PADI Tec Sidemount Diver

Learn to apply your sidemount diving skills to technical diving in the PADI Tec Sidemount Diver course! The PADI Tec Sidemount course is designed to refine your recreational sidemount diving skills and add the procedures & techniques that you'll need to conduct technical dives in a sidemount gear configuration, including your main tanks and two or more deco/stage cylinders.

This is a course where you’ll prepare to apply sidemount techniques to technical diving. A PADI Tec Sidemount diver is qualified to conduct technical dives in sidemount gear configurations within the limits of their exist techanical diving training. The purpose of the PADI Tec Sidemount course is to train divers in the use of sidemount gear configurations for technical diving, including those divers who already are certified technical divers using backmount gear configurations or those divers who wish to learn technical diving in sidemount.

NOTE: While the PADI Tec Sidemount course is conducted in full technical sidemount diving gear, it is NOT a technical diving training course. All training dives are conducted within no decompression limits.

Course Prerequisites

• Certified as a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver or provide a qualifying certification from another training organization

• Minimum age 18

• Minimum of at least 30 logged dives

What You Will Learn

During the Tec Sidemount course, you will learn how to conduct decompression diving in full technical sidemount diving gear and using two or more deco/stage cylinders, including:

• Introduction to technical diving

• Benefits of sidemount

• Basic two cylinder sidemount configuration

• Tec diving two cylinder sidemount

• Sidemount problems

• Managing gas with stage cylinders & deco cylinders

• Setting up & wearing stage cylinders & deco cylinders

• Sidemount diving with stage cylinders & deco cylinders

• Managing out-of-gas problems with stage/deco cylinders in sidemount

Performance Requirements

PADI Tec Sidemount course training is typically conducted with 3 classroom training sessions and 3 practical application sessions, followed by 5 open water training dives. There are reading assignments & Knowledge Reviews required to be completed prior to the start of the Tec Sidemount course.

NOTE: Credit may be given for divers with existing technical diver certifications or divers with PADI Sidemount Diver certification.

To achieve certification, you will need to:

• Complete the Tec Sidemount reading assignments & Knowledge Reviews in your PADI Tec Sidemount training manual.

• Complete (3) classroom training sessions with your Tec Sidemount instructor.

• Complete (3) Tec Sidemount practical application sessions with your Tec Sidemount instructor.

• Complete up to (5) Tec Sidemount training dives with your Tec Sidemount instructor.

Course Format

The PADI Tec Sidemount course is typically conducted over 3 days with classroom & practical application sessions each morning, followed by training dives at local dive sites.

Course Schedule & Cost

PADI Tec Sidemount Diver courses are conducted through the dive stores that I work with, including VIP Diving. Please check their websites for the most current PADI Tec Sidemount Diver training schedule and course costs.