Post a roadmap for getting all the training and gear for tech and rebreathers?

fuzzybabybunny · Jun 28, 2013

I'm a little fuzzy on how I should go about getting tech and rebreather certified, as well as the costs involved because the amount of gear is bewildering.

I don't have any other reason for wanting to do tech and rebreather other than I want to do it and to challenge myself.

For instance, to get recreationally certified the road map is easy:

1. Sign up for a class from someplace like PADI like NAUI (~$500 for two weekends, one classroom and another open water)
2. Get your mask, snorkel, and fins (~$100-$200+).
3. Go do the classroom and open water dives and get your certification.
4. Continue to rent gear or buy your own (HOG first stage + two second stages + hoses = $450, exposure suit and apparel ($300 - $1000+ for dry), weights (~$75), computer (~$300), tanks ($200+ each), and air fills are $5 a pop)

Teller · Jun 28, 2013

Easiest answer is to find a instructor and ask him/her. Prices, timelines and gear requirement will vary from instructor to instructor.

TSandM · Jun 28, 2013

"Tech" and rebreather are two entirely different things. You can tech dive without a rebreather, or get certified on a rebreather without being certified to do any technical diving with it.

Both technical diving and diving rebreathers up the risk of diving significantly. You should be aware of this before electing to pursue either course.

If what you want is a class that will challenge you and develop your skills, consider doing GUE Fundamentals. You have easy access to the class, with three instructors in the Bay Area. The equipment required for the class is the same as the usual backmount setup for most technical diving, so if you are considering going "tech", you won't waste any money or training by acquiring this gear and learning to use it.

The training path to technical diving depends on the agency. For GUE, it's Fundamentals with a technical pass (tighter standards), then Tech 1 and Tech 2. For Fundamentals, you are required to have a backplate and wing setup, a 7' hose/bungied backup, and non-split fins. For a tech pass, you must do the class or evaluation in doubles with a canister light. The same equipment, plus a deco bottle, gets you through Tech 1. More bottles gets you through Tech 2.

Other agencies may have an Intro to Tech, which may or may not be a prerequisite for their technical classes. Technical classes may start with an advanced nitrox class, combined iwth a deco procedures class, or may combine the two into a single class, as PADI does with their Tech 40/45/50 series. Agencies differ on when they introduce helium to their technical divers, as well. GUE does it with the first tech class; others leave it until the last, deepest courses.

Technical diving is expensive. The equipment required is a significant outlay, the classes themselves are much more expensive than what you are used to, and the breathing gas for tech dives is an increasing burden. Unless you have a specific ambition to see certain wrecks or certain deep water species, you may find it just isn't worth the money.

fuzzybabybunny · Jun 28, 2013

Wow, for tech the prices and gear are really that "all over the place"?

Maybe just a ballpark estimate? I don't know how much money I'm going to have to invest in this. Should I be setting aside like $2k or $10k to get started?

---------- Post added June 28th, 2013 at 11:44 AM ----------

TSandM:
"Tech" and rebreather are two entirely different things. You can tech dive without a rebreather, or get certified on a rebreather without being certified to do any technical diving with it.

Both technical diving and diving rebreathers up the risk of diving significantly. You should be aware of this before electing to pursue either course.

If what you want is a class that will challenge you and develop your skills, consider doing GUE Fundamentals. You have easy access to the class, with three instructors in the Bay Area. The equipment required for the class is the same as the usual backmount setup for most technical diving, so if you are considering going "tech", you won't waste any money or training by acquiring this gear and learning to use it.

The training path to technical diving depends on the agency. For GUE, it's Fundamentals with a technical pass (tighter standards), then Tech 1 and Tech 2. For Fundamentals, you are required to have a backplate and wing setup, a 7' hose/bungied backup, and non-split fins. For a tech pass, you must do the class or evaluation in doubles with a canister light. The same equipment, plus a deco bottle, gets you through Tech 1. More bottles gets you through Tech 2.

Other agencies may have an Intro to Tech, which may or may not be a prerequisite for their technical classes. Technical classes may start with an advanced nitrox class, combined iwth a deco procedures class, or may combine the two into a single class, as PADI does with their Tech 40/45/50 series. Agencies differ on when they introduce helium to their technical divers, as well. GUE does it with the first tech class; others leave it until the last, deepest courses.

Technical diving is expensive. The equipment required is a significant outlay, the classes themselves are much more expensive than what you are used to, and the breathing gas for tech dives is an increasing burden. Unless you have a specific ambition to see certain wrecks or certain deep water species, you may find it just isn't worth the money.

