Course Overview

Originally developed for cave diving, Sidemount diving is now one of the fastest-growing recreational diving styles in the world. Why? Because it offers freedom, flexibility, and redundancy. Instead of carrying a heavy tank on your back, you mount cylinders on your sides. This configuration is more streamlined, easier on your back, and allows for longer dive times when using two cylinders. The PADI Sidemount Diver course is the perfect way to improve your trim, fine-tune your buoyancy, and look like a pro underwater.

What you’ll learn

This course is very hands-on with equipment. You will learn how to configure a harness and dive with one or two cylinders. Key skills include:

  • Equipment Configuration: Assembling and adjusting your harness and bungees
  • Gas Management: Switching regulators and managing air in two independent tanks
  • Trim & Buoyancy: Achieving perfect horizontal positioning
  • Propulsion: Mastering the “frog kick” for efficient movement
  • Problem Solving: Handling gas shutdowns and equipment failures

Course Prerequisites

  • 1
    PADI Open Water Diver (or equivalent certification)
  • 2

    Minimum age: 15 years old

  • 3

    Good physical health (medical questionnaire required)

  • 4

    Passion for equipment and fine-tuning gear!

Course Curriculum

Theory & Configuration

Goal: Custom fit the harness to your body and tank size.

Equipment Workshop

Learn how to assemble and adjust a sidemount harness
Configure tank rigging and bungees for proper cylinder placement
Review gas management procedures for dual tanks

Confined Water Session

Practice donning and doffing cylinders in shallow water
Master the “frog kick” and “helicopter turn”
Practice emergency drills (long hose air donation)

Open Water Training

Goal: Complete 3 training dives in open water.

Streamlining & Trim

Practice fine-tuning your weight system and tank position to achieve a perfectly horizontal dive profile.

Scenario Practice

Respond to simulated free-flowing regulators
Practice “feathering” the valve
Manage air supply with a team mate

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

There are many benefits! It is easier on your back (no heavy tank to carry on land), it offers redundancy (you have two separate air sources), and it makes you much more streamlined in the water. Plus, it just looks cool and allows for longer dive times.

We provide the sidemount harness, regulators, and tanks for the duration of the course. However, because sidemount gear requires a personal fit, many divers prefer to buy their own harness eventually. We can advise you on the best gear to buy.

No! While it originated in technical cave diving, it is now extremely popular for recreational reef diving. It is a great skill to have if you ever plan to go into “Tec” diving later, but you can dive sidemount purely for fun and comfort on shallow reefs.

The PADI Sidemount Diver course teaches you how to manage *two* cylinders, as this gives you the full benefit of redundancy and balance. However, you can also dive sidemount with just one cylinder (Mono-Sidemount), which is very popular for easy, shallow dives.

The PADI Sidemount Diver course typically takes *4 days*. This includes one day of theory and equipment configuration, followed by open water training dives over the next two days.

PADI Sidemount Course Semporna

Package Price:

Original price was: RM1,588.00.Current price is: RM388.00.

76% Off

  • Groups

1:4

  • Lessons

Theory & Dives

  • Duration

4 Days

  • Quiz

Knowledge Reviews

  • Level

Advanced

  • Certification

PADI

Share This:

Tags cloud:

You might be interested in

Nothing Found