Question about getting into sidemount

[Germie]

It all depends on the diver. If you need the course to learn finningtechniques, getting horizontal trim, bouyancy control, then you will learn a lot, but then it is more or less an intro to tech where you will dive not new gear like wing, harnass and twinset but sm harnass. If you know this already from bm diving, then transitioning to sm is not difficult. But it takes time. You need someone (or a videacam) to help you to adjust the harnass etc. After more then 1000 dives I went to sm just before some caves, and I used a cam to adjust my stuff. If you think I want an instructor as mentor and pay for it, then that is possible too. Maybe it took me now some dives more to adjust my harnass properly, but even after a 2 day course you will need more dives to adjust. Diving cylinders left and right like stages is not sm diving. Don't look strange if your choosen harnass and wing need to be adjusted for you. I putted extra D-rings on my xdeep harnass for example. That is normal with sm diving.

You write that you are not really experienced. Then you have to ask for yourself: why sm over bm? En what do I want to do with sm? Then find an instructor to help you. The problem is that you need someone who is good in sm, and who can learn you the basics in technical diving like finningtechniques and so too. For a beginner in diving things as gasplanning needs to be explained too. For an experienced diver this is no rocket science. In your case I would say go for a course if you want to dive sm now. Then you can learn all things for technical diving directly in your sm config.

 

[karstdvr]

Just because you put your cylinders on your side, in no way makes you a sidemount diver. There is MUCH more to it than that.
Most "sidemount" divers I see today are really what we call "stage divers".

Putting your tanks on your side with the valves dangling in front of your chest or shoulders, IS NOT sidemount.

I think sidemount is a general term given,but in reality what most people are getting is sidemount configuration training. True sidemount training is an advanced form of diving that teaches one how to enter tight spaces, and handle situations that arise,such as gas planning, gear removal, restrictions, communication (front and back) in zero viz etc.

Armadillo manual-interesting thanks for sharing. Not a big fan of cam bands, weights on tanks, and back up lights on tanks,but that might be necessary to make this system work.

 

[Curt Bowen]

I think sidemount is a general term given,but in reality what most people are getting is sidemount configuration training. True sidemount training is an advanced form of diving that teaches one how to enter tight spaces, and handle situations that arise,such as gas planning, gear removal, restrictions, communication (front and back) in zero viz etc.

Armadillo manual-interesting thanks for sharing. Not a big fan of cam bands, weights on tanks, and back up lights on tanks,but that might be necessary to make this system work.

The weights on the tanks are only for aluminum cylinders. Normally the only thing you can find in remote locations throughout central america.

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---------- Post added August 27th, 2015 at 09:55 AM ----------

RAZOR Sidemount Harness by Steve Bogaerts on Vimeo

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---------- Post added August 27th, 2015 at 09:59 AM ----------

Armadillo Sidemount Cave Dive on Vimeo

This is a quick fun video I made 4 years on sidemount.

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[PhatD1ver]

the PADI course is likely a waste of money. If you're serious about sidemount, and serious about technical diving, the best money you will spend is going down to Florida, and spending a long weekend at Cave Adventurers. If you don't have nitrox already, they'll combine that, but you can do a sidemount course which is 2 days, and then take an extra day to make a sort of "intro to tec" type course. Reason to go there, is they stock most all of the commercial rigs with the exception of the xDeep and the Razor, neither of which work particularly well in high lift applications, and you will be able to actually dive all of the rigs prior to purchasing. This will almost pay for itself if you buy regs and a rig from them with the discounts you are likely to get.

Let's assume that most people globally can't just drop everything and run to southern Florida... I was lucky that my LDS had a Master Instructor who was also qualified to teach Tec. Also, for the uninformed, the new sidemount knowledge pack is pretty amazing, it's a good piece of literature that includes a section that is basically the beginning of the Tec40/45/50 manual...

I did the course, I didn't feel like it was a waste of money at all... I spent about 2 hours in the pool and took right to diving sidemount so it was pretty easy on my instructor... in open water we did a 10m check dive the afternoon we arrived in Coron, then did my qualification dives for sidemount and wreck over five days diving Coron's wrecks... and we covered everything including hand signal changes, air sharing, leading/following, free-flow, and propulsion techniques... we went over dive planning, gas planning, of course changing back and forth between regs, setting up a rig, when to move tanks forward, on the belt, how to remove one and hold it forward, or two forward, it was a very detailed course...

One thing I learned about it though was that this is not just 'rec' diving... there is a little more serious methodology for a diver who wants something more than just to rec dive... it offers a lot for the diver who wants to do wrecks, redundant air supplies, and eventually to qualify for Tec40 which is my goal... I'm less concerned about Tec45 or Tec50 at my age and physical condition...

So, I don't agree, it will depend on who you take the course from and their experience, but every instructor who is qualified to teach a sidemount course by PADI, TDI/SDI should be offering something meaningful because the track sidemount puts a diver on leads to some of the most challenging diving and environments a diver will encounter... and the task loading that comes with sidemount will get a diver killed if they aren't properly trained and prepared for it, especially if something happens inside a wreck. Caves I think are a different story, because not many places will take any ol' diver into a cave... but in the key wreck diving locations in the world (Coron, Chuuk Lagoon, even Subic) if you have the $$, they'll still put you on the boat and drag you thru their wrecks (yes, out of the line zone)...

