SDI/TDI Sidemount Diver Courses

SDI/TDI Sidemount Diver Courses: Unlock a New Dimension of Diving Freedom

Ready to experience the streamlined feel, flexibility, and unique advantages of sidemount diving? We offer two distinct sidemount courses to meet your needs, whether you're a recreational diver or venturing into the technical realm.

SDI Sidemount Diver (Recreational):

This weekend-long course is your foundation for all things sidemount. You'll learn to:

• Properly configure your gear: Adjust your harness, cylinders (steel or aluminum), regulators, and other equipment specifically for sidemount diving.
• Master cylinder attachment: Learn different methods for attaching and managing your cylinders.
• Perfect your entries and exits: Get in and out of the water smoothly and safely with a sidemount setup.
• Develop essential sidemount skills: Practice skills tailored to this unique configuration.

This course is ideal for Open Water certified divers (or equivalent) with at least 12 logged dives in local Midwest waters (recommended). A student manual or eLearning option is required.

TDI Sidemount Diver (Technical):

Take your sidemount skills to the next level! This course builds upon the SDI Sidemount Diver foundation, focusing on the advanced techniques required for technical diving with multiple cylinders (3-6). You'll learn to:

• Trim multiple cylinders: Achieve perfect balance and streamlining with additional stage/deco cylinders.
• Don and doff cylinders underwater: Master the skills to add and remove cylinders during shore or boat dives.
• Perform gas switches safely and efficiently.
• Plan and execute technical dives: Learn to plan safe technical dives within a mixed team or sidemount-only team.
• Respond to potential failures: Develop the skills to handle equipment issues specific to technical sidemount diving.

Required Equipment (Varies by Course - See Below):

Both Courses Require:

• Sidemount BCD
• Mask, Fins, Exposure Protection
• Necessary Weights
• SMB and Finger Spool
• Slate
• Light (Recommended)

SDI Course:

• (2) Cylinders rigged for sidemount
• (2) Regulators properly setup for sidemount diving
• Computer

TDI Course:

• (2) Main Cylinders
• (2) Deco/Stage Cylinders
• (2) Regulators properly setup for sidemount diving
• (2) Deco/Stage Regs
• (2) Computers

While not mandatory, we strongly recommend taking the SDI Sidemount Diver course before the TDI course.

SDI Course

• Harness adjustments *Cylinder configurations (steel or aluminum)
• Regulator configuration
• Entries and Exits
• Sidemount-specific skills
• Prerequisites: Open Water certified, 12 logged dives (recommended)

TDI Course

• Trimming multiple cylinders
• Donning/doffing cylinders underwater
• Safe and efficient gas switches
• Planning and executing technical sidemount dives
• Responding to failures
• Working within mixed or sidemount-only teams