Side Mount Dive Training

Technical Scuba

Sidemount provides many benefits for divers but is best suited to cave diving. Sidemount was in fact invented by cave divers. These are just some of the benefits.

Sidemount diving is a great option, especially for those who are already tec divers. You will need to learn how to adjust your rig, how you can enter the water with it (yes, it is different, but it is more relaxed).

Is Army dive School Hard —

Sidemount Diver was by far the most challenging course I have ever taken. However, my instructor Fiona at Big Blue Tech (a trusted dive center) and Big Blue Tech (my instructor) included a lot of skills and dives in my course. We made sure to keep my task load manageable and practiced many skills including tank removal underwater, mask and tank replacement, out of the air drills, and many others while trying to stay in top trim.

To dive, you must have a minimum of fitness and good health. Before diving, you may need to be cleared by a doctor if your health is not in good condition.

Side Mount Dive Training

Do you want to share the experience? PADI eLearning (r) can be purchased online and shared with a person of your choice. You can purchase the course for a gift or assign it to family members. It's easy!

And then there are the rebreathers…a rebreather is a machine that recycles exhaled gas and is the preferred method for ‘very’ deep dives in order to use the gas carried more efficiently. In this case the exhaled gas is going thru a canister filled with a chemical which is called Sofnolime or scrubber to remove CO2 from the breathing loop and the remaining gas will be inhaled again by the diver. Metabolised oxygen is replaced into the loop to keep the oxygen content in the divers’ body at the desired pressure.

Side Mount Dive Training
Side Mount Dive Training
How To Become A Sidemount Technical Scuba Diver Equipment

How To Become A Sidemount Technical Scuba Diver Equipment

You must be at least a level of fitness and health to dive. You may need to have written permission from your physician if you have chronic health issues, take certain medications or are recovering from recent surgery.

Continue on to the Tec Sidemount Diver program. Here you'll learn additional skills, such switching deco cylinders, and stage and switch deco cylinders.

How To Become A Sidemount Technical Scuba Diver Number

On top of this specialized Sidemount equipment, you will also need your usual wetsuit, fins, mask, computer, compass, and DSMB.

I arrived just two months ago on Malapascua Island in Philippines. There, I will learn how to become a Tec diver instructor. Since 2012, I've been a Bali recreational instructor. I am eager to improve my diving skills and expand my knowledge. Sidemount PCB was the place where my first experience of technical diving was. Tom West, PADI course director and instructor-trainer for Tec, made me a Certified Tec-50 Diver.

Training
Training

With GUE as a non-diver, the first levels to be completed before a technical diver training are Recreational Diver 1 to a maximum depth of 21m. After completing the course the Fundamental Rec Pass can be completed which is teaching the basic fundamental skills for a diver and prepares the diver for the Fundamental Tech Pass.

Gear - While the gear remains the same, divers taking an introductory tech class, such as Sidemount, Intro to Tech or CCR air diluent, will notice some configuration differences. Instead of two second stages on one cylindrical, they're divided between two with a separate initial stage for each. The gas planning becomes a more in-depth process, and the harnesses appear to have more chrome.

How To Become A Sidemount Technical Scuba Diver Girl

Tec 40 is the first step to start the TecRec program with Padi. The prerequisites are Advanced Open Water and Deep Diver certifications as well as Nitrox. In addition to that, before starting the course a minimum of 10 Nitrox dives have to be proved. The certification allows divers to dive to 40m doing limited decompression using gas mixes up to 50% of oxygen. The Tec 40 is also the prerequisite to continue with Padi Tec 45 which allows to do unlimited decompression time as long as it is carefully planned. The next step will be Tec 50 that enhances the allowable depth to 50m.

I'm not certain when or why I decided on Sidemount. As with many of my diving choices, it was likely a case of "oh that looks cool, could prove useful", so I decided to take the Sidemount course. It would be a useful certification that I could build on in the future. Sidemount would allow me to dive in caves, something I always wanted.

Check our other pages :

Frequently Asked Questions

To register for the PADI Advanced Rebreather Diver course, you must first: You must be a PADI Open Water Diver, but you must also be a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver to become a PADI Advanced Rebreather Diver. Have at least 30 dives under your belt.