🤘🏻My 15th dive was on a sidemount course and I never looked back. As a new diver with terrible gas consumption I wanted more air, but twins were terrifying - being able to SEE my valves, turn my valves off, all in my field of view, all accessible, and without the non-din o-ring blowouts, gave me twice the air with 1/10th of the stress. So while I went on to be a keen tech diver (the instructor happened to be a cave diver who loved wrecks, if I hadn't met him I'd probably never have carried on diving!) I'm an ardent supporter of sidemount being the FIRST option for all recreational divers who want more gas. All the TDI courses I've done I've had to watch backmount guys do shutdown drills - a friend even asked me to turn his valve back on for him underwater, as his shoulder was playing up - and I'll never forget the instructor telling everyone that when they do their drills they may need to go literally upside down to reach the manifold isolation valve before turning to me and saying "you just, I dunno, turn a valve off and on again or something" lol. I'm constantly trying to convince people it's NOT just for tech, that everyone should try it, and my number on argument is this - if I find you trapped in a wreck, I can push one of my tanks complete with reg through a porthole in seconds. I also love how cool we look pushing two tanks out of a gap we shouldn't have fitted through :) The only downside is upright wrecks. The 'BONG! BONG! BONG!' as we smash our way through vertical doorways gets old fast lol - you get used to turning onto your side but sometimes we get lazy. Bong! 🤣
Just finished dive #1 in sidemount. A very humbling day. Looking forward to dives #2, #3, #4 ... Thanks for the virtual reassurance that it will all come together with practice. I needed that. Cheers from Nova Scotia, Canada
Hi there!! Congrats! the first dive with the new configuration is something else hehehe but yes, at the end all will make sense. Please let us know how the course is going and have a lot of fun!!
Hi Sarah! Because of you & this video I have decided to pull the trigger on SM diving. I’m a current TEC45 diver and run twins all day, everyday but because of your insight & bullet points I have been drawn into the SM world. Thank you! Keep up the awesome work & content 🩵
Love your sidemount videos. I’ve been thinking about sidemount for a while. You have helped me to make my decision easier. I’m planning to do my side mount training and to do my AOW in sidemount configuration.
Awesome!!! That's going to be a ton of fun. Be kind with yourself. Your buoyancy may be a bit crazy, but as long as you can laugh at yourself you're going to have a blast and learn so much. Where will you do the courses? Let us know how it goes!!
A huge benefit is the ease (and safety) of getting in / out of the boat. You can clip the tanks to a rope and set them in the water, then enter/exit the water. In addition it is way more comfortable in the water than the standard setup. Really great video!
Side mount is perfect for solo diving and made it really easy for me to transition into tech 🤘 Never used dedicated tanks though except for the course and it's all good
For me the transition was from twins to SM in tech and was really easy, since that I always teach Tech now directly with SM, is way more easy for the student!
Sidemount is the way to go. Sarah is definitely right that it will be more efficient to find a GOOD sidemount instructor to help you get started than to figure it out on your own like I did 10 years ago. Back then there were very few SM instructors and even fewer agencies with a course. Additionally, there were barely any SM harnesses to speak of. So, I made my own, then tuned it over the course of a year of diving it, then made a better one, and another year of tuning. My third harness was pretty good, and I still dive all three of them, but these days I'd recommend starting with a Razor or X-Deep and a good SM instructor. They can help you get it fit right for you and teach you the basics in a week, and you can become proficient enough in a few months of regular diving. My 3-year trial and error method was fun, but if you want the fast track go down the training route. Just make sure the instructor you choose is a good SM diver themself. A good way to find out is to observe them diving sidemount (or at least on video) before registering for their class. If they look like Steve Martin or Steve Bogaerts or let's say Lamar Hires in the water, they can get you there too. If not, maybe look a bit further. Check out some free videos here to get you thinking about what to look for in a SM instructor: http//sidemounting.com
That's some solid advice 🙏🏻 I can't even imagine the trials of making harnesses and figuring out how to fix them on your own, but what great experience you must have! We are fans of Razor as well. I always say, if you're confident that you want to go sidemount, buy yourself the harness and then take the sidemount course with that harness so that you get it perfectly fitted. I also tell my fellow petite divers that getting a petite sidemount instructor is really helpful too. Thank you for sharing resources! We appreciate you 🤘🏻
If you're on a boat dive with non-sidemount divers, is there still a way to take advantage of the increased air (of course assuming safe NDL)? Would the typical boat/divemaster be okay letting you stay in the water that much longer? I'm guessing it depends a lot on the circumstances, whether doing multiple dives or headed back to the shop, etc.
You are right Andy. Most likely you diving plan will be the same.... max 60 minutes dive if you are on a boat and with a diving operator. Maybe you can get some more time if you are the first one getting into the water and then the last one (70 minutes dive). While recreational diving, for me the point of using sidemount is more about safety, having double redundancy system, also to work on body position and finning technic, training for more complex dives in the future like wreck or cave diving, maybe easy Decompression dives (with the training required) not to mention how cool you looks on sidemount LOL. But for us sidemount is a way of keep learning in every dive, pushing yourself gently out of the confort zone.
