PADI, SDI or SSI certifications?

M

mikeguerrero

New member
Hello to all,

After about 4 years of maintaing reef tanks, I'm taking the plunge to take up Scuba classes and becomming certified. So far I'm hearing that all the certs are basically the same. I live in the East Bay of the Bay Area and Captain Aqua's is just around the corner.

Can anyone give me back some feedback on their experiences with SCUBA certs? Any info would be great, I already have about 5 friends that want to take the plunge with me.

Thanks,

Mike Guerrero
 
The cert agencys are all about the same...and you will hear people rag on all of them off and on but the important thing is that you find a good qualified instructor that is also a good teacher!!! When you find that instructor go for it....

I know that each cert agency has some good instructors!!!
 
Thanks Ron,

I'm leaning more on SSI since it's around the corner from my house and the owner of the shop was patient and not pushy.

Another dive shop does PADI and SDI and was a little pushy to get me to sign up, not to mention he's on the other side of the bay.

I've posted on other reef forums and PADI is comming up the most used and suggested.

Do you know anyone that is SSI certified?

Mike
 
I agree with Ron. It's really who you feel comfotable with. I'm SSI and so is everyone I know except maybe one person.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10603065#post10603065 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mikeguerrero
Thanks Ron,

I'm leaning more on SSI since it's around the corner from my house and the owner of the shop was patient and not pushy.

Another dive shop does PADI and SDI and was a little pushy to get me to sign up, not to mention he's on the other side of the bay.

I've posted on other reef forums and PADI is comming up the most used and suggested.

Do you know anyone that is SSI certified?

Mike
Click to expand...

Oh, yes... I know people certified in almost all of the groups including the old YMCA certs....

SSI is fine, PADI is fine, and so are the rest...again it is all about good instruction and training...and the instructor is the key. The instructor needs to take the time to make sure you are getting it and the instructor needs to be interested in you, and your safety...makeing sure you are understanding the concepts of diving, that you are learning your skills, etc....

Find one that you are confident in, ask around to find out if there have been any issues with that instructor and when you find a good one go for it!!!

Hope to see you in the water soon!!!!
 
Ron and fellow reefers,

Thanks for all the positive feedback. I took the plunge and signed myself up for SSI certification at Captain Aqua's in Hayward CA....

My decision came in play from all the feedback I got from the forums and the professionalism of Captain Aqua's....

They were also a lot cheaper than the competitors and still offered just as much....

Wish me luck...

MG
 
Let us know how it goes....and when you get your cert....we will have to do some dives...although you are a long way away from me if you are up in the bay area...I am in the Phoenix Valley....But get over to the southern parts of your state....
 
don't forget NAUI certs as well. SSI and SDI are more west coast than PADI and NAUI. living in florida i would say i know 60% padi 38% naui and 2% SSI and SDI
 
Mike...Good luck keep us posted on your progress....Have fun....Getting certified and diving is AMAZING, especially for those of us into the fish hobby too...
 
I am SSI Certified along with TDI for technical diving and have been very please with the instructors and the curriculam. PADI is the best known in the world but SSI is just as good if not better in the area of the actual materials. PADI has done themselves an injustice in my opinion by going to web based instruction then just having to go to a Dive Shop/Operator to do the actual open water dives. I just do not believe that you can gain the understanding and repect for the sport from a web based test. You need to have actual classroom interaction and discussion with a good instructor. Anyone can get certified by an agency, but that does not make you a competent diver. That only comes with experience and practice.

Glad to see you took the plunge though, I think you will really enjoy it. It is just about the only place I find serenity. Cell phones and pagers do not work at 100 feet under the ocean :D

<font color="sienna">WreckDiver </font> </b>
<i><font size="1"><font color="teal">aka: CyBrSuFr</font> </font> </i>
 
I would agree that I personally would rather get my certs done the old fashioned way...class room at the dive shop senario.... but not everyone needs that...the dives and skills part are still done at the pool and the open water part of the training is still done the old way as well... I wouldn't go as far as saying PADI has done themselves an injustice...but I do understand your point and it is well taken...

Again... I think the instructor is the most important part of the diving equation... and all agencies have some good ones and some that aren't so good!!!!



