Pyramid65
Contributor
What's the differences in philosophy?
PADI vs SDI
- Thread starter Pyramid65
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Um....not sure I'm fully aware of eithers "philosophy"....I could tell you about training standards and things like that.
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The instructor makes or breaks the course...not the training agency.
Look at instructors carefully, ask questions, don 't be afraid to ask for references.
I would not get hung up on agency vs agency.
Look at instructors carefully, ask questions, don 't be afraid to ask for references.
I would not get hung up on agency vs agency.
A ScubaBoard Staff Message...
You will likely hear from many of the importance of the instructor. There's a reason for that. Many good instructors are certified through several agencies.
How long has the instructor been teaching? How many students have they certified? Have they ever had a student injured during training or shortly thereafter? What gear configuration do they teach? Do they teach is the Caribbean and you'll be diving the Great Lakes?
Learn to dive from someone experienced in executing the types of dives you'll be doing.
Like many divers on this board I have certifications issued by several agencies. That has more to do with finding an instructor who met my needs and nothing to do with collecting cards.
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How long has the instructor been teaching? How many students have they certified? Have they ever had a student injured during training or shortly thereafter? What gear configuration do they teach? Do they teach is the Caribbean and you'll be diving the Great Lakes?
Learn to dive from someone experienced in executing the types of dives you'll be doing.
Like many divers on this board I have certifications issued by several agencies. That has more to do with finding an instructor who met my needs and nothing to do with collecting cards.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
+1 on it's all about the instructor! I frequently say that "great instructors make great divers".
that said, I find that the SDI approach is more "modern". SDI was the first agency to embrace, and in fact, require dive computers for OW divers. They were the first agency to develop and offer a "solo diver" class which is more about being a safer more self-reliant diver than it is about diving alone. SDI's "sister" agency is TDI (Technical Diving International). If you want to extend your dive education to tec diving, TDI is one of the leaders in this area and was really the first tec training agency.
Like PADI, SDI is a globally accepted brand in diving.
in the interest of full disclosure, I am affiliated with SDI. I made the choice to go SDI because of the modern approach and the personal attention the agency gives it dive shops and operators.
that said, I find that the SDI approach is more "modern". SDI was the first agency to embrace, and in fact, require dive computers for OW divers. They were the first agency to develop and offer a "solo diver" class which is more about being a safer more self-reliant diver than it is about diving alone. SDI's "sister" agency is TDI (Technical Diving International). If you want to extend your dive education to tec diving, TDI is one of the leaders in this area and was really the first tec training agency.
Like PADI, SDI is a globally accepted brand in diving.
in the interest of full disclosure, I am affiliated with SDI. I made the choice to go SDI because of the modern approach and the personal attention the agency gives it dive shops and operators.
ddmattos
Contributor
Great question!
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif]Philosophy is really on the instructor.
Curriculum and training minimums are agency.
I believe all agencies want to produce great divers.
I did my recreational training under PADI and technical under TDI. I didn't have PADI rescue at the time so I went TDI instead of PADI TecRec. TDI provided a much shorter path to my goal. My instructor[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif] is a member of both agencies.[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Calibri, Geneva, sans-serif]
I would have received the same quality of education/instruction because of my instructor's philosophy of teaching and pushing me to be a model diver. He always added value by teaching skills acquired from all his experiences as an instructor and student. Continuing education is important for all divers.
Ask yourself what kind of diving you want to do.
Ask around to find a great instructor that actually does that type of diving and does so outside of classes he teaches.
Then look at the prerequisites, knowledge to be acquired , and skills for each agencies' courses. [/FONT]
KevinNM
Contributor
The major agencies seem to have the same core philosophies. They are organizations for instructors, whose membership is limited to "dive professionals". It's only when you get to the smaller organizations where this changes.
But the instructor matters a whole lot more then the organization they are a member of.
But the instructor matters a whole lot more then the organization they are a member of.
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