Cost of training for Kiss Sport

Rhino_Portland_Oregon

As I recently posted earlier I just bought a Sport Kiss unit. I had no issues paying the cost of the unit and computer, but I am unsure if I am getting hosed on the cost of training....

I was told AFTER I bought the unit that the training cost would be $1500 + the expenses of the instructor for a week (ie. Hotel, food, travel)....

Now that seems a little outrageous to me, so I am asking what others paid for training... Don't get me wrong if that's the cost, then that's the cost and I will throw down for it, but it seems mighty steep...

Please let me know what you paid to get the cert....

Steve

I charge $1250 plus my costs. If they are better than me it is worth it

To put it in perspective I'd estimate a CCR course to be 50 hours work at a minimum. To save you working it out that is $25 an hour.

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DeepBlueInnovation

Which equates to $1053USD

Hey, sounds like it would probably work out the same for you to fly to Canada or Oz and enjoy the hotel yourself...

Dutchy

There are huge differences out there I guess.... My training was 700 euro (940 dollar) but then again that was all done in some 12 hours or so of which I spend a third diving with other (Boris) Rebreather divers.
The latter should be considered as well. Are you prepared to share your instructors attention with other divers?

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jradomski

Thats a bit cheaper than I charge..

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RichClark

To my mind, its not really about the cost of the training, its the cost of the 'instruction' You're always going to be able to find cheaper courses somewhere, but you get pretty much what you pay for (i stopped taking the cheapest option after my OC trimix instructor wanted me to dive to 80m on air so that I could appreciate the difference, plus my buoyancy and control throughout the water column exceeded his). If you're happy with your choice of instructor then thats what it costs... simple as that.

Cheers

PS - I would have paid more for both my KISS MOD 1 & 3 if I'd be asked . I chose the instructor that I wanted to do the course with, not the price tag.

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bendomatic

i paid around AUD 1000 but then there was two of us. ended up also having to pay for extra two dives as my gear crapped itself (second hand gear!) on the day of third/fourth dive -had to bail on third at start and i decided not to do fourth as i was no longer confident in my gear until we could get off the boat and back to the shop to fix ADV problem.

rachel

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Ken

I find this thread a bit odd & vague. There are no stated parameters regarding the instruction, location, support (boats/gas/sorb/rentals/trans./private or group) + instructor qualification. This should be done off thread. So without knowing some of these factors...up front costs can be quite variable.

Additionally, this is an expensive niche of the sport. You will always be shelling out more $$$ than expected. Additionally, relative cost does not necessarily mean better training. In fact it means - nothing. It just costs more until the details are fleshed out. It's a matter of asking incisive questions early and often.

Rhino_Portland_Oregon

EXACTLY !!!

That is why I created this thread... I understand that this is an expensive hobby, but I had no idea what the "market price" was for instruction. Thank you to all who have PMed me. Looking at all the responses, I would say that the average price for training is $1200.00 USD.

Based on that I would say that paying $1500 + the travel, lodging, and food expenses of an instructor for a week is not a fair market value. Also to assume that just because an instructor charges more for lessons that he/she is better or more qualified to instruct, is unfair to the instructors that are remaining in the "standard market pricing" structure.

I have been contacted by a couple instructors here in the Pacific Northwest who are both around the $1200 price. Am I to assume that because they are not going to run me upwards of $2600 for a weeks training that I will be any less qualified to operate the unit?

I think not. I have checked out their websites, and contacted some of their students, and all seems great.....

Thanks again for the help here..... This forum is a great thing for a "nube" like me.

viscya

I'm not trying to argue, but just point something out.

My instructor works for a shop an hours drive from me. There's a pool in the shop, there's a quarry a hour away, and he had another class that month. Clearly, the cost of his "expenses" are less, and distributed among the students in the class.

However, in areas where instructors have to travel to teach small classes, I can see the cost of instruction being much higher. For an instructor of outstanding quality, reputation, and experience, I would expect the cost to be higher, and the quality of instruction to be better.

I agree, it's wrong to assume that higher price means higher quality. However, don't assume that all instructors are equal.

You are fortunate to have options. Traveling for instruction is also a popular option.

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