TechDiveAsia

Dennis H H LAM

★★★★★

Huge shoutout to Kevin for an incredible training experience! Just wrapped up my PADI Tec40 and Tec45 with Kevin, a top-notch Instructor Trainer with years of experience who genuinely cares about making you a safe, skilled diver. Zero corners cut, and he pushes the training way above the basic requirements. If you are serious about learning technical diving, this is the place to go. Highly recommended!

Bradley Birchall

★★★★★

I trained with Kevin Black at Tech Dive Asia over two extended blocks of CCR and technical diving training in 2024 and 2025 in Phuket, Thailand. I’m a PADI Instructor and technical diver, and these courses were some of the most challenging, demanding, and ultimately rewarding training experiences I’ve had. From the start, it was clear that Kevin’s approach is calm, structured, and uncompromising when it comes to standards. Skills are not signed off just because time has run out or because you’ve “mostly got it.” They are expected to be demonstrated consistently and under varying conditions, often at unexpected points during a dive rather than only in obvious practice moments. This makes the training demanding, but also far more realistic and valuable. When I struggled with a skill, Kevin didn’t rush or lower expectations. Instead, he took the time to explain what needed to improve, demonstrated the skill again, asked me to explain my understanding, and then gave me the opportunity to apply it. If something wasn’t working on that dive, we would move on to other skills and return to it later rather than forcing progress for the sake of the schedule. Safety, planning, and decision-making are central to the training. Gas planning, bailout procedures, and failure management are taken seriously and clearly explained before dives. Briefings are thorough, and debriefs are honest and constructive. Mistakes are not ignored or glossed over — they’re analysed and used as learning opportunities in a professional and supportive way. One thing I particularly respected was that progression only happened when standards were met. During my first training block in 2024, I wasn’t able to complete one of the planned courses due to illness and the resulting lack of time. There was no pressure to rush or “wave it through” — the training simply stopped where the standards stopped. I later returned in 2025 to continue and complete my training, which says a lot about both the integrity of the instruction and my confidence in Kevin as an instructor. These courses were tough and, at times, uncomfortable — but that’s exactly what made them worthwhile. Compared to before September 2024, my stress response underwater significantly improved, as my responses were more slow and considered, along with improved gas planning discipline and CCR failure recognition through continuous practice at surprise times. I’ve since booked more training with Kevin in 2026. One of the real highlights of progressing into CCR TEC diving has been the enjoyment and sense of exploration it enables. Longer dive times, far more efficient gas use, and significantly reduced decompression compared to equivalent open-circuit dives make it possible to explore more, stay longer, and come back with far more margin. Compared to recreational OC diving, the combination of capability, control, and time underwater adds a level of excitement that is hard to match, e.g. in one instance we did three wrecks in one dive with scooters, that would be hard to match with OC. If you’re genuinely serious about CCR or technical diving and want training that prioritises competence, safety, and real-world readiness over convenience or quick certifications, I can confidently recommend Kevin Black and Tech Dive Asia.

Piranha Divers Okinawa

★★★★★

In December 2024 I had the opportunity to train with Claus for three intense weeks of back-to-back cave and technical diving — and I can confidently say he’s an exceptional instructor. The schedule was demanding, with no breaks and countless skills and drills to master, but slow progress was made. (I'm not particularly fast under stress) Under Claus’s guidance, I achieved far more than I ever thought possible. I progressed through cave diving training all the way to Full Cave Diver and completed Extended Range training with Trimix dives to depths of 75 meters — something I never imagined I’d be capable of. As an SDI Instructor Trainer and a recreational diver since 1999, diving almost daily in the recreational realm for work, I’ll admit I went into this thinking I’d fly through the all the courses. I was wrong — painfully so — and I’m now very aware that many of my previous professional diving courses were made far too easy. Claus pushed me to my limits, and while I ultimately succeeded, I owe much of that to his high standards and dedication. Claus gave me the opportunity to send him video proof of a few exercises I wasn’t able to complete at the time — something I truly appreciated. It showed his commitment to ensuring skills are properly mastered. In fact, he’s probably the first instructor in my diving career who didn’t just “wave me through,” and I respect him immensely for that. Beyond technical skills, this experience also taught me more about humility and the importance of empathising with others — a lesson I didn’t expect I need, but when diving with others on easier dives I will think about this. To me, these courses were some of the best diving experiences I’ve ever had — not because they were easy, but because they were tough. There were moments I asked myself, “Why am I here, spending money on this torture?” — but in the end, it was worth every second. I’ll be back for more training with Claus, and I highly recommend him to anyone serious about developing their cave or tech diving skills.

James Smith

★★★★★

Diving with Tech Dive Asia was an outstanding experience. Vincent was always eager to share his extensive expertise and countless practical tips—both in dive planning and in the hands-on aspects of technical diving—which made the experience even more valuable and engaging. The atmosphere was both warm and relaxed, yet never compromised on strict safety standards and disciplined procedures. Despite having almost no equipment of my own, I was provided with top-quality gear (Apeks, OMS, and more), which made a significant difference. On top of that, the boat was exceptionally comfortable, well-equipped, and served excellent food—making the entire experience not just professional, but truly enjoyable. Overall, I had a great experience with Tech Dive Asia.

Claire C

★★★★★

Excellant instructor, very knowledgeable and friendly. I first took my recreational sidemount with my instructor Erik back in 2024. Erik made it very fun, I've learnt so much. I then decided to come back and learn AN/DP and cavern with him again. The training wasn't easy, but Erik was very patient, making sure I'm safe and at the same time training me. I walked away becoming a better diver. He doesn't only teach tec, he also teaches recreational like OWD etc. Highly recommend Erik to anyone who is into having a great dive experience.