DevonDiver
N/A
It's why some sidemount instructors provide a very consultative approach preceding the course - spending time to discuss with, and advise, the prospective student on their equipment options.
Many sidemount rigs require a very personalized fitting, with many tweaks and adjustments; the efficiency of which directly corresponds to the expertise and keen eyes of the instructor. You lose the benefit of all that, if renting a rig. Even if you buy that rig afterwards, you'd still need to get it set-up. It can be quite counter-intuitive... and difficult to do efficiently or effectively when alone.
Sidemount training isn't just about "how to dive sidemount"... the best training is about "how to dive a specific sidemount rig". There is a world of difference between those two approaches.
In that respect, it can be a bit like CCR... you don't do a "CCR course"... you take a unit-specific course. For those serious about sidemounting, this is a good way to look at it at the outset.
