Quote Originally Posted by deepdiver4
but i think you can skip normoxic and go right to trymix i think all you need is at least one tec class so that is what was told to me
Yes, if you have full cave, decent experience with and mastery of multiple stage bottles and deep diving / long deco experience (all of which many cave divers have) there are many trimix instructors that will consider that equivalent experience to some or all of the prereqs for either course.

I don't understand what you mean by "most cost effective". Trimix is a tool for certain types of diving. If the Normoxic course is all you need I'm pretty sure that it is cheaper then going to full trimix. A full trimix course can cost $800-$1500 for the course and 200-400 more in gas costs (helium isn't cheap and you use a lot of it) and frequently may require additional equipment (like another set of $300 BC wings for redundancy).

As Trimix is a tool for diving then get the right tool for the job. If you need tech Trimix for the diving you want to do then that should be the course to get. Talk to the instructor and see what prereqs he wants you to have. Same deal with Normoxic.

I can only think of a few Tech Trimix cave instructors around here. As Kathleen recently took her Trimix course so we can begin exploring Eagle's nest we have a few names for instructors in the Central FL area if you want some suggestions.

PS: congrats to Kathleen on her Tech Trimix - yay!!!