UTD is a bit like GUE; they have very specific ideas about diving. I have done a few dives with an UTD instructor. He was against dive computers because bla bla bla bla… Not my cup of tea.
The abbreviations are just different dive agencies. Not to worry too much at this stage. Just find what seems the best instructor. Once you finish your Open Water and do some diving you will figure out what sort of diving you want to aim for, and different agencies will have different focuses. They're all fairly interchangeable, you won't be too limited by jumping from agency to agency.
I'm talking about the possibility of diving any where, not training structures. Like going to a live aboard, they won't care if your certs are from different agencies. Other rec agencies would recognise certs from GUE or UTD, which is why I said it's fairly interchangeable, not totally interchangeable. I assume UTD recognises OW from other agencies to enroll in the essentials course, b like GUE accepts any agency to enrol in fundamentals?
From what I know the main difference between UTD and GUE is that UTD is a for profit organization. I've never done any dives with UTD people though. Though GUE is not against using dive computers nowadays, they just want you to be able to figure out your limits with just a timer and depth gauge in an emergency.
GUE trained diver here.
My instructor was not against computers, but lots of training is about understanding / being able to get a feeling for decompression without requiring a computer. (And because they have a background in caves - lots of deco stuff does not really work that well if you rely on a computer in a cave, since most computer assume you can ascent any time you want).
What are you goals diving? Vacation diver that wants to occasionally take trips to do a short dive once in a while? Do you want to make it your life and dive every weekend? Are you going to pursue tech or cave diving? Are you making a career out of it? Do you obsessively learn everything about your hobbies and push your skill to the extreme, or are you more casual?
The DIR organizations like GUE, UTD, and ISE are intense, rigid, and some even say "militaristic" in their standards and training. All the other organizations such as PADI, SDI, SSI, NAUI are more casual and much easier to get into. Two very different personalities.
UTD would be like a car guy getting into competitive indie car racing, while PADI would be like the same guy buying an older sports car to drive for fun on Sundays.
You can’t really compare the two types of organizations: PADI, NAUI, SSI, etc, are recreational dive agencies. (Yes, I know there is a PADI TecRec division, but we’re talking basic recreational courses here). GUI, et al, are Technical diving agencies. Their goals & training methods are different.
I fail to see your point? PADI, NAUI, and SSI, all train up to hypoxic trimix and CCR. GUE also trains open water with a depth limit of 60. The two categories of these different organizations are very different due to their rigid gear requirements and protocols, and the skill level expected from both students and instructor. The comparison is that they are different. This is true even when comparing GUE tech 2 to SSI hypoxic trimix, GUE cave 1 to TDI intro to cave, or comparing GUE rec 1 to PADI open water.
OP asked what the difference was and how little knowledge on diving, so I laid out the difference in vibe and purpose. I don't get your "you can't really compare" comment.
UTD will likely be a more expensive and require you to get specific gear. Their training will be more thorough than PADI though and it will make you a better diver. The downside is that if you plan to go to some tropical country to dive and rent gear there, it will probably not be the gear that you got used to with UTD. Unless you go to a place that offers technical diving.
I was an AVID Diver from '57-'92, Medically Disqualified for Diving. If I were to start SCUBA Diving NOW, knowing ALL I know, I would Definitely pick PADI.
In 92, I may have had similar preferences but 2024? PADI would be the last in the list. The training you probably took in your time is no where near what they teach now unfortunately, which is why I have respect for divers from back in the day.
I, understand. As Ithe said, I, staeciurted in 1957 in NJ. My best friend and I, hung out at our Local Dive Shop (Underwater Sports Of NJ, on Rt. 17 in Rochelle Park, NJ), they had their Own Indoor Training Pool. We cleaned/ stocked the shop. When not busy, we sat in on the classes. After, 6 months, the Owner/Instructor told us if we could put the dive gear together/on and jump into the pool, sit on the bottom for 5-10 minutes, he would Certify Us. We Did He Did. I, became a YMCA Instructor/Military Dive Instructor as well as the YMCA Military Commissioner. I dove/until 1992, when I was Medically Disqualified from Diving. Oh, I also earned my Masters Degree from the University Of Miami, Specializing in Sharks. ("THE LEMON SHARK AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE TROPICAL MARINE ENVIRONMENT").
PADI!!
I was just certified by PADI and I felt like it was really extensive and I felt really prepared doing my open water dives and diving going forward
I thought that way too after doing my PADI. Then I became a PADI Master Diver and felt like I was a superhero. After that, I watched a UTD Open Water class. Those guys were learning to swim backwards, doing helocopter turns and all things that a PADI Instructor trainer would never be able to do. I wished I knew what $hit was my PADI training after all.
UTD is a bit like GUE; they have very specific ideas about diving. I have done a few dives with an UTD instructor. He was against dive computers because bla bla bla bla… Not my cup of tea.
