Starting out in Tech Diving

[Frackingawesome]

I have been diving a few years now and am really enjoying diving the wrecks off the New Jersey Shore. Up to this point i have been diving single hp steel 100. This makes loading un unloading the boat REALLY nice but i am starting to find i want more bottom time and the ability to go deeper. Even a steel 100 at 100-130 feet i have plenty of air left when i hit my NDL.

So my question. What computer should i get. I was looking at the ScubaPro G2 that just came out but that does not work with MacDive software. Currently i use a Sunnto Viper Air that i MIGHT keep for use as backup in gage mode.

I really dont want to start a which is better chevy or ford conversation but some computers with the reason while you like them would be Very Very Helpful.

I do plan on working my way to advanced Trimix... or what ever PADIs equivalent is... So a computer that will grow with me would be awesome!

 

[Frackingawesome]

Simple question. Is there a consensus on PADI v. STI for there tech courses? Or is there another organization that i should look at?

 

[njdiverjoe]

What you'll hear a lot of on here (and for good reason) is that it's best to select a technical course based on the instructor teaching it, the agency is of secondary consideration.

 

[Burner16]

Shearwater is the typical (gold) standard that most technical divers use. Solid units with great customer support. They have the Shearwater desktop and cloud that runs on most desktop and mobile platforms.

 

[tbone1004]

If you plan on going into Trimix, buy once and cry once and buy a used Petrel or a new Perdix from Shearwater. There is unfortunately nothing else on the market that is really worth looking at for technical diving in the US.

I asked the mods to merge this with your other thread since there is no need to split them.
In that thread you asked for PADI vs. STI. STI is not an agency to my knowledge, so I assume you mean SDI-TDI
As far as that goes, TDI has more recognition in the technical world, but PADI does a really good job so long as you have a good instructor. I.e. I would take a PADI trimix course with Martin Robson long before I would with a new TDI trimix instructor just as I would take a TDI trimix course with John Chatterton long before I would with most PADI trimix instructors. Most instruction at this level is the same regardless of the agencies. The agencies tend to get very lenient with the courses to give the instructors freedom to teach and adapt to the students. Very unlike at the open water level where the courses are scripted and that scripting is enforced.

Tec40 is basically Intro to Tech
Tec45 is AN/DP
Tec50 is a waste of money
Tec65 is TDI Trimix or Normoxic Trimix from some other agencies. Depth limit of ~200ft
Tec Trimix is TDI Advanced Trimix-no depth limit

PADI requires Tec50 to get into Tec65, though strangely you can take Tec50 and go straight to Tec Trimix. I think going 40/45/50/65/Tec is stupid and a waste of money, though the 40/45/50/Tec makes more sense to me than following the other agencies route.

 

[KevinNM]

There are a few other smaller organizations like GUE, but how convienent they are might be an issue. They have fewer but harder courses and have a fairly high skill bar to attend the tech courses.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Get a Perdix or Petrel and then you can leave it in Gauge Mode through much of your tech training.

 

[tbone1004]

Get a Perdix or Petrel and then you can leave it in Gauge Mode through much of your tech training.

Get a Shearwater and leave it in computer mode through all of your tech training and tech diving.... Gauge mode imo is good for computers that can't handle things like trimix or have the ability to control deco algorithms the way you want them to. Very important prior to things like the Shearwater GF where you weren't entirely sure what the computer was doing so you would cut tables based on known algorithms. Now with computers like the Shearwaters that are running the exact same algorithm that the tables were cut by, computer first, tables as backup.

why do you think that following tables is better?

 

[boulderjohn]

Tec40 is basically Intro to Tech
.

I don't think they are equivalent.

With TDI Intro to Tech, you get an idea of what tech diving is all about, and you get an introduction to tech diving gear. You have no new qualifications when you are done. You do not get into decompression theory until you take the Decompression Procedures course. A TDI instructor can omit the course and go right to AN and DP, as I did with a student who was already cave certified.

With Tec 40, You get all of that, and you also get decompression theory and advanced nitrox theory. The key concepts of the Tec 45 and 50 courses are in place by the time you are done. When certified, you are qualified to extend your bottom time beyond NDLs to the degree that you incur a decompression obligation of up to 10 minutes, and you can use mixes up to 50% to accelerate decompression. The course cannot be omitted from the sequence, because it contains information, including decompression theory, that is built upon in the later courses. If a new student crosses over in the middle of the sequence from another agency, the student will need to do the knowledge reviews from tec 40.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Get a Shearwater and leave it in computer mode through all of your tech training and tech diving.... Gauge mode imo is good for computers that can't handle things like trimix or have the ability to control deco algorithms the way you want them to. Very important prior to things like the Shearwater GF where you weren't entirely sure what the computer was doing so you would cut tables based on known algorithms. Now with computers like the Shearwaters that are running the exact same algorithm that the tables were cut by, computer first, tables as backup.

why do you think that following tables is better?

My comment was a tongue in cheek allusion to the computer not being the centerpiece of tech training that some people (not necessarily the OP) seem to want to make it. As you point out, the training involves cutting tables using dive planning software. The extent of the relationship between computers and tables--which is the primary plan, which is the backup, etc.--depends on the training philosophy. I'm sure you know GUE doesn't care which computer you use during your tech training, because they teach tables exclusively, and so they really do just have you leave it in Gauge Mode during the course. But sure, a computer that runs the same algorithm as the planning software that cuts the tables only makes sense. There's more to "training" than the class itself. I doubt there are many GUE divers who leave their computers in Gauge Mode outside of training classes.