RAID Cave 1 - Good Course?

[CaveSloth]

My diving instructor is suggesting that I go the RAID route to advance my training. Just wanting to get some feedback on this course from those on this board. Is it considered up to the same level as Intro to Cave or Cave 1 from other agencies such as GUE?

 

[tbone1004]

who's the instructor? that's what really matters

RAID has a slightly different approach to their cave progression than the others. You get thirds and one Tee which is more than the "intro to cave" from other agencies, only allowed 1000ft of penetration which others don't necessarily restrict. Is it up to GUE standards? well that depends on your instructor and how hard they push you and how good they are...

 

[PfcAJ]

My diving instructor is suggesting that I go the RAID route to advance my training. Just wanting to get some feedback on this course from those on this board. Is it considered up to the same level as Intro to Cave or Cave 1 from other agencies such as GUE?

Almost certainly not as good.

 

[Ryan Mcshane]

Go with GUE. Time tested and proven training. I have a friend who done his full cave with raid, he had a scare post training and has since taken fundamentals and is re doing his training through GUE as he felt he didn’t receive adequate training with raid.

Plus, Raid have this strange obsession with sidemount where you don’t need sidemount.

 

[CaveSloth]

Thanks for the feedback. I figured it was more the instructor that mattered.

 

[PfcAJ]

The instructor matters a lot when the agency has no control over the quality of its instructors and the content they’re teaching.

Gue doesn’t have those problems. Especially not at the cave and tech levels.

 

[decompression]

What do these GUE guys know about Cave diving? Lol.

 

[karstdvr]

Mutually exclusive to the instructor and the agency,I would consider getting a lot of diving experience before advancing to cave diving. You list experience level 25-49 dives, and certified for less than a year. You may find that advancing in technical type of diving that having solid OW skills will make the training more rewarding since there are so many new skills you will learn. GUE is being mentioned as being a better course of training, and would echo this, because the fundamentals class will be very important. Good luck.

 

[Jorge Prieto]

Having recently taken the GUE Fundamentals Rec pass with over 400 dives of varying experience, I would agree that having a few more dives and time in the water will certainly be beneficial and more enjoyable...it is hard work and a different philosophy with focus on fitness, team and goals. Most recreational diving certifications provide the foundation for basic level diving. It’s up to the individual to continue practicing the skills learned and obtain additional training to further their diving goals.

 

[Germie]

Search for a good instructor. Then the agency is not important. The best instructor can be worse for you if personalities or teaching style don't match.
If you want to do cave in sidemount or ccr, then you have to look to other agencies than gue. Most other agencies offer cave in sidemount or ccr.
I would also suggest, IF your HAVE ENOUGH experience to look at a complete class up to full cave. From what I see and what also already my opinion was when I started caveding: intro to cave levels mean: within 5 dives you go over certification limits like the 1/6 or 1/3 of 2/3 rule, or go over limits as in navigation issues. The first thing that limits too much in intro is the gasrule. You can say take time, slow down, get experience, blabla. BUT: Divers are people. And I know that they don't do that. In Europe it is normal to do the complete course at once. But before enrolling divers have more experience than 100 dives and I only do if at least adv. nitrox is taken. But with only 100 dives, then intro to cave is more than enough. But a trimixdiver with over 600 dives and a lot of technical experience can do the full cave course at once. I did the same with 390 dives. I do a dive as knowledge review in my country to know each other and then is a yes or no from both sides possible.