Thanks! How much money are we talking? For instance, how much money per dive just for the gases required for trimix? Air is easy at $5 a dive. Nitrox is easy at $7-10 a dive. If it's something like $50 a dive just for trimix.... you're right, it's not really worth it.

elan · Jun 28, 2013

$50 is on a very optimistic side.

fuzzybabybunny · Jun 28, 2013

elan:
$50 is on a very optimistic side.

So like $75 for a 2 hour dive or something?

sea_ledford · Jun 28, 2013

Call it $10K either way and you'll be close.

On OC that can be spread out over a long time to gain experience and gear, and with a higher portion of that $ pot for training. For CC it is pretty much all upfront, and assuming you will gather some of the essentials along the way (regs, bailout tanks, and all the other stuff you'll need either way).

Just go to divegearexpress and start adding up the stuff, you'll see it gets spendy pretty quick.

rivers · Jun 28, 2013

Technical diving is not cheap. I'm not currently based in the US, so I can only comment on UK prices. Note: I am not a technical diver, but am headed in that direction.
For kit: My twinset (which I bought used) was £250, my wing (again used) £100. I already owned a backplate and harness, which set me back around £80. I needed another reg set which was £169 (bought new). First set of regs i bought were about £200. 12w light monkey led canister light: £600, drysuit: £600, undergarments: £300, fins: £60, back up lights: £150, mask and back up mask: £100, wetnotes: £20 2xdsmb and spools: £80
that's just the kit i bought. My partner has just bought me a stage cylinder for my birthday which was £100. i'm looking at about another £130 for regs and spg to get that up and running. I'm sure I've forgotten kit.
I'm going the GUE route, so course costs are
Fundamentals: £500, Tech 1: £1200. This does not include site entry fees, gas fills, accommodation, food, etc.
TDI courses with probably the best TDI instructor in the UK are as follows:
Intro to tech: £200
advanced nitrox and helitrox: £450
extended range: £480
normoxic (entry level) trimix: £480

Air fills are around £7 for twin 12s, nitrox £11-£15, trimix around £50, i think (i could be way off on this one though). not too mention the cost of the boats. and most UK divers have at least 2 twinsets because if they get blown out, they don't want to use their expensive trimix at an inland site.

TSandM · Jun 28, 2013

A set of doubles will run you $500 used, or more, depending on type of tank and location and whether you pay shipping. A second first and second stage will run you several hundred dollars. A doubles wing (assuming you already have a backplate) will run you around $400 new; they don't go for a lot less used. A good canister light, if you don't already have one, will run between $1000 and $2000, unless you find a used one, in which case you can get the cost down to $800 or so. An Al40 new will run you $150 or more; you need another regulator with second stage and pressure gauge for that. A rebreather will run you anywhere from $5k to $15K for unit acquisition costs, and they all require training on top of it.

Tuition for GUE Tech 1 in Seattle is $2k.

I haven't bought helium in a while, but I did a quick search for dive center costs, and Amigos in Florida seems to be selling it at $0.65 a cubic foot. That means about $45 for a 21/35 fill in double 100s. Of course, you don't use all that gas on any given dive, so let's say about $30 for gas for a Tech 1 dive (30 minute bottom time, 30 minutes of deco) plus $10 for the 50% fill for decompression gas. So $40 in gas for an hour's bottom time. Tech dives aren't generally long dives -- in fact, often the actual time you get on the wreck or deep structure is a lot shorter than you'd accept for a good, solid recreational dive. The reason is that deco racks up pretty fast at depth -- at around 150, on 21/35, you're accumulating deco at about 1 minute for each minute of bottom time. At 200 feet, it's 2 minutes of deco for each minute of bottom time. I remember reading an account of a dive on one of the Great Lakes wrecks where they did 20 minutes of bottom time and THREE HOURS of deco! If that's three hours moseying up a coral-clad wall in 80 degree water in the Red Sea, that's one thing; but three hours of hanging in dark, frigid water, staring at one's buddies and one's watch, is not MY cup of tea!

Spg01 · Jun 28, 2013

I would agree with a GUE fundamentals (or any other) course to give yourself a taste of what you are getting into. You will learn some good stuff on the way and figure out if you want to continue with training for tech. You will also start to feel the pain/pleasure of what it is going to cost and take to go down that road. I have not taken tech 1 yet, but have heard with the current prices of helium you could be talking around $180 to fill double 100's with trimix and then you would need your deco fill as well.

It also does not happen overnight, so it also helps spread the cost out over time. So look into fundamentals and talk with the instructor.

Post a roadmap for getting all the training and gear for tech and rebreathers?

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fuzzybabybunny

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elan

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