Anyone have experience with GUE Rec 2&3?

[MKrauter]

Just wondering if anyone has done these courses and if they would be willing to post their experiences doing the course as well as any big lessons learned since.


Also, how does the progression work? On the GUE site it mentions a prerequisite of the REC 3 is fundamentals or REC 1.. Logically wouldn't you need to take 2 before 3?


Finally, is the REC 3 course worth the time or would it be a better investment to take the Tech 1 course?


Thanks for any replies and help,


Mitch.

 

[PfcAJ]

I don't see a lot of value to rec 3 over tech 1. 130ft is ok, but 150 is just too much? Seems questionable. Then there's the "ascent gas" of Rec 3 with a light po2. To me that implies that the diver can go to 130ft but can't handle a "real" deco gas
like 50%. Why not?

I feel that if you want to sign up for deep dives with trimix and a deco gas, **** or get off the pot. Halfway courses drain finances and leave you ultimately quite limited.

i really like most of gue's curriculum, and I've invested a considerable amount of time and effort to take a good chunk of the classes gue offers, but rec 3 really grinds my gears.

 

[MKrauter]

All fair points. Would it be reasonable to take the course to develop the skill sets taught on the Rec 3 course and slowly progress up to the level of Tech 1 or would it be a better use of time and money to jump into tech 1 and get a broader selection of topics and education under your belt.

 

[PfcAJ]

I mean, if the pile of money you're sitting on is lumpy and you want to smooth it out, by all means pay another 2000 bucks (plus travel, lodging, instructor expenses) to take a 2nd class to go 20ft deeper.

To me that makes zero sense. 130ft bends you just as easily as 150ft, both involve a gas switch (but 1 gas actually makes sense), both use doubles and trimix. It's a halfway class to placate folks who "think" they can't handle 20 extra feet and apparently don't have the discipline/ skill to do a real gas switch. IMO, if a diver can't perform to the level needed to use trimix and a deco gas, they shouldn't use trimix and a deco gas. Stick to shallow depths if that's the case.

I highly recommend tech 1. It's great.

 

[sffrenchman]

Would it be reasonable to take the course to develop the skill sets taught on the Rec 3 course and slowly progress up to the level of Tech 1 or would it be a better use of time and money to jump into tech 1 and get a broader selection of topics and education under your belt.

This is exactly why I took the course. I personally enjoyed the course and I think that it will allow me to develop the skill sets necessary to take the Tech 1 class in the future.

 

[MKrauter]

True enough. Tech 1 is a goal of mine I was simply looking at Rec 3 as a stepping stone. However if T1 teaches essentially the same thing with better and safer gases then that makes a lot more sense as well.

 

[ucfdiver]

True enough. Tech 1 is a goal of mine I was simply looking at Rec 3 as a stepping stone. However if T1 teaches essentially the same thing with better and safer gases then that makes a lot more sense as well.

If you feel ready for a 130 ft dive, but not a 150 ft dive, then Rec 3 sounds like a great class.

I've been to 130ft and 150ft both, and couldn't tell you what's different about planning the two dives. Every concept involved seems the same to me.

 

[West.Coast.Diver]

I'm a new diver, who is taking Rec 1 after the PADI Open Water Course. For someone like me, without acres of dives under his belt, the Rec 1-->25 Dives-->Rec 2-->25 Dives-->Rec 3 ladder looks very appealing. It may not be for everyone, but I am more interested in skills development in a progression where I get to consolidate my learning, rather than race to Tech 1 just to do so. Plus, I enjoy learning and getting to do more through a Rec 2 course and later, Rec 3, is appealing to me. My path is not for everyone, but I'm in no hurry to say I'm a tech diver. When I have been out diving on trips, most people look at my GUE gear configuration and presume I'm a tech diver anyway. I am really interested to see what Rec 2 turns out to be like and how many people end up taking it.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[PfcAJ]

75 dives to doubles, trimix, deco bottles.

Think that hat through for a sec

 

[TSandM]

I think the key is that the standards to which you are held are recreational and not technical. For people who think managing an out of gas diver without a mask while handling an SMB and maintaining a 3' window is a bit much, Rec 3 lets you try it without getting your butt handed to you.

We have several students in Seattle who have done Rec 3. They seem to have found it of value. I did UTD Tech 1, which is similar, and honestly bought me all the technical diving I really WANTED to do.