@@MysticalDragon73 just recreational, but sidemount it's great, way more comfortable than back mount in general, easy to put on inside the water so no need to walk around with heavy stuff, at least from shore, the streamline is much better as well, I feel safer having two cilinders instead of one, and I'm not a huge fan of twins since it's too heavy... I don't know, it just feels better hahaha and since I'm planning on hopefully doing cave dive in the future it's also good to be familiar with this configuration as well
@@albertoskytwins3527 thank you I really appreciate it. Guess I'll add it to the list of things to look into. I am learning some tech things though I dont expect to do too much tech stuff like caves. I was seeing a discussion in a local quarry page that started me down this rabbit hole. He said he will often run lp50's when he doesnt need the 85's. This does sound interesting for sure.
🤘I switched to sidemount after a spinal injury. Backmount wasn't comfortable anymore. Got trained by some of the best sidemount instructors. It not only was more comfortable but helped me finally get perfect trim. It also introduced me to the tech mindset of the thinking diver. I've since done Advanced Nitrox & Decompression Procedures training in sidemount as well, with up to 4 tanks. Surprisingly comfortable. This winter I started drysuit diving, in sidemount of course. But it does invite far more tinkering than backmount. I keep finding things to tweak, streamline and optimize.
That's great! yeah, we keep hearing about people who make the switch after surgery or an injury. Gotta love how adaptable scuba is to every body. Nice to hear you've kept up your training and you've gone for tech. It's really interesting right? We still haven't tried drysuit diving. It's on the wish list :)
🤘 I did the PADI Sidemount Specialty October 2019 in Dahab. Einjoyed every minute of it. Bought the sidemount harness and 2 new regs (with the extra inflator port) last year (all from the relatively new brand "Tecline" from Poland). All I need now to get them in the water is the pandemic to end. 😕 I also find that the easy access to the tank valves is another benefit of this setup.
Good choice! Let's hope the pandemic give you the chance to get into the water soon! Mmmmm I will have a look to the Tecline equipment, I´m not familiar with that one. Thanks for comment!
Thanks a lot for the video! I tried sidemount for the first time recently and it *did* feel like going back to my first Open Water days lol. Quite frustrating but somehow relieved to know that I am not the only one! Looking forward to more SM dives :)
I love your work, recently I have to undergo from a lower back fusion surgery, 3 months ago.... and I'm diving again. Found that sidemount it is a benefit, in order to take the pressure from the back area. I want to wright a blog poiting that a sidemount configuration is the best way to do scuba diving again, at list for the first year of the surgery. I asking for permition to use this video. Thanks a lot...
Hola David! Glad to know you are back in the water again, sidemount is perfect for those with back problems, Aitor is having also a lot of issues with his back and is diving mostly sidemount unless he is teaching Open water divers (to match configuration) Feel free to use this video and please share the link of your blog with us so we can also post it on our social media for people to read it! Let us know if you have any questions that will help with your blog. Have a good one and dive safe.
I like sliding d rings. For many years I used 2 fixed d rings on each side of the hip belt, but I switch to sliders last year and they’re great. Your tanks will get floaty during the dive so you’ll have to be aware of their positioning to avoid having your gear out of trim. Your instructor will be able to help you with that. Have so much fun!
It'll be hard to do sidemount on a budget since you need two sets of regulators, but dive rite has great regs and I've liked harnesses from xdeep and apeks. Good luck! Let me know how it goes.
A good tip for storing the lead on the Siedmount is to build a Maghalter Fast Mag Pouch into the belt. this allows you to easily slide weight into the mag holder
It definitely can be beneficial for recreational divers. You can do longer dives if you want. The redundancy is a great safety feature, if you learn to use the system properly. It's great for divers who need to take it easy on their bodies because you don't have to strap your whole kit to your back and walk (if shore diving) to the water. You can stage your bottles at the shore and then just in with you harness and hook everything up in the water when the bottles are much more manageable.
Love this video. I currently live near cave country in Florida and want to get my open water and hopefully go for cavern and full cave training once I’m ready. Typically how many dives are recommended before taking side mount training? Is this something that can be done shortly after getting my open or advanced open water?
You can do it whenever you'd like, but I'd recommend doing enough dives to feel really comfortable with your buoyancy and finning techniques before getting into sidemount. It's a great configuration, but can be a pain if you don't understand how to move in the water. Good luck! They're amazing courses and you'll absolutely love them.
@@AzulUnlimited thanks for the reply. I’m probably not going to buy a full setup right away so I’ll definitely get some practice on backmount for a while. I’m just trying to avoid buying twice, and sidemount really seems like a great way to dive. Random question, but do people ever dive an octo on their sidemount tanks? Seem like if you’re down to a single cylinder and you have a regulator issue it’s potentially really serious
@@Ryan-rc3kq If you go single tank sidemount then yes, you put a long hose on the configuration, but if you're going doubles, you have the long hose on your second tank. it would take some serious equipment malfunctions to lose both air sources
Thanks! So what is needed to migrate from twinset to sidemount? I mean, besides separating the cylinders, rearranging the hoses and adding an extra SPG. Would I need shorter SPG hoses? Can I keep the same hoses for the primary and secondary second stages? And what about hose length for BCD and drysuit?
