View Full Version : PADI Deep diver Speciality or IANTD advanced Nitrox or Other
Right, going to do another course next year, cannot make my mind up between Padi Deep Specialty or IANTD Advanced Nitrox or if there is another course I should be looking at.
The reason for this is to extend my limits beyond 30m as I want to do the Sub in the forth and the Rondo in SoM and eventually go back to the Zenobia in cyprus and dive it whilst covered by my insurance. (have dived it already but probably wasn't covered if anything went wrong!)
Any advice/pointers and pro's/con's of the various courses including the benefits of each?
Chris i would look at the advance nitrox with the option of maybe doing recreational trimix further down the line
I have nothing against the PADI deep speciality but do believe youll get more education = benefit from the IANTD route
You also already know a very good IANTD instructor but i wont openly adverise for him on this forum
George
thanks George, it would be with said instructor, definately! Spoke with him recently and he said he could make sure one of the dives was on the sub :)
I'd go the adv nitrox and deco route, I think the instructor is more important than the agency as the courses are all much the same, I think IANTD gives you upto 80% whereas TDI gives you 100% mix, not sure on depth qualification for the former but TDI is 45 metres. The basic in water skills will be pretty much the same for all agencies.
Reason is it gives you the training and the knowledge to do deeper longer dives including the gas planning and deco, which you dont get from the padi deep course.
TDI adv Nx = 40m depth rating (100% o2)
TDI deco procedures = 40m depth rating
TDI deco procedures & adv Nx = 45m depth rating.
once here you can go the trimix route or rebreather.
padi deep = 40m depth rating with no deco.
nothing against padi (im a padi diver) but its just a quick fix course to gain depth which is handy for insurance. (let the backlash commence:eek: )
doing master diver or dive master is probably more rewarding.
IANTD i believe is a low mix, 50% rings a bell.
i also think its 39m depth rating?
i could be wrong with the IANDT ratings.
i agree with gareth...
'I think the instructor is more important than the agency'
Unless the IANTD have altered (which it might have)
Advance nitrox gives you 42m using 21 to 40% and 50% for deco
Advance rec trimax (tri mix light) gives you 48m using 32/15 and 28/25 as 2 standard mixes
Technical diver gives you 51m using air nitrox and O2 in various amounts
George
Deep Seeker
24-10-07, 00:20
You could always join a BSAC club and become a Sports diver which allows deco dives to 35m... follow that up with dive leader which gives you 50m after depth progression. Only problem is it takes you two years to get there..roughly!
PADI Deep can be a great course... it gives a lot of good info on the hazards of deeper diving but as said previously... it only gets you to 40m and without deco you have a dive time (surface to safety stop) of 9 minutes at that depth according to PADI tables.
I would never put anyone off doing a PADI course... or joining a club (BSAC or otherwise) but given you want to do the U74 and the like I think you should be working towards a certification that allows you to do deco, gives you a decent depth limit and gets you involved in Nitrox.
Out of all the advice... your instructor is definately the key factor.
What Deep Seeker said! ;)
Thanks for the all the comments guys, now need to save some pennies and get organised!
Howdie,
as i have now returned from my sunny adventure in Florida (how much of a shock to the system was it scrapping ice off the car this morning after being in 95 degrees) deep is useful and i would certainly recommend advanced nitrox and deco procedures to take you to 45 mtrs, that and buy yourself a GAP planner :)
W.