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Sidemount Diving: What Is It, How to Do It & Why You Should Try It

Sidemount Diving: What Is It, How to Do It & Why You Should Try It

Written by Rianne Poesse
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Published on June 6, 2023
sidemount diver underwater diving wreck

Sidemount diving is a popular method of scuba diving and is gaining popularity among divers all over the world. Here, we’ll cover what sidemount diving exactly is and how it differs from other scuba diving configurations. Consider the benefits and limitations of sidemount diving, as well as the equipment needed, and the education and training required to become a sidemount diver.

What Exactly is Sidemount Diving?

Instead of wearing scuba tanks on the back, sidemount divers wear their tanks on both sides of their body. The tanks are attached to the diver’s harness with bungees or straps and can be easily removed or replaced while diving.

The sidemount configuration provides numerous advantages, including improved buoyancy control, reduced drag, and easier access to valves and regulators. Sidemount diving is also useful for exploring tight spaces or wrecks because it allows for greater flexibility and freedom of movement. Sidemount diving is suitable for both recreational and technical divers, and it is becoming increasingly popular among divers around the world.

sidemount diver underwater
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History of Side Mount Diving

Sidemount diving dates back to the 1960s and 1970s, when cave divers in Florida experimented with various diving configurations to explore tight, narrow underwater passages. The traditional back-mounted scuba tank and regulator setup was not practical for cave diving at the time because it made it difficult to navigate through tight spaces and made divers more vulnerable to becoming snagged on rocks and other obstacles.

Cave divers began experimenting with different configurations that would allow them to carry their tanks on their sides rather than their backs to solve this problem. This allowed them to easily navigate through narrow passages and access their tanks in cramped spaces.

Woody Jasper, a Florida cave diver, was an early pioneer of sidemount diving, developing a custom sidemount harness in the early 1980s. Jasper’s harness quickly became popular among cave divers, leading to the development of commercially available sidemount gear.

Sidemount diving grew in popularity over time, and divers all over the world began to use it for its numerous benefits. It is now a recognized speciality in the scuba diving community, and divers of all skill levels use it for a variety of diving situations, from cave diving to open water diving.

Sidemount Diving Specilaty

Various scuba diving organizations, including the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), Scuba Schools International (SSI), the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI), and Technical Diving International (TDI), offer the Sidemount Diving Specialty. This speciality course teaches divers the skills and techniques required to dive in a sidemount configuration safely and effectively.

The course includes both classroom and in-the-water training sessions. In the classroom, divers will learn about the history and theory of sidemount diving, as well as the gear configurations and equipment options available. They will also learn about the benefits and limitations of sidemount diving, as well as proper gas management, buoyancy control, and emergency procedures.

In and around the water, divers will practice a wide range of skills, including equipment setup and adjustment, proper gas management, buoyancy control, and underwater navigation. They will also learn how to enter and exit the water properly with sidemount gear, as well as how to deal with emergency situations such as equipment failure or a lost regulator.

Divers will receive a certification card upon completion of the course, indicating that they are qualified to use sidemount gear and dive in a sidemount configuration. This certification will allow them to explore new dive sites and environments with greater ease, such as underwater caves or wrecks.

sidemount diver underwater diving wreck
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Sidemount Diving Gear

BCDs

Sidemount divers require special BCDs (buoyancy control devices) and harnesses in addition to standard scuba diving equipment such as regulators, dive computers, and wetsuits.

The BCD is an important piece of equipment for sidemount diving. Sidemount BCDs are intended to distribute weight evenly across the diver’s sides while also providing adequate buoyancy control. They typically have multiple attachment points for tanks and other equipment, as well as integrated weight systems for increased stability and efficiency.

Sidemount BCDs come in a variety of styles, including hybrid designs that can be used for both sidemount and back-mounted diving, as well as dedicated sidemount BCDs that are designed specifically for sidemount diving. Dive Rite, and Hollis are some popular sidemount BCD brands.

Divers should consider fit, comfort, durability, and weight capacity when choosing a sidemount BCD. They should also think about the type of diving they’ll be doing and the tanks they’ll be using, because some BCDs are better suited for certain types of diving and tank configurations than others.

Regulators

Side mount diving requires the use of two regulators and two equal-sized scuba cylinders mounted on either side of the diver’s body. The left-side tank’s valve is connected to the first stage of the left regulator, and the right-side tank’s valve is connected to the first stage of the right regulator. The two tanks should have opposite valves, this configuration allows for easier access to the valves and regulators while in the water. Divers can switch between tanks to maintain buoyancy and adjust for changes in depth, making this configuration easier to manage gear underwater.

