Rentals are available for items such as primary lights and cylinders that can be hard to transport. If you require any of these items, please let us know.
Sidemount diving is a great way to get additional air. There are two tanks that you use, one tank with an SPG and the other with regulators. This makes it safer and gives air-hogs like me a lot more air. Sidemount also makes diving extremely easy, since you can simply put tanks on top and there isn't any pressure on your spine.
Although we can teach the SDI course if specifically requested, by default we offer the TDI one. It is possible to take this as a standalone program; however, our students generally combine this with our Apprentice Cave Diver course.
Tec 40 is the first step to start the TecRec program with Padi. The prerequisites are Advanced Open Water and Deep Diver certifications as well as Nitrox. In addition to that, before starting the course a minimum of 10 Nitrox dives have to be proved. The certification allows divers to dive to 40m doing limited decompression using gas mixes up to 50% of oxygen. The Tec 40 is also the prerequisite to continue with Padi Tec 45 which allows to do unlimited decompression time as long as it is carefully planned. The next step will be Tec 50 that enhances the allowable depth to 50m.
International Training, the parent organization for Scuba Diving International (SDI) and Technical Diving International (TDI) offers both SDI and TDI versions of their Sidemount Diver course. Both courses are very similar. Both use the same learning materials (which, by the way, we wrote). So what’s the difference?
Sidemount provides many benefits for divers but is best suited to cave diving. Sidemount was in fact invented by cave divers. These are just some of the benefits.
You can do eLearning and coursework at home to help support local dive shops. Then, travel to complete your training dives. For a referral, contact your local PADI Dive Center.
I took my first sidemount and technical sidesmount courses. Sidemount diving, like the name implies, requires you to place your tank on your hands. My hands and knuckles were completely covered by cuts at the end. The idea behind sidemount diving is to unclip your tanks and then place them in front you, Superman style. This will streamline your workflow. After making some adjustments to my harness size, the afternoon dive went more smoothly. I was now comfortable unclipping my harness and "Superman-ing” with the tanks. Sidemount gives you an amazing level of freedom, even if you have doubles on your back. Matt put up obstacle courses. We were soon flying through them with tanks in front, barrel-rolling, swimming upside down and tanks at the rear.
Sidemount regulators can also be used. One regulator will be on a long length hose, while one regulator will be on a shorter one with a necklace. Sidemount regs have a marked design, which makes it easy to identify the tank you are in. This also included a swivel connector for my short-hose regulator. Two SPGs will be provided - one for each stage.
Take our SSI technical sidemount dive course to learn how to use four tanks (cylinders) for longer dives. Technical sidemount diving is a great way to learn technical diving. It will teach you how to use multiple cylinders in one dive. You will also learn how to set up your sidemount gear, configuring a sidemount harness and how to adjust the sling tanks (cylinders).
One of most significant changes to the equipment cave divers use since the beginning is the shift from using backmounted doubles towards sidemount. While a large number of cave divers are now sidemounting, it is possible that there are many more sidemount cave diver than backmount.
One of the most significant innovations in equipment cave divers have seen since the beginning of this century has been the transition from backmounted to sidemount doubles. Many cave divers now sidemount. There may even be more open-circuit sidemount cave divers that backmount cave divers.
Scuba diving sidemount is becoming more popular than ever in open water. You are more streamlined than having to carry a tank around your back.
SDI/TDI Includes 2 open water divesMinimum age 18 years, minimum 15 years with parental consent. Must have an SDI Openwater Diver or the equivalent
To register for the PADI Advanced Rebreather Diver course, you must first: You must be a PADI Open Water Diver, but you must also be a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver to become a PADI Advanced Rebreather Diver. Have at least 30 dives under your belt.
Have a PADI Deep Specialty Instructor certification or have completed a PADI Deep Specialty Instructor course. Have at least 100 logged dives, including at least 20 enriched air dives, 25 dives deeper than 18 meters/60 feet, and 15 dives deeper than 30 meters/100 feet. You can become a Tec 45 diver.
from 170 to 350 feet
While conventional scuba diving has a recommended maximum depth of 130 feet, technical divers may work at depths ranging from 170 feet to 350 feet, and sometimes even deeper.