nitrox course... PADI or BSAC?

[lv929]

as the title says. My first nitrox course, so which one? Padi is £150, Bsac is £27, Bsac is theory only, Padi include two dives I think but i have no idea what they are for.

Comments pls? Ta

[turbanator]

Depending on your BS-AC grade, you can do the BS-AC combo Basic/Advanced.

Paging Kirstie -- she's done both.
I'm biased, I'm a BS-AC EANx instructor, but not a PADI one.

[John N]

TDI also does a basic nitrox course. Should be cheaper than Padi as it doesn't require dives.

The Padi dives aren't really critical - there are no skills to do, you just need to be able to analyse your tank and use nitrox. If you are doing another course you can use those dives as the nitrox dives.

[chrisch]

The BSAC course only allows the use of 32 or 36 whearas the PADI one covers all gasses between 21 and 40. The two dives on the PADI course are to justify the price

The PADI course also covers EAD (Equivalent Air Depth) which is not taught at all in the BSAC nitrox course(s) (inc advanced).

Have a look too at the TDI one which is also theory only and about the same as the PADI one.

If you are (for some strange reason) tempted at the BSAC then do the combined basic and advanced which covers the subject better. From what I read the BSAC one can be great or so-so according to which instructor you get. The TDI would be my 1st choice with PADI or IANTD coming second..

Chris

[Janos]

Using Nitrox is a simple way to make your diving much safer.

If you are a BSAC member, then book yourself on the BSAC course. It's a cheap way to get Nitrox qualified.

If later down the line you want to go down the "techie" route and start doing accellerated deco, then things become less clear and your choice of agency is less important, but don't let that delay you from doing a basic course now.

Janos

[Kirstie]

As Paul says, I've done both. From an 'explained nice and simply with pictures' point of view, the PADI course seemed easier, but that was probably because I'd already done the BSAC exam 5 months earlier (although I'd forgotten some of it)!

Both courses are pretty much the same in terms of what's covered. I did the PADI course in Cyprus, at the same time as Wreck Pen and Deep Dive specialities. I did every dive for the whole week on Nitrox (on the Zenobia), although for the Nitrox course I think you have to do two. The other thing I had to do was two DSMB deployments, from the bottom and from mid-water, which I passed. It's the same for BSAC, but Paul hasn't passed me on the dives yet, as my mid-water deployment last weekend was less than spectacular!

[turbanator]

Originally Posted by Kirstie

As Paul says, I've done both. From an 'explained nice and simply with It's the same for BSAC, but Paul hasn't passed me on the dives yet, as my mid-water deployment last weekend was less than spectacular!

As Chrisch says, sometimes you get a naff instructor

[Kirstie]

Originally Posted by turbanator

As Chrisch says, sometimes you get a naff instructor

It was more to do with me not being narked enough to do it properly. Deployment is far easier from 30m than from 10m!

[MonkeyPony]

I'd go for the TDI course (but only cos its the only one I've done!)

Its comprehensive, dry and only takes a couple of evenings.

[Chris M.]

I would go for the PADI course, it is quite complete, explains equivalent air depth, covers all EANX range from 21 to 40% and I find well explained.

The PADI Nitrox course does NOT require any dives during the course any more.
So maybe you want to check with your local dive centre to make the PADI Nitrox course just doing the teory, filling the knowledge reviews of the book and taking the exam.
This is all you need to get the qualification and should put you in a position of bargaining with the price. You could ask for a price reduction, have them take the price of the two dives off the published course price.