Best agency for learning Tech diving - criteria given - honest :)

[ScubaInChicago]

Chess is safer than riding a bicycle, therefore all children should play chess... for once you accept that bicycles are safe enough for children, really, where does it stop? Base jumping, unprotected sex, cocaine abuse...

Ah, so we're on the same page. If you're a recovering heroine addict, you would recommend you previous pusher to your kid. Sounds smart to me.

 

[Seya]

There is 1000s of safe air dives every single year to 150 feet.

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[PfcAJ]

"Safe" is not the same thing as "incident free".

 

[Seya]

Your not incident free with trimix either

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[Jack Hammer]

Your not incident free with trimix either

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Perhaps, though you are better equipped to handle an incident with trimix

 

[Ayisha]

I'm not in any way trying to suggest that there's anything wrong with GUE ... I'm simply saying that it really isn't for everybody, as some in here seem to believe. It's not a panacea for everything that's wrong with dive instruction. Like most other offerings, it has its niche and appeal for certain types of divers. For others, it really would not be an appropriate choice ... however much some of its adherents seem to believe it would be.

Bob, people have covered nuances within the varying tech agencies since early on in this thread so that the op could further look into them, yet you keep repeating yourself that all the GUE trained individuals have justified only GUE training. It wasn't true the first time you posted it and it isn't true now. You also keep saying that it was not a good fit for you and that GUE trained individuals can't see that it isn't for everyone, and no one has said that.

We don't know much about the OP, which is why the agencies that have been suggested have been across the board. IIRC, what we do know is that the OP never mentioned an interest in sidemount or CCR, yet you keep harping on it, quite erroneously as has been pointed out.

Once again ... as usual ... nobody can say anything other than how universally wonderful GUE is without you guys going on the attack.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Bob, the only one that has "attacked" an agency or what it may or may not entail is you, and you've done it not only in this thread, but in many other threads. I would be interested to know what percentage of your posts involve negative perceptions of GUE, because it seems like it might be a statistically significant number.

 

[Edward3c]

Exactly. What advantage would it be for a beginning tech diver to be steered away from the standard method of air sharing used by every other technical and cave diving organization?

I dive with people trained by a whole host of agencies, many classed as technical. Interestingly very few use the Hog configeration. To my knowledge there is only one agency that insists on it, with the rest it's the instructor's call. Cave diving is where the procedure came from and it's the appropriate setup for that environment,

When I learned to dive twinsets we're going OUT of fashion.

 

[Redshift]

Deep air is not needed, you don't have to go with GUE to avoid it. TDI helitrox, IANTD rec trimix...

I dive with people trained by a whole host of agencies, many classed as technical. Interestingly very few use the Hog configeration. To my knowledge there is only one agency that insists on it, with the rest it's the instructor's call. Cave diving is where the procedure came from and it's the appropriate setup for that environment,

Other agencies may not specifically require it in their standards, but it's very common that instructors in N. America and Europe require it. Besides, even in agencies that do not require it, but take on an approach of discussing possibilities and letting a diver choose, the advantages of hog loop should be obvious. BSAC, on the other hand, not only does not require it, but contrary to any other agency, forbids it! That's just wrong. And furthermore, they came out with a "study" once to try and show how dangerous hog loop was, for which they were immensely criticized.

Another risk with BSAC is getting some old timers who have never evolved in diving, and I've seen plenty of that. And their instructor training is not that demanding.

 

[ScubaInChicago]

Most people agree that an END of 100' is the maximum that one should allow in technical training going back as far as Sheck Exley.

PADI Tec 50 = 50M/165 feet, END of 165'
TDI Deco Procedures = 45M/150, END of 150'
IANTD Advanced EANx Diver = 42M/140', END of 140'
NAUI Deep Diver = 40M/130', END of 130'
NAUI Helitrox =16M/150, END of 125'
TDI Helitrox = 45M/150', END of 120'

GUE Tech 1 = 51M/170' = END of 93.5'

 

[kensuf]

I think you need to go back and read Caverns Measureless to Man. Exley wrote a lot about acclimating to END's in the 200-300' range, even to the point of using argon mixtures to simulate 300' on air.