So, while I disagree with the quote above about finding quality sidemount training outside of Southern Florida, I am adamant that if a diver is going into sidemount they demand solid training from their instructor, and the only way you can do that is to take the specialty... a mentor might also be great, but would you want to hear your son say "hey Dad, I've got a guy who is teaching me sidemount as a mentor... no, he's not a tech instructor though"

---------- Post added August 28th, 2015 at 12:17 AM ----------

I suggest taking a course, but only from someone who knows what the heck they are doing, such as an experienced cave diver who has been diving sidemount for years.

Just because you put your cylinders on your side, in no way makes you a sidemount diver. There is MUCH more to it than that.
Most "sidemount" divers I see today are really what we call "stage divers".

Putting your tanks on your side with the valves dangling in front of your chest or shoulders, IS NOT sidemount.

Below is a sidemount manual I wrote a decade ago for the custom Armadillo unit.

ADVANCED DIVER MAGAZINE

Hey Curt, I have a question, in your manual, you show the tank attachment points at 5 and 7 with the tank valves at 12... and i notice that at least in the Armadillo set up, you loop your bungees over the tank valve rather than trying to loop over the valve stem on the opposite side... is this just a set up issue related to the Armadillo? I was trained to use the valve stem with my rig, but since I've run up on rental tanks where there was no real stem, your set up seems like it would work in nearly any case...

TIA

 

[Dhboner]

https://decodoppler.wordpress.com/2015/02/03/625/

Great article on some starting points for rigging.

 

[karstdvr]

The weights on the tanks are only for aluminum cylinders. Normally the only thing you can find in remote locations throughout central america.

Understand completely,have to improvise with what is at hand.





---------- Post added August 27th, 2015 at 09:55 AM ----------

 

[DevonDiver]

You can teach yourself, or you can get training. Training is a very fast-track to proficiency. BUT... BUT... you need a true expert and specialist sidemount instructor.

There bunches of non-specialist instructors signing up with their respective agencies every month. They're making it up as they go along.

 

[decompression]

Nice to have you back on SB, Andy.

To the OP, you could teach yourself to skydive as well.......or take a thoroughly researched course from a reputable/experienced instructor.


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[phork]

I recently did the PADI sidemount and tech sidemount classes. I liked the courses and learned a ton but, as with any class, it depends on the instructor. Do you need it? Eh, you could learn by watching videos, but it would make the learning curve MUCH easier and quicker if you had a mentor.

 

[Curt Bowen]

Let's assume that most people globally can't just drop everything and run to southern Florida... I was lucky that my LDS had a Master Instructor who was also qualified to teach Tec. Also, for the uninformed, the new sidemount knowledge pack is pretty amazing, it's a good piece of literature that includes a section that is basically the beginning of the Tec40/45/50 manual...

I did the course, I didn't feel like it was a waste of money at all... I spent about 2 hours in the pool and took right to diving sidemount so it was pretty easy on my instructor... in open water we did a 10m check dive the afternoon we arrived in Coron, then did my qualification dives for sidemount and wreck over five days diving Coron's wrecks... and we covered everything including hand signal changes, air sharing, leading/following, free-flow, and propulsion techniques... we went over dive planning, gas planning, of course changing back and forth between regs, setting up a rig, when to move tanks forward, on the belt, how to remove one and hold it forward, or two forward, it was a very detailed course...

One thing I learned about it though was that this is not just 'rec' diving... there is a little more serious methodology for a diver who wants something more than just to rec dive... it offers a lot for the diver who wants to do wrecks, redundant air supplies, and eventually to qualify for Tec40 which is my goal... I'm less concerned about Tec45 or Tec50 at my age and physical condition...

So, I don't agree, it will depend on who you take the course from and their experience, but every instructor who is qualified to teach a sidemount course by PADI, TDI/SDI should be offering something meaningful because the track sidemount puts a diver on leads to some of the most challenging diving and environments a diver will encounter... and the task loading that comes with sidemount will get a diver killed if they aren't properly trained and prepared for it, especially if something happens inside a wreck. Caves I think are a different story, because not many places will take any ol' diver into a cave... but in the key wreck diving locations in the world (Coron, Chuuk Lagoon, even Subic) if you have the $$, they'll still put you on the boat and drag you thru their wrecks (yes, out of the line zone)...

So, while I disagree with the quote above about finding quality sidemount training outside of Southern Florida, I am adamant that if a diver is going into sidemount they demand solid training from their instructor, and the only way you can do that is to take the specialty... a mentor might also be great, but would you want to hear your son say "hey Dad, I've got a guy who is teaching me sidemount as a mentor... no, he's not a tech instructor though"

---------- Post added August 28th, 2015 at 12:17 AM ----------



Hey Curt, I have a question, in your manual, you show the tank attachment points at 5 and 7 with the tank valves at 12... and i notice that at least in the Armadillo set up, you loop your bungees over the tank valve rather than trying to loop over the valve stem on the opposite side... is this just a set up issue related to the Armadillo? I was trained to use the valve stem with my rig, but since I've run up on rental tanks where there was no real stem, your set up seems like it would work in nearly any case...

TIA

No really sure what your asking here?

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