"Sidemounting is it the future..?"   Back to Homepage

What is sidemount scuba diving..?

Diving in sidemount configuration basically means you take one or two cylinders and place them on either side of your body, rather than mounting them on your back, which is traditionally known as backmounted. So is it just a change in equipment configuration then? That would be correct; however you will find that with the right training it will be much more than that.

Why use sidemount equipment configuration vs backmount..?

• Enables a unique way of buoyancy control resulting in a more streamlined profile that reduces drag making finning and moving through the water easier and more efficient.
• Offers a greater comfort level as sidemount equipment and harness can be custom fit to each individual, accommodating divers of all shapes and sizes.
• Great for divers with any disabilities, as you carry the cylinder(s) separate from your harness to the water. Whilst within the water you would then attach your cylinders and weights, making the entries and exits to dive sites much easier.
• Safer option in terms of air management as you have an easier access to your cylinder valve(s), first stage(s) and alternate regulator should a problem arise.
• One harness and BCD does it all. This statement is now true as the same sidemount equipment you use, can be used for more advanced types of diving i.e wreck, technical and cave diving. 

Why has sidemount diving not become popular until now..?

To answer this effectively, you must understand a little history. Sidemount diving was first started in 1970 by a man named Woody Jasper. It is used today as the only way to explore very small sections within a cave system and only a handful of cave divers use sidemount equipment configuration. This enables them to squeeze through tight spaces to access other parts of a cave that someone equipped with backmount would be unable to get through. In cave diving we call these sections "restrictions". Cave diving in sidemount is currently considered an extreme form of technical scuba diving.

Most scuba divers you talk to would not even know about or have seen sidemount scuba diving. This means that only people who are interested in an advanced form of cave diving would get the opportunity to try diving wearing sidemount configuration. Subsequently (at the time of writing, early 2009) only two manufacturers currently make a BCD and harness system suitable for sidemount diving. They are the Nomad by Dive Rite and the Armadillo by Golem Gear. More detailed information can be found in my equipment section.

It's a fact that equipment manufacturers and training agencies such as PADI are getting behind sidemount scuba diving as a "great way" of diving for all divers, this includes recreational diving market. The following will show what the advantages are for diving in sidemount and some specific details of my distinctive sidemount specialty courses. This will allow you to dive wearing this unique configuration. All you need to be a PADI advanced open water diver (or equivalent) and 18 years old. More detailed information can be found in my sidemount courses section.

As it's just equipment modification, why should I get an instructor to train me..?

This is a great question as I know you're all thinking it (I did) and believe it or not, this is an easy one to answer. No doubt you found my website along with many other forums on sidemount scuba diving. These forums may have talked about how to build your own equipment and how divers taught themselves how to dive in sidemount. I want you to understand that these people that teach themselves are nearly all cave certified divers, some with a lot of experience and some with very little; however they are all generally divers with many dives under their belt. With all that said, this does not mean they are doing it right. I am not endorsing in anyway what is on those forums is the right way to go and I think you should keep an open mind. We all truly know that taking a course is a best way to learn, as long as there is value to doing that course.

Let me explain how I got into sidemount diving and how doing this has lead me to now offer sidemount training courses to all levels of divers, both recreational and technical. I began diving in 1999 within the UK and then proceed to learn technical diving in 2003. In 2007 I became a PADI Course Director and DSAT Technical Instructor Trainer. As I have always been interested in cave diving, I decided to give it a try in 2008 with a man named Steve Bogaerts in Mexico. The course and instruction I received was outstanding (full report here). Steve has devoted the last 15 years to exploring and extending cave systems (cenotes) over in Mexico and is now one, if not the worlds most active sidemount cave divers and instructors. Towards the end of 2008, I was fortune enough to have the opportunity to revisit Steve, and it is here that I began to learn how to dive in Sidemount configuration. With his training I learnt all the skills I would need to be able to dive using this configuration safely whilst doing some advanced cave diving.

Throughout the years, I have learnt that it is not the training agency you should be looking for but the experience level of the instructor who will be training you. With that being said I personally owe much to Steve Bogaerts. He opened my eyes to the potential of sidemount scuba diving and is without a doubt, one of the best people in the world to teach you sidemount diving. You can read a (full report) on my experiences learning to sidemount cave dive. 

When accounting sidemount divers you generally see someone with two cylinders attached on either side of their body. Now this setup is great for technical divers however what about the recreational ones? This is ideally where single cylinder sidemount comes into play. Similar to conventional scuba diving, you would still attach a main and alternate regulator to cylinder first stage however with this unique ensemble; you achieve a slim lined effect creating less drag by improving diver trim whilst having access to the valve thus increasing ones safety. I have been diving for over a decade and only wish that I had learnt to dive in sidemount from the start. I personally believe that sidemount scuba diving is the future!

What specialty courses do you offer..?

• Sidemount Diver Specialty Course (see details here)
• DSAT Technical Diving Courses in Sidemount Configuration (see details here) 

Once I have your specialty certification what will this allow me to do..?

• Conduct all your future dives in safety whilst wearing sidemount equipment configuration.
• Be equipped wearing sidemount configuration during your future PADI training courses, however the final decision on your equipment configuration is left at the receiving instructors discretion.

Can I dive with a buddy who is not wearing sidemount..?

Yes of course you can, all you need to do when conducting a buddy check is go over the differences of where your equipment is placed. I can guarantee they will be very curious and a little envious of you and will want to see how it performs in the water. After the dive they will more than likely ask you where to get trained in sidemount.