The sidemount rig was initially created for cave diving. This allows the diver through small cracks (tiny holes) more quickly than the back mount rig.
Whatever configuration a diver chooses there is benefits for each and in different situations each configuration has its up or downside.
How To Become A Sidemount Technical Scuba Diver HarnessI'm not sure when or why I chose to take my Sidemount course. It was, as with many of my diving decisions. I think it was a case where I thought, "Oh, that looks cool. Could be useful. I'm going for it!" I knew Sidemount would be useful and something I could continue to use and improve on. Sidemount certification would be useful for me if I ever wanted to cave dive.
Technical divers can explore wrecks and reefs down to depths of 40 meters/130 feet. They can dive in underwater caves or other areas that are not accessible to recreational divers.
Consider continuing on to Tec Sidemount Diver course in which you’ll learn additional skills specific to tec diving in sidemount, such as staging and switching deco cylinders.
Our Scotty's headquarters facility for diving, Scotty's Scotty's, is located in Mactan, Cebu. We offer Tec diving lessons (open-circuit or closed-circuit rebreather) as well as technical scuba diving classes. You can walk in if you're not a Shangri-la guest or we can pick your up at your hotel.
If you want some diving classes alternative and lessons or want to know what's best next for your education, take a look at the three options below.
2nd stage regulator, 2nd stage regulator, exposure suit, BCD sidemount, BCD sidemount and SMB sidemount, cutting tool, diving pool, Jet fins, masks and spare masks, technical diving equipments, technical diving gears, 1 long Hose (2.10m-7ft), cave harness or hogarthian.
Mentality - Technical diving still has its fun side. It's about seeing cool stuff, just as sport diving. But technical divers see things longer, deeper and more hidden than the sport diver. Although technical divers are still fun-focused, they are also regularly focused. There are still jokes to be made and laughs can be had. But, diving planning and execution must be done with a sense of seriousness. Divers are exposed to risks.
One of the big risks for a technical diver is decompression sickness. It occurs when nitrogen gas cannot exit the body thru respiration on ascent as the ambient pressure decreases. Therefore stops have to be executed on ascent in order to avoid a pressure difference too big so nitrogen bubbles can be formed. Buoyancy control is very important to control the stops on ascent and increase efficiency for off-gassing of nitrogen. Another important skill is proper breathing which makes metabolism efficient. Trim, which we call a proper tech diving position such as horizontal with a slight arch in the back, looking forward and knees at a 90 degree angle with fins pointing back. Trim prevents stirring up sediments on the bottom as well as most efficient movement in the water. And of course proper finning techniques to avoid overexertion are mandatory to make a diver achieve maximum performance. Now you might say, we want to have fun when we go diving and not be a machine.
This course will teach you how to set up and operate the equipment that you will use in your training as a cave diver or tech diver. This includes:
Certificate cards: These are issued only to those who have earned them. Certification is not guaranteed by simply taking part in a course. Multiple training agencies might offer certification cards for cave courses. C-cards usually cost about $30, depending on which agency you choose. Talk to your instructor for details.
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.
Academics - Technical courses have similar academic requirements to other classes. Students will conduct some self-study and present their findings to their instructor. A technical course requires that you plan your dives in advance. This is a crucial step to ensure a safe and successful dive. The gas management discussion in overhead and deep diving is more complex than what most divers are used too. A computer program can be used to calculate gas volumes and reserves.
According to experts, approximately 40% of technical divers enroll in additional education and training programs. This yields a reasonable estimate of approximately 160,000 active technical divers worldwide.
5-6 days
Rebreather training classes are typically 5-6 days long, but can be longer depending on a variety of factors such as the training agency, your local conditions, your instructor, and your ability to meet the class standards.
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.