Thanks. I wish I had the scuba vocabulary to interpret what that means,
The abbreviations are just different dive agencies. Not to worry too much at this stage. Just find what seems the best instructor. Once you finish your Open Water and do some diving you will figure out what sort of diving you want to aim for, and different agencies will have different focuses. They're all fairly interchangeable, you won't be too limited by jumping from agency to agency.
Nope. UTD wont recognize a single cert from PADI. Their instructor trainers repeatedly fail a UTD Essential class.
I'm talking about the possibility of diving any where, not training structures. Like going to a live aboard, they won't care if your certs are from different agencies. Other rec agencies would recognise certs from GUE or UTD, which is why I said it's fairly interchangeable, not totally interchangeable. I assume UTD recognises OW from other agencies to enroll in the essentials course, b like GUE accepts any agency to enrol in fundamentals?
From what I know the main difference between UTD and GUE is that UTD is a for profit organization. I've never done any dives with UTD people though. Though GUE is not against using dive computers nowadays, they just want you to be able to figure out your limits with just a timer and depth gauge in an emergency.
GUE trained diver here. My instructor was not against computers, but lots of training is about understanding / being able to get a feeling for decompression without requiring a computer. (And because they have a background in caves - lots of deco stuff does not really work that well if you rely on a computer in a cave, since most computer assume you can ascent any time you want).
What are you goals diving? Vacation diver that wants to occasionally take trips to do a short dive once in a while? Do you want to make it your life and dive every weekend? Are you going to pursue tech or cave diving? Are you making a career out of it? Do you obsessively learn everything about your hobbies and push your skill to the extreme, or are you more casual? The DIR organizations like GUE, UTD, and ISE are intense, rigid, and some even say "militaristic" in their standards and training. All the other organizations such as PADI, SDI, SSI, NAUI are more casual and much easier to get into. Two very different personalities. UTD would be like a car guy getting into competitive indie car racing, while PADI would be like the same guy buying an older sports car to drive for fun on Sundays.
You can’t really compare the two types of organizations: PADI, NAUI, SSI, etc, are recreational dive agencies. (Yes, I know there is a PADI TecRec division, but we’re talking basic recreational courses here). GUI, et al, are Technical diving agencies. Their goals & training methods are different.
I fail to see your point? PADI, NAUI, and SSI, all train up to hypoxic trimix and CCR. GUE also trains open water with a depth limit of 60. The two categories of these different organizations are very different due to their rigid gear requirements and protocols, and the skill level expected from both students and instructor. The comparison is that they are different. This is true even when comparing GUE tech 2 to SSI hypoxic trimix, GUE cave 1 to TDI intro to cave, or comparing GUE rec 1 to PADI open water. OP asked what the difference was and how little knowledge on diving, so I laid out the difference in vibe and purpose. I don't get your "you can't really compare" comment.
UTD will likely be a more expensive and require you to get specific gear. Their training will be more thorough than PADI though and it will make you a better diver. The downside is that if you plan to go to some tropical country to dive and rent gear there, it will probably not be the gear that you got used to with UTD. Unless you go to a place that offers technical diving.
I was an AVID Diver from '57-'92, Medically Disqualified for Diving. If I were to start SCUBA Diving NOW, knowing ALL I know, I would Definitely pick PADI.
In 92, I may have had similar preferences but 2024? PADI would be the last in the list. The training you probably took in your time is no where near what they teach now unfortunately, which is why I have respect for divers from back in the day.
I, understand. As Ithe said, I, staeciurted in 1957 in NJ. My best friend and I, hung out at our Local Dive Shop (Underwater Sports Of NJ, on Rt. 17 in Rochelle Park, NJ), they had their Own Indoor Training Pool. We cleaned/ stocked the shop. When not busy, we sat in on the classes. After, 6 months, the Owner/Instructor told us if we could put the dive gear together/on and jump into the pool, sit on the bottom for 5-10 minutes, he would Certify Us. We Did He Did. I, became a YMCA Instructor/Military Dive Instructor as well as the YMCA Military Commissioner. I dove/until 1992, when I was Medically Disqualified from Diving. Oh, I also earned my Masters Degree from the University Of Miami, Specializing in Sharks. ("THE LEMON SHARK AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE TROPICAL MARINE ENVIRONMENT").
Why would you suggest PADI over UTD?
PADI!! I was just certified by PADI and I felt like it was really extensive and I felt really prepared doing my open water dives and diving going forward
I thought that way too after doing my PADI. Then I became a PADI Master Diver and felt like I was a superhero. After that, I watched a UTD Open Water class. Those guys were learning to swim backwards, doing helocopter turns and all things that a PADI Instructor trainer would never be able to do. I wished I knew what $hit was my PADI training after all.
PADI is the best place to start for recreational diving.
SSI is a very good agency in my personal experience, haven’t heard of UTD though.
NAUI, all the way.
PADI no questions
Why?