Which agency to choose for nitrox class

[southjerseydiver]

i have already asked this in the DIR forum but i was wondering what the general conciences is. 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.

 

[texdiveguy]

i have already asked this in the DIR forum but i was wondering what the general conciences is. 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.

They are all good and offer about the same basic recreational nitrox class material and skills.

I took my basic nitrox through PADI back when you still were required to make 2 dives prior to completion of the class....that has now been waived. Good basic information.

I regards to technical courses that is a question that is more involved. Both NAUI and TDI offer great courses as I noted you mentioned those about your LDS. You can look at my signature and see what direction I might suggest.

Good luck and safe diving!

 

[peterbj7]

Certainly go with a tech agency, though from my own experience I would pick IANTD over TDI (for any course). Not that their Nitrox course couldn't be improved. It's more down to the instructor than the agency. You want someone who will teach you to understand it, not to learn it. If the course takes much less than a day then I'd question its worth. Try to find out, maybe by a direct question, whether the instructor teaches you to use certain formulae (the PADI approach) or to work everything out from first principles (my approach, and rather closer to IANTD's). Anything you understand will remain with you; anything you just learn you will forget within weeks.

I never did the PADI nitrox course as a student. I actually did it with another agency while PADI were still referring to it as "the devil gas".

I've just seen texdiveguy's post. One comment - the requirement for dives as part of PADI's course has NOT been waived, but it is now at the instructor's discretion. As it has been with IANTD for many years. I don't know TDI's requirements, because although I did all their courses up to advanced trimix I dropped them when I decided who to teach for.

As a supplement to the course material I think dives are of little value, but as an opportunity for the instructor to see you diving and make constructive comments they can have value. I still require them if the student is someone I haven't dived with and otherwise expect not to.

 

[ucfdiver]

DIR-diver.com - Nitrox Class Part 1

Read that, and go purchase a c card from your local dive shop, as long as it's recognized worldwide, who cares what letters are on it? The ONLY thing different from air diving is learning to keep track of your o2 exposure, everything else is things you already do with air, but with a slightly different set of rules.

 

[Dive-aholic]

My guess is it will be the same instructor no matter what agency you choose. It will just be a difference of what the card says. If that's the case, it doesn't matter one bit.

 

[BarryNL]

Read that, and go purchase a c card from your local dive shop, as long as it's recognized worldwide, who cares what letters are on it? The ONLY thing different from air diving is learning to keep track of your o2 exposure, everything else is things you already do with air, but with a slightly different set of rules.

Yeah - for the basic nitrox course the agency really doesn't matter - the information isn't that complex and they pretty much all say the same thing. I'd actually be tempted to go with PADI because of the quality of their course material. You get a nice book, DVD and tables which you then have to refer back to until you lose them.

 

[Trimix2dive]

I've sat through all 3 classes and for the basic nitrox it really doesn't matter. The two people who taught the NAUI and TDI were more interactive. I think that was more personality in teaching rather than content.

Personally, many years ago I went through the TDI program. It was the instructor not the organization. But I did decide to do the TDI program all the way through advanced Trimix.

 

[fisherdvm]

My preference would be PADI, simply because I know that they can be checked online, in case you forgot your card. You might check with the other 2 to see if they offer easy online verification or phone verification like PADI.

 

[southjerseydiver]

thanks everyone with all of your advice. i see everyones point and everyone has been really helpful.