Recreational Sidemount
Class cost include shore dives. Boat dives are optional.
Includes e-learning materials, certification and custom scheduling
How long does it take?
1 pool dive (optional) and 3 ocean dives
PADI Sidemount Diver is a recreational specialty course — the most accessible entry point into sidemount diving, separate from the Tec Sidemount course built for the technical track.
Prerequisites: Just PADI Open Water Diver certification and a minimum age of 15. No technical diving background needed, though you'll need recent dive experience (a dive within the last 3 months, or a refresher/ReActivate course within 8 weeks).
Structure: 3 open water training dives under instructor supervision, working with a sidemount BCD that has hip and chest attachment points, cylinders mounted alongside the body instead of on the back, and hoses/regulators fitted to that configuration.
What you learn: equipment setup and cylinder handling, weight and trim for balanced positioning in sidemount, switching between regulators/cylinders, and sidemount-specific problem solving.
What it's for: PADI frames it as an introduction to the skills and gear used in technical diving — useful prep before Tec Sidemount or a Tec 40/45/50 sidemount package — but it also stands alone as a comfort and maneuverability upgrade for purely recreational divers, since sidemount makes gear handling easier on entries/exits and takes the load off your back.