Technical training · TDI
Sidemount Diver
Two cylinders along the body instead of one on the back — freedom of movement, a streamlined position, two independent gas sources.
- Depth
- by configuration
- Format
- agreed individually
- Prerequisites
- Open Water Diver
- Agency
- TDI
Sidemount came out of caves, where a backmounted twinset will not fit through a restriction. Today people who will never enter a cave dive it too — because two cylinders at your sides mean a lighter walk into the water, better trim and two completely independent gas sources.
Why independence matters
In a classic single-cylinder rig, a first-stage failure ends the dive. In sidemount you have a second set — a different source, a different regulator, a different gauge. You learn to switch between them so that gas is used evenly and there is a reserve in both.
Who it is for
Divers past Open Water who want a way into technical diving, and anyone the classic jacket gets in the way of — sidemount takes the weight off the back and puts it on the hips.
Priced individually: it depends on your experience, the gear you own and the number of dives in the programme.
Training path