostly using computers.

 

[SCUBA_Phil]

At this point in your diving, it does not matter. Whatever is cost and schedule effective. I would argue against the GUE card because it is not universally accepted. The DIR portion of the course is very valuable but if you just looking for Nitrox, it is the wrong path. When you continue tech diving path, your advanced Nitrox will be more meaningful. GUE does this in Tech-1.

Phil

 

[dschonbrun]

If you are doing it just to be able to dive nitrox recreationally, then PADI has solid materials, the card is accepted everywhere, and it's all book work with an exam, no dives required. I'd go that route.