fire_diver
Contributor
I had hoped to take this class last year, but unexpected medical bills made me put it off. So I spent last year practicing with my double AL80's and deco(pony). I even played around with running lines and shooting bags a little bit. Even though I screwed some drills up pretty bad, it was a great learning experience and lots of fun. Geez, where else can you look like a idiot and still enjoy yourself? 
So anyway, I went to my LDS to talk to them about taking the Adv Nitrox/deco class. The instructor tells me about the class, but then says they are dropping the TDI classes this year. The new PADI DSAT materials are incredible, so much better than TDI's he says. He says that he will teac me the TDI course if I want, but really pushed the PADI courses. He said that the "tech one" class is basically the same as the advanced nitrox, and that "tech deep" is basically the same as the deco class. I really like this shop, and this instructor (and I know it the instructor, NOT the agency when it comes to classes) so I said I wanted to sign up, but couldn't take the class until around August. He didn't want any payment yet, but said he would order the books and mail them to me when they arrived. He also said the cost of tech one was $550 and tech deep was another $550 plus diving costs.
Then, for the next couple days, the whole conversation just doesn't sit right. Even if the PADI materials are better, why is a long-time SDI/TDI shop, dropping the agency? This is a PADI 5 star, whoopty-doopty facility. The whole "tech" diving is exploding, with tones of money to be possibly made. Did PADI force the shop to drop the competing agency? I thought I saw on thier (LDS) website that the classes were a lot cheaper than this $1100 for both classes.
So I spent today researching. LDS website lists TDI Adv nitrox as $250. I went to TDI's website to find all the instructors in a 6 state area. I called 3 more in my state to find out about how they run thier classes.
The first shop I called, seemed a bit scattered, and gave me bad vibe, but he said he would research the course and call me back. He did. Everything he told me sounded good. Good course, but I got the impression they don't do this much. I want a teacher who eats, sleeps and breaths deco/mixed gas diving.
The second shop, didn't give me any prices, or much info at all. He said he would email the course info to me. But we had a nice talk. He was bitten by the "tech" bug and cave diving since about '99, and is really into this stuff. He also wanted me to email him back my diving info, so he get a feel for where I am at. I was pretty impressed with this instructor. I haven't gotten his email yet though. I wait with anticipation.
The third shop was my alma mater so to speak. I did my basic open water with them. I called them up, but didn't let on that I was one of thier students already. Of all the shops, they spent the most time in the class room. The others (minus the awaiting email) only spent a few hours. Here they spend 3 days in class. I'm no dummy, but I like that they plan on covering the materials in more depth. They are also located right on the main diving lake here in OK, so there is no travel time, or costs to do the diving portion of the class. The instructor likes to teach this class himself, rather than farm it out to one of his instructors. He loves mixed gas diving, so any excuse to do it more he says. I was also struck by a notion I had never thought about before. The practice deco dives don't have a true maditory deco obligation. It's done on mixed gasses, but running an air profile. That way you can practice full deco dives with gas switches, but if something goes horribly wrong for a student, the surface is still an option. I was impressed by the class descrip, and the instructor, but most of all by the price. He said he would teach the combined classes for $350, including the books.
So, with as much as I love my LDS for purchases and services, I think I may go back to my old instructor. Any PADI instructors out there want to let me know the costs of the courseware? I want to re-imburse my LDS for books after they arrive. I plan on keeping them and using them as a further reference guide. Who knows, maybe they are vastly superior to TDI's books.
This was basically, just my story. It would do no good to try to explain things to my wife. But any comments, feelings, salutations, condemnations, etc. are welcome.
Thanks for reading!
Comrade Stroke
So anyway, I went to my LDS to talk to them about taking the Adv Nitrox/deco class. The instructor tells me about the class, but then says they are dropping the TDI classes this year. The new PADI DSAT materials are incredible, so much better than TDI's he says. He says that he will teac me the TDI course if I want, but really pushed the PADI courses. He said that the "tech one" class is basically the same as the advanced nitrox, and that "tech deep" is basically the same as the deco class. I really like this shop, and this instructor (and I know it the instructor, NOT the agency when it comes to classes) so I said I wanted to sign up, but couldn't take the class until around August. He didn't want any payment yet, but said he would order the books and mail them to me when they arrived. He also said the cost of tech one was $550 and tech deep was another $550 plus diving costs.
Then, for the next couple days, the whole conversation just doesn't sit right. Even if the PADI materials are better, why is a long-time SDI/TDI shop, dropping the agency? This is a PADI 5 star, whoopty-doopty facility. The whole "tech" diving is exploding, with tones of money to be possibly made. Did PADI force the shop to drop the competing agency? I thought I saw on thier (LDS) website that the classes were a lot cheaper than this $1100 for both classes.
So I spent today researching. LDS website lists TDI Adv nitrox as $250. I went to TDI's website to find all the instructors in a 6 state area. I called 3 more in my state to find out about how they run thier classes.
The first shop I called, seemed a bit scattered, and gave me bad vibe, but he said he would research the course and call me back. He did. Everything he told me sounded good. Good course, but I got the impression they don't do this much. I want a teacher who eats, sleeps and breaths deco/mixed gas diving.
The second shop, didn't give me any prices, or much info at all. He said he would email the course info to me. But we had a nice talk. He was bitten by the "tech" bug and cave diving since about '99, and is really into this stuff. He also wanted me to email him back my diving info, so he get a feel for where I am at. I was pretty impressed with this instructor. I haven't gotten his email yet though. I wait with anticipation.
The third shop was my alma mater so to speak. I did my basic open water with them. I called them up, but didn't let on that I was one of thier students already. Of all the shops, they spent the most time in the class room. The others (minus the awaiting email) only spent a few hours. Here they spend 3 days in class. I'm no dummy, but I like that they plan on covering the materials in more depth. They are also located right on the main diving lake here in OK, so there is no travel time, or costs to do the diving portion of the class. The instructor likes to teach this class himself, rather than farm it out to one of his instructors. He loves mixed gas diving, so any excuse to do it more he says. I was also struck by a notion I had never thought about before. The practice deco dives don't have a true maditory deco obligation. It's done on mixed gasses, but running an air profile. That way you can practice full deco dives with gas switches, but if something goes horribly wrong for a student, the surface is still an option. I was impressed by the class descrip, and the instructor, but most of all by the price. He said he would teach the combined classes for $350, including the books.
So, with as much as I love my LDS for purchases and services, I think I may go back to my old instructor. Any PADI instructors out there want to let me know the costs of the courseware? I want to re-imburse my LDS for books after they arrive. I plan on keeping them and using them as a further reference guide. Who knows, maybe they are vastly superior to TDI's books.
This was basically, just my story. It would do no good to try to explain things to my wife. But any comments, feelings, salutations, condemnations, etc. are welcome.
Thanks for reading!
Comrade Stroke
