Technical Diving: Where to start

You've seen them at the dive site. Those divers with all the extra tanks, they spend twice as long as everyone else to plan and gear up for their dive. What the heck is all that gear for? How do I take the next step to become a "tech" diver?

What is Technical diving? Still considered Recreational Diving, Technical Diving goes above and beyond the traditional Sport Diver levels. Technical diving requires more training, more practice and more gear. Most people assume that technical divers are always diving deep. This can be the case, many tech divers can be trained to depths of 150 ft and beyond. Tech diving is also used for extended bottom time or more extreme situations such as in caves or ship wrecks. 

Can tech training and gear be used on every dive? Not all the gear can be used on every dive, mixed gases or DPV's, however the fundamentals of tech diving transfer to all diving. Having ideal buoyancy, trim and extensive dive plans can help any diver on any dive. 

What Equipment does a tech diver need? That can depend on the type of diving that diver is doing on that dive. Most tech divers always carry redundant air and regulator such as twin tanks each with a regulator system. Also redundant cutting device, mask, light and computer/bottom timer just to name a few. When you are just starting out as a tech diver most of the equipment is available for rent.

Where to start your technical dive training? The first step is the TDI Introduction to Tech course. This is the fundamentals of tech diving. The course includes in depth dive planning, emergency procedures, advanced buoyancy control, proper trim, gas management, equipment configuration and more. The course requires the manual, approx 4+ hours of class, 2-4 pool sessions and 4-6 open water dives. This class is not the bare minimum, the amount of dives each student does will depend on that students skills and competency. 

Are all beginner tech courses the same? No, many basic tech courses are just that Basic. Many do not even require that you us the proper equipment such as multiple tanks. The TDI Intro to Tech goes beyond the basics, you do not just pay for a course and get a card. You care expected to finish the course with significant knowledge of technical diving. 

Is Intro to Tech required for other tech courses? It is a prerequisite for many courses such as TDI Advanced Nitrox. Other tech course may not require it but you would have difficulty passing many of those course without the fundamentals of Intro to Tech so it is recommended for all tech diving. 

Do you have more questions? check out our course page for Intro to Tech or contact us at the store to talk to a TDI Instructor.