Ssi & Padi

[newlywedcruisers]

Is there a major difference between these two certification programs? I'm asking becuase I know PADI is a larger organization, but the closest dive shop to me is an SSI school.

[booth22]

Get an instructor who you like and who has a good reputation/references and you'll be all set. The agencies have their minor differences, but the instructor is the key.

[cruzegirl]

I agree with Booth22....... While I prefer PADI as that's how I trained, they are really similar.... A friend from the east coast is doing SSI and it seems they are doing well.... The most important thing is that you talk with the shop and find an instructor your comfortable with...... Good luck.... have fun.......

[foneguy]

the most inportant thing is the education!!!second i will say is your instructor, both agencies are well respected, i am ymca certified and my son has his jr open water through padi, my only complaint for the padi is the 5th chapter in their book ssi is very well respected i am planning on using a ssi shop for my advanced and rescue diver.......just remember to have fun:D

[delgadofam2002]

My 2 dive instructors which are my friends are certified trainers for ssi, padi, naui, ymca.

1 of them is a dive master & champion from the early 80's Ray Lang. It is not the certification company it truly is the dive instructor. Do not do a quick 2-3 day certification. My brother in law went to a dive shop who happen to be Padi the trainer certified him & we dove w/ him. He was so not ready. Our friends would have never certified him. A good trainer will not certify you if he/she feels you are not ready the will make you do more pool sessions or open water discoer scuba or more book lessions whatever it takes. This is an extremely dangerous sport. We made my brother in law do a refresher course w/ 1 of our friends. He said he never learned so much as he did w/ our friend.

I have seen all 3 courses Padi is the easiest to pass then SSI then NAUI the hardest. NAUI is much more thorough since it is bases on the military.

My preferance is SSI or NAUI. You learn alot more in the course than in PADI. My son (12) & I are SSI Certified & my husband is NAUI

Defenitely find yourself an instructor you feel comfortable with & is good at what he/she does. Remember take your time & do not rush. It is such a blast once you're down there.

[drew sailbum]

There is little difference between PADI and SSI from the student's perspective. Still there are just a few points to note:

 

1) It is easiest to complete the entire course with a single instructor.

 

2) If you want to complete the academic and pool training at home and do the open water certification dives on vacation, it is easier to go through PADI as there are many more PADI instructors in the Caribbean.

 

3) It is most complicated to start the course with an instructor from one agency and then do the referral dives with an instructor from a different agency. You would need to retake the final exam and learn a new dive table.

 

4) PADI had their certification records online. If you go on vacation and forget your certification card, a PADI dive center can search these records on the internet. SSI does not have this option.

 

 

From an instructor's perspective, SSI requires an instructor to affiliate with a local dive shop in order to teach. PADI allows instructors to teach independently of a retail dive shop if they so choose.