What is Tec Diving?
Tec diving is the new frontier of scuba diving, allowing divers to explore depths that recreational divers will never be able to see.
Unlike recreational diving, where divers can ascend directly to the surface if needed, Tec divers must follow strict decompression procedures due to extended bottom times and gas absorption. This type of diving demands advanced training, discipline, and experience to manage the increased risks safely.
With the PADI TecRec courses, Tec diving is safer and more accessible than ever. But what exactly is tec diving?
What is Technical Diving?
Tec, or technical, is a type of dive that goes beyond the limits of recreational diving.
Tec diving refers to dives that take place deeper than 130ft or 40m and up to 330ft or 100m. Tec divers can also dive in overhead environments that are otherwise off-limits to recreational divers.
Tec diving requires decompression stops rather than safety stops, and tec divers breathe a different mix of gases.
What Gear Do Tec Divers Use?
Tec diving requires a different set of gear than recreational diving.
To start, we dive with two or more tanks on every dive, using either a sidemount or backmount (doubles) configuration.
Each tank has its own regulator and SPG setup. This allows divers to have more air for longer dive times and provides redundancy.
Roatan Divers has rental gear available during your course so you can try out your setup before investing in your own gear.
Do you want to try this gear configurations? Join us for our first Tec Week from August 2nd to 9th 2025.
Double Tank Configuration
refers to a technical diving setup where a diver uses two large scuba tanks, often called "doubles" or "twinset," connected together with a manifold, allowing them to access gas from both tanks simultaneously.
Sidemount Configutation
refers to a scuba diving setup where a technical diver mounts their scuba tanks on either side of their body, along their hips, instead of on their back
What are the Benefits of Getting Tec Certified?
Tec diving opens up a whole new world for adventurous divers. Being able to dive deeper than 130ft/40m means that you can explore dive sites that almost no one else has visited. Holding a Tec certification is a game-changer for wreck advocates as many of the most intriguing and exclusive wrecks lie 60 meters and deeper.
Beyond that, tec training isn’t independent from recreational diving, meaning that what you learn in your TecRec courses will make you a stronger, safer, and more informed diver in all environments.
Learning different gear setups, buoyancy and finning techniques, predive procedures, and gas calculations will expand your understanding of diving as a sport.
What Courses Are Available For Tec Diving?
We strongly suggest that you start your tec diving journey with the PADI Sidemount Diver course, which is a fun and challenging course for all divers, whether you continue into tec training or not.
Roatan Divers is proud to offer the PADI TecRec courses. We offer:
PADI Tec 40
The PADI Tec 40 course is where you transition from recreational diving to technical diving. It’s a natural progression from Tec Basics, or it can be your first tec diver course. It is the bridge between no stop diving and technical decompression diving. You will gain experience and begin building the knowledge and skills you need to continue your tec diver training. You will qualify to make limited decompression dives to 40 meters/130 feet and use up to 50 percent oxygen as a decompression gas.
PADI Tec 45
This is a course where you rise to the challenge and commit to becoming a technical diver. The
PADI Tec 45 course extends your depth limit to 45 meters/150 feet. You will learn to plan and
execute single and repetitive decompression dives using a single decompression cylinder with up to 100 percent oxygen. You will use double cylinders, which can be either back mount or sidemount diving configuration. Tec 45 is a prerequisite to Tec 50. There is also an option for divers to earn a Tec 45 Trimix Diver certification.
PADI Tec 50
As a Tec 50 diver, you’ll have the knowledge and skills to make extended range dives to a maximum of 50 meters/165 feet. You’ll know how to make dives with multiple decompression stops using two decompression gases. It’s not easy to reach this level. Earning your Tec 50 certification opens the door to deeper diving expeditions. There is also an option for divers to earn a Tec 50 Trimix Diver certification.
JOIN US FOR TEC WEEK
August 2nd to 9th 2025
During this week we will offer demos and tryouts with the tec equipment, presentations about tec dive and many tec courses with a special discount.
What are the Requirements for Tec Diving Courses?
To start the PADI TecRec courses, you must meet the following requirements:
PADI Rescue Diver
PADI Enriched Air Diver
PADI Deep Diver or proof of 10 dives to 30 meters/100 feet or deeper
30 logged dives
18 years old
You should also be very comfortable with your buoyancy. Technical diving isn’t something to pursue for the sake of ego, it requires confidence and solid foundational skills underwater before even considering it.
What Can I do with My TecRec Certifications?
Roatan Divers offers Tec fun dives. Because we operate four dive boats, we can dedicate a boat to our tec divers, taking you to the best dive sites around the island without being limited by the needs of recreational divers or courses.
Roatan Divers Annual Tec Week
In addition to offering TecRec courses and fundives as a part of our regular offerings, we also host an annual Tec Week. During Tec Week, you can do a Discover Tec dive, join courses and fundives, and meet other awesome tec divers. Tec Week is for experienced tec divers and those looking to dip their toes in for the first time. Learn more about this year’s event here.