Reasons to Try Sidemount Diving

If you’re looking to try a new diving configuration, sidemount diving might be just what you’re looking for. We’ve listed five reasons why you should consider giving sidemount diving a try on your next dive.

Improved Buoyancy and Trim

One of the most significant advantages of side mount diving is the improved buoyancy and trim it provides. The fact that the tanks are mounted on the diver’s sides shifts the diver’s center of gravity, resulting in a more natural and streamlined body position in the water. This configuration allows divers to maintain a good buoyancy and trim more easily, lowering the risk of accidentally touching the reef. The streamlined body position also reduces drag, which results in less effort and a more relaxed dive.

Easy access to valves and regulators

One of the primary advantages of sidemount diving is easier access to valves and regulators. You have easy access to valves and regulators with tanks mounted on your sides, which is especially useful when conducting complex or technical dives. Accessing these components in back-mounted diving can be more difficult because they are located behind the diver and thus more difficult to reach.

Redundancy

Side mount diving provides divers with increased gas supply during a dive, which is a significant benefit in terms of redundancy. Divers can control the gas supply in each tank independently by using two scuba cylinders, each with its own valve and regulator, effectively doubling the amount of gas available to them. This configuration also adds an extra layer of safety by allowing divers to isolate a problematic tank while using the remaining tank to safely surface. Having a backup gas supply also allows divers to stay underwater for longer periods of time, giving them more time to explore and enjoy the dive site. This makes side mount diving an excellent configuration for deep dives, technical diving, or long dives where a large gas supply is essential for safety and comfort.

Maneuverability and stability

When it comes to navigation, stability, and movement underwater, side mount diving has several advantages. The streamlined configuration of the tanks on either side of the diver’s body reduces drag and allows for better maneuverability, allowing divers to navigate through tight spaces or wrecks more easily. The tanks also offer more stability, allowing divers to maintain a more natural and comfortable body position in the water. Because the tanks are mounted on the diver’s sides, they do not interfere with movement, giving the diver more freedom and flexibility. Furthermore, side mount diving allows divers to access and adjust their equipment more easily, resulting in a more efficient and relaxed dive experience.

New challenges

Divers looking to improve their skills and broaden their diving horizons will find new challenges and opportunities with side mount diving. Side mount diving requires a unique set of skills not found in traditional back-mounted diving, such as managing multiple tanks, controlling buoyancy and trim, and accessing equipment from a different position.  If you’re looking to keep developing yourself in scuba diving, then it’s definitely worth taking a side-mount diving course.

sidemount diver underwater
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Limitations of Sidemount Diving

While sidemount diving has a lot of benefits, there are also some limitations to consider.

One of the difficulties of side mount diving is the distribution of weight, which can be difficult to maintain, resulting in buoyancy and trim issues. This can mean divers have to adjust their weight distribution frequently during the dive, which can be distracting. Another limitation of side mount diving is the need for additional gear such as harnesses, clips, and bungee cords, and an extra regulator and tank which adds extra challenges to the dive. Divers must learn new techniques for managing their gear and tanks, which can be difficult, and this may not be appropriate for all types of diving.

Furthermore, the lack of appropriate tanks (the ones with opposite valves) at resorts and liveaboards is a limitation of side mount diving. You may also have to fly or with an additional regulator. Also depending on how the dive shop operates, it’s possible they charge your for two tanks instead of one each dive. Not every dive shop does this, but as they have to refill both tanks after the dive – since you’re using gas from both cylinders, it’s possible you get charged double.

Conclusion

While sidemount diving has limitations, such as the need for specialized equipment and training, the benefits of improved maneuverability, redundancy, and streamlining make it a worthwhile configuration to try. So, don’t dismiss it until you’ve given it a shot! Taking a side mount course can help you improve your scuba skills and give you a new perspective on diving. Sidemount diving, with the proper equipment and training, can be an exciting and rewarding way to explore the underwater world.

Rianne Poesse

Rianne Poesse

Rianne Poesse is a passionate scuba diver and writer. She is the founder of the scuba blog Dutch Mermaid and travels around the globe, exploring the underwater world. She writes articles for travel agencies and dive magazines. When diving, she always has a camera with her and you can follow her on YouTube to get […]