<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10638393#post10638393 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cybrsufr
I am SSI Certified along with TDI for technical diving and have been very please with the instructors and the curriculam. PADI is the best known in the world but SSI is just as good if not better in the area of the actual materials. PADI has done themselves an injustice in my opinion by going to web based instruction then just having to go to a Dive Shop/Operator to do the actual open water dives. I just do not believe that you can gain the understanding and repect for the sport from a web based test. You need to have actual classroom interaction and discussion with a good instructor. Anyone can get certified by an agency, but that does not make you a competent diver. That only comes with experience and practice.

Glad to see you took the plunge though, I think you will really enjoy it. It is just about the only place I find serenity. Cell phones and pagers do not work at 100 feet under the ocean :D

<font color="sienna">WreckDiver </font> </b>
<i><font size="1"><font color="teal">aka: CyBrSuFr</font> </font> </i>
Click to expand...
 
I agree with you 100% and still think PADI is an outstanding organization, however, By bringing the testing and instructional material to a web based format still (in my opinion) makes it appear that it is a 100% safe activity and would think it would lead to a feeling of over confidence in students. Then when they get to the Pool/OW part of the certification, they may not be able to do it as well. At least with the Face to Face instruction, as an instructor you can get a feeling if someone is really up to the task or not before they get to the actual skills tests. It also lets the instructor get a "Gut" feeling as to who in the class is going to need the extra help. Being an IT Security Engineer, I deal with all aspects of computer networks all the time and some things just are not geared toward web based training. In my opinion, Scuba Diving is one of those things that should not be taught over the web. As you stated though, the instructor is the key. It does not matter what agency it is through as long as the instructor is top notch.

<font color="sienna">WreckDiver </font> </b>
<i><font size="1"><font color="teal">aka: CyBrSuFr</font> </font> </i>
 
Yes, I know that there will be those issues...it may prove to be more work in the long run...especially for the instructors... I know that padi's work now is done at home then they go over it in class... the testing is also done in class...so the instructor plays an important role that way... PADI may find their instructors complaining about this...but school is still out, it hasn't been going that long to get any real results yet... If I were just going for my cert today...I personally would still chose the classroom setting!!!
 
Wow,

All your input is great. Yesterday night I finished reading the last chapter in the SSI open water book. I have completed each review section of the book, it was kinda of difficult since you had to search for each specific answer from the chapter.

In other words the chapter review is fill in and not multiple choice so it makes it more challanging in that they want you to remember content from the reading. I found it at first annoying since it requires a lot of time to go back and find the exact phrase.

Nevertheless I was able to answer every single question. The SSI kit also comes with a great mulitmedia DVD that goes over the exact chapter you just read. The DVD is full of nice video with all updated equipment and a great narrator.

Another thing to point out is that you must fill in on a separate sheet all your answers and when I have class the instructor will go over all my answers making sure I got them all correct.

I originally wanted to take the test online so PADI and SDI were on the front running. But after talking to my local shop and being old school with classroom style learning I opted to go with SSI.

They are all book with lots of reading; easy reading but lots of it. The test is going to be 50 multiple choice questions timed and having to obtain 80 percent or higher.

I hate exams just the classroom setting makes me turn the other cheek so I wanted the online test, no pressure and can take my time.

Well, things turned out for me to go SSI and so far so good. I will keep you all posted as I continue my training.

Mike G
 
I've got a question well maybe more than one question:

Which fin should I go with?

Oceanic Vortex V12 Split fin : $159

or

Atomics Aquatic Split Fin : $179

-----------------------------------------------------

Oceanic frameless shadow mask $64

or

Atomics Aquatic frameless mask $89
 
I would go with the Atomics for both, unless you can get ScubaPro. Then I would go with the ScubaPro Frameless and a pair of TwinJets. the ScubaPro products have the BEST warranty of ANY scuba products. Atomic would be my second choice since the company was founded by two ex-ScubaPro employees. The products are so similar that the Atomic first stage can use the same repair kit as the ScubaPro MK25

<font color="sienna">WreckDiver </font> </b>
<i><font size="1"><font color="teal">aka: CyBrSuFr</font> </font> </i>
 
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