SDI certification: Is Scuba Diving International Worth It?

Do you have doubts about learning to dive with an SDI course or with another agency? You are in the right place to solve them.

You have already made up your mind, this year will not pass without you becoming a scuba diver.  But… OH, SURPRISE! It turns out that there are a lot of certifying agencies and you don’t know which one to choose. PADI is very famous and you will find a lot of information about it on our website. SDI is very good too, but less known.

Keep calm and leave it in the good hands of Dressel Divers. We teach diving courses with some of the main certifying agencies in the world, among them SDI and PADI.

This article explains which aspects differentiate one SDI diving certification from another, its characteristics, how the agency works, what makes Scuba Diving International one of the best scuba diving schools, etc.

Take a look at the content table.

Getting an SDI Certification: How Scuba Diving International Works?

Scuba Diving International (SDI) was established in 1998 as a sister agency of Technical Diving International (TDI). While the SDI certification program focuses on training and instruction for recreational diving, TDI focuses on technical diving.

What sets SDI’s certifications apart from other certifying agencies is that:

– As a heritage of TDI and technical diving SDI certifications were created by experienced professional technical divers, following the strict protocols and procedures necessary.

– Scuba Diving International has a sensible approach to business. Personalization and attention, rather than massification and large numbers, are what students look for.

– In the same line its sports training program is developed, through good standards and excellent professionals.

– For Scuba Diving International, the most important thing is the development of the diver’s practical skills. For example, buoyancy control is a skill students get from the beginning of the SDI training.

Of course, SDI certifications have a theoretical part that future SDI scuba divers study in simplified materials. Their manuals and the SDI e-learning platform cover the essential academic aspects.

– The student is provided with a modern dive computer from the beginning of the SDI training. It is a “sine qua non” condition for an SDI certification.

SDI’s philosophy is focused on the full adoption of new technologies as the best way to meet the needs of today’s divers.

SDI Scuba Certification and Courses

The SDI certification that starts it all is the SDI Open Water Scuba Diver course.

This course gives divers access to 3 more advanced SDI certifications and 28 specialty courses: including SDI Advanced Adventure Diver, Deep diver, Sidemount, etc. Among these specialty SDI certifications, SDI Solo Diver stands out.

This SDI training focuses on prevention, not encouraging divers to dive solo. If a diver suddenly finds himself alone, he must know how to react and be self-sufficient. This way, they will be able to face that critical moment in the safest possible way.

– SDI Advanced Diver

– SDI Rescue Diver

– Master Diver

– 28 specialization courses.

From this level onwards, SDI training upgrades to the professional level.

– SDI Divemaster

– SDI Assistant Instructor

– SDI Instructor

– SDI Scubility Instructor

– SDI Course Director

– SDI Non-Diving Specialty Instructor

– SDI Instructor Trainer

Divers who wish to learn about technical diving can access TDI courses easily.

Is SDI Training Worth It?

A noteworthy aspect of the pedagogical methodology of SDI courses is the flexibility of instructors to focus their classes on the specific needs of each student. In other words, the SDI Instructor is free to teach the course content as he considers and spends more time on the more difficult aspects.

It is ideal for students who have trouble with a specific concept or skill.

With other methodologies, you don’t move on to a skill until you have mastered the previous one, which can be frustrating for some people who give up on learning to dive. However, with the SDI methodology, the students see how they advance in other skills, and when they return to the one, they find difficult, they face it with much more confidence, more comfortable, and much less stressed.

Another relevant point is that you get the SDI certification card on the spot. Yes, you will have to wait for the physical card to arrive at your home, but in the meantime, you can download the electronic version FREE OF CHARGE to your cell phone and start using it.

SDI Diving Certification Vs PADI

Like all dive certification agencies in the world, as SDI and PADI certification standards are governed by the WRSTC World Recreational Scuba Training Council and, also, by the European Underwater Federation (EUF). So, both PADI and SDI ensure good training in terms of diving learning and safety.

They are, therefore, international certifications that assure the students that whether they obtain (PADI or Scuba Diving International certification) they will be able to scuba dive in any part of the world.

Both academic contents have many similar resources: videos, diagrams, summaries, and e-learning platforms for those who wish to do their theoretical training online, as well as confined water training and open water training.

While it is true, there are some little differences.

• In SDI training, there is a strong focus on the early development of neutral buoyancy and horizontal trim. The students in all courses use dive computers.
• However, PADI focuses on neutral buoyancy training when the diver is more advanced.
• PADI follows a fixed teaching scheme, and SDI training is more tailored to the students’ needs.

SDI certifications are interchangeable with PADI ones and vice versa. In other words, you can first get an SDI Open Water and then, do your Advanced course with PADI.

Our advice is to choose the certifying agency through the dive center where you will receive your training. The main difference between an SDI certification or obtaining it with any other agency is about:

• the person who teaches you, the professionalism of the instructors and Divemasters… It is about people connecting with people, finally;
• the facilities;
• the diving material and gear.

Regarding prices, if you choose Dressel Divers to get your PADI or SDI certification, the SDI course is 55 USD cheaper. Contact us, and we’ll talk.