Three cylinders banded with nitrox tape on a jetty

Nitrox Course

Name: Nitrox Course
Brand: PADI
SKU: EAN002
Price: 3200.00 ZAR
Availability: InStock

SKU EAN002

R 3,200.00 R 3,500.00

Product variants

More oxygen. Less nitrogen. A lot more bottom time.

There's a reason Enriched Air Diver is PADI's most popular specialty course, and it isn't complicated. Breathe a gas with a higher oxygen content than regular air, and your body absorbs less nitrogen at depth. Less nitrogen means longer no-decompression limits, shorter surface intervals, and more actual time spent looking at the reef instead of watching your computer count down.

This course strips the science down to what you actually need: how to plan a nitrox dive properly, how to analyse a cylinder's oxygen content before you jump in, and how to set your dive computer for the blend you're breathing. All scuba equipment is included for the duration of the course, so there's nothing to source or hire beforehand. No new dive skills to learn, no open water training dives required, just the knowledge to dive safely with enriched air.

It's a favourite among divers doing multiple dives a day, liveaboard trips, or repetitive diving over several days, exactly the situations where nitrogen loading catches up with you fastest on regular air.

Where Nitrox Takes You

Once certified, you're qualified to dive with enriched air blends typically up to 40% oxygen, extending your no-decompression time on repetitive dives for the rest of your diving life. It's a certification that pays off every time you're doing back-to-back dives, whether that's a weekend at Sodwana or a week-long liveaboard somewhere further afield.

It also counts toward your Master Scuba Diver rating, the highest non-professional classification in recreational diving, alongside Rescue Diver and four other specialty certifications.

Ready for longer dives and shorter surface intervals? Book your Enriched Air Diver course below, or get in touch with our team if you've got questions about planning your first nitrox dive.

What This Course Entails

The course starts with PADI eLearning, worked through in your own time, typically in an afternoon. It covers the science behind enriched air, how it affects your body differently to regular air, and the oxygen exposure limits you need to plan around.

From there, you'll join a practical session with an instructor, where you'll practise analysing a cylinder's oxygen content, log your blend correctly, and set your dive computer for enriched air. There are no open water training dives required for this specialty, so it's one of the quickest certifications to add to your logbook.

Most divers complete the whole course, eLearning and practical session, within a single day.

Prerequisites

Certified PADI Open Water Diver, or a qualifying certification from another training organisation.
Alternatively, you can enrol in the PADI Open Water Diver course and the Enriched Air Diver course concurrently and complete them together, so your first dives as a certified diver can be on enriched air.
Minimum age is 12 years old. Divers aged 12 to 14 earn a Junior Enriched Air Diver certification and dive to a maximum of 21 metres, in line with all junior certifications.
Complete a basic health screening questionnaire to confirm you're fit to dive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Enriched Air course involve open water dives?

You have a choice. PADI standards allow the Enriched Air course to be completed with either two open water dives or predive simulation exercises in their place, so it can be finished without getting wet if that suits your schedule. Either way you'll cover analysing your own cylinder and setting your computer for the blend you're actually breathing, which is the part that matters.

Can I do Enriched Air at the same time as my Open Water course?

Yes. PADI allows you to enrol in the Open Water Diver course and the Enriched Air Diver course concurrently and complete them together, rather than waiting until you're certified. It's the most efficient way to do it if you already know you want nitrox, and it means your very first dives after certification can be on enriched air. Mention it when you book and we'll set both up together.

Can a 12 or 13 year old do the Enriched Air course?

Yes. The minimum age is 12, and divers aged 12 to 14 earn a Junior Enriched Air Diver certification. Like all junior divers, they're limited to a maximum depth of 21 metres, and the certification converts to the standard Enriched Air Diver rating when they turn 15.

What oxygen percentage will I be certified to use?

Recreational enriched air certifications commonly cover blends up to 40% oxygen, within conservative operating limits set during your training.

Will nitrox always give me more bottom time than diving on regular air?

It can extend your no-decompression limits on many repetitive dives, but your actual bottom time still depends on depth, your dive computer settings, and safe exposure planning for that specific dive.

How long does the Enriched Air Diver course take to complete?

Most divers complete the eLearning and practical session within a single day. The eLearning itself typically takes a few hours and can be worked through at your own pace beforehand.

Does this certification expire, or count toward anything else?

No, it's valid for life. It also counts toward the Master Scuba Diver rating, the highest non-professional certification in recreational diving, alongside Rescue Diver and four further specialties.