Why does PADI make it so hard?

[ScubaSteve]

Is a PADI membership really just the magazine and intermittent freebies? Any sort of service provided?

Your certification never expires, so the membership seems pretty pointless unless you really like SPORT Diver.

It enrolls you in "Project Aware" which is something to do with something or another something with respect to something else......can you tell I just like the magazine and to offer just a little bit to what is hopefully a reasonable cause. For the most part I do not care about the freebies...the bags are crap, the shirts are one size fits all 3 year olds and the hats...well I do not wear ball caps. You also get other MEMBER BENEFITS :shocked2: . These are a whole bunch of travel deals and other things (it is a coupon book basically) which I have never used because they have never applied to anywhere that I happened to be travelling. So, I look at it as a magazine membership where some of the cost goes to what is hopefully a good cause.


Welcome to Project AWARE

 

[mksmith713]

But the magazines are............ALL THE SAME!!!!!
Promoting resorts, destinations and equipment I can't afford.
Give me a good article on what to look for when purchasing a second hand pee valve or something.

 

[NudeDiver]

Give me a good article on what to look for when purchasing a second hand pee valve or something.

Ask to see the second hand - look for signs of overuse.

 

[Tortuga68]

Your certification never expires, so the membership seems pretty pointless unless you really like SPORT Diver

If you really like sportdiver, you can subscribe to it for $19 a year

 

[ScubaSteve]

According to the Sport Diver website, you have to pay $29 per year including the $19 subscription to the magazine ($19 only does not seem to be an option that I found on thier site after a quick search). Also bear in mind that international customers usually pay a shipping premium for magazine subscriptions. In this case Canada is $41 and international is $62 per year.

If you like the magazine, definitely find where you can get it without the rest of the crap.

 

[DivingPrincessE]

It enrolls you in "Project Aware" which is something to do with something or another something with respect to something else......can you tell I just like the magazine and to offer just a little bit to what is hopefully a reasonable cause. For the most part I do not care about the freebies...the bags are crap, the shirts are one size fits all 3 year olds and the hats...well I do not wear ball caps. You also get other MEMBER BENEFITS :shocked2: . These are a whole bunch of travel deals and other things (it is a coupon book basically) which I have never used because they have never applied to anywhere that I happened to be travelling. So, I look at it as a magazine membership where some of the cost goes to what is hopefully a good cause.


Welcome to Project AWARE

I'm assuming you can donate direct to project aware, and they would get a lot more of your money that way. They probably get something like $5-10 from every PADI membership.

I see no reason to have PADI membership.

 

[ScubaSteve]

I'm assuming you can donate direct to project aware, and they would get a lot more of your money that way. They probably get something like $5-10 from every PADI membership.

I see no reason to have PADI membership.

You probably can, but per a previous post of mine, the subscription for the magazine is very high for non-US citizens and therefore this subscription to PADI actually saves me money. I did not pay $123 ($41per year times three years) for my PADI membership yet I get the magazine. For this reason, I subscribe to PADI. If they ever stop making it worth my while then I will stop being a member. People need to do their own homework and make sure that they are getting what they want for their money and that they are comfortable and happy spending that money. They can spend whatever on whatever. In this case, tyhe PADI "membership" is just a crap card that benefits me in no way (in my case) so I am looking at this as a magazine subscription and maybe some of the money goes to the "good cause".

 

[616fun]

A little clarification. Everyone in this thread is speaking of joining the PADI Diving Society. It's NOT joining PADI. In order to join PADI you are required to have passed one of the professional PADI courses (DM or above), have professional liability insurance, and spout the sweet nothings of the PADI teachings (insert sarcasm here).

The PADI Diving Society gives the magazine, a chance at some savings with equipment manufacturers and PADI resorts, and you can join dive trips with the PADI Diving Society. I've never used any of the benefits.

A PADI Diving Society membership is 'free' when you renew your PADI membership.

 

[D_B]

I think that your money would be better spent by using your money on a DAN membership, instead of PADI.
(not that PADI is evil or anything, I just dollar for dollar that DAN is more useful ... that's just a personal opinion)

 

[maged_mmh]

I think that your money would be better spent by using your money on a DAN membership, instead of PADI.
(not that PADI is evil or anything, I just dollar for dollar that DAN is more useful ... that's just a personal opinion)

That's what I did, as for magazines, Alert Diver is much more informative to me than PADI's