Thanks for the questions! I actually am not a twinset diver so I'm not the right person to ask, but I would say that you're right about shorter spg hoses and my experience has been a much shorter lpi hose. I would reach out to your local dive shops for details. good luck!
Hi there! I'm not a big fan of Hybrid BCDs, because at the end they are not as good as a specific Sidemount or back mount BCD, they are kind of weak because they try to accomplish too much. I tried some of them from Hollis and DiveRite but after several dives I went back to something made for Sidemount, Razor is my actual harness and I'm super happy with that one.
@@AzulUnlimited That was unfortunately was I was thinking hahaha here goes a lotta $$! Outside of being environmentally sealed 1st regulators, is there anything specific to look out for on 2nd stage regs? I’m kind of attached to my current one 🤣
@@viperpm For sidemount it's very beneficial for hose routing if the first stages have a fifth port and a rotating turret. Check out the Apeks DST which comes with an optional fifth port or the Scubapro mk25. Both brands have a sidemount regulator kit that comes with all you need, correct hose lengths and all. Yeah it sucks having to buy new ones but does make a difference.
Always willing to try new ways of doing things. One plus to not get into a side mount set-up, I don't have to spend any more money on scuba equipment or lessons.
You can! But you should definitely log some dives as in single tank backmount and make sure that you feel confident with your buoyancy with just one tank before going for the specialty.
Xdeep stealth or the Apeks wsx25 or 45 are great starting points besides the Razor. I would definitely recommend taking the sidemount specialty since you're just starting out. Thanks for watching!
Excellent video and very helpful. Ive just complete my advanced PADI deep water course and enriched air so now looking to add side mount to asset with under water photography techniques. Any more tips from anyone on a good photographer's set up for diving?
Hi there! Congrats on your training and I´m sure you will love sidemount configuration! So for your photography question I would like to know more, if you are thinking about taking video, then I will recommend the new GoPro and a good lighting system and for the photo it depends on your skills as a photographer, I personally use a mirrorless, Olympus OM-D E5 Mark II and I´m super happy with the camera but a good strobe is necessary and maybe a wide-angle or macro lens. Tell me a little bit more about what would you like and maybe I can recommend something else. Have a nice day and talk to you soon!
Hello! Mmmmmm I haven't seen it that way because the tanks are on the sides you don't need a backplate, some bladders are independent from the harness, like old version of XDeep. Something that I did back in Mexico was to build a Hogarthian configuration harness with a few modifications for sidemount, and buy separately the bladder from Xdeep.
Always thought “sidemount” was only for tech divers and pony bottles... never crossed my mind to mount my tank to the side as a recreational diver. But then again, seems like just a different place to mount your tank? So, do you harness two 80s to both sides or do you use two smaller tanks, or doesn’t really matter I guess? Seems quite heavy for shore dives...
Sidemount is really coming to the mainstream these days and for good reason. We use the standard 80s but if you're just going for a normal recreational dive (like from the shore) you can set up your equipment to only take one tank. The benefit of it is that you can carry your tank into the water in any way that works for your body and then in the water, it's extremely comfortable. When you take two tanks for a recreational dive, you have the safety and redundancy that gets added to it, so that's cool 😎
As a 4”11 female it is very quite hard to dive with a backmount as the tank is as long as me and I usually end my dive with calf bruises. Would it be worth trying to see if a sidemount would work better?
I would say get your own tanks. You can get shorty tanks that will be more comfortable. Sidemount could also be a solution, especially if you set yourself up for single tank sidemount
Hi there, not quite! The word is that local diving can start again in mid August and International hopefully in September, but nothing is set in stone. If you would like to know more details, please email us at azulunlimited@gmail.com. We would love to take you diving once things are open again!
Just got my sidemount certification in Gili T, and will be diving in Nusa Penida in the next 3 days. So was hoping if Komodo is already open for diving for domestic Indonesian tourists, I could fly right away from Bali to there :(
I noticed that the lower clip/band on your tanks are only a few inches from the bottom of the tank. Do you clip to a buttplate or the harness waistband? If to a buttplate, where do the clips move to when the tanks get light? Otherwise, how do you avoid the clips pushing the tank valve up out of your armpit and over the shoulder and out of trim? For a shorter person (5’5”) positioning the clip high enough to be at the hip, but low enough to still have leverage to control the tank bottom as it gets light has been a challenge…
I clip into the waistbelt although I'm playing with changing that up depending on what kinds of tanks i'm diving with. I haven't had that specific issue with mine, but my harness belt is also super low on my hips (which gives enough space between bungee and clip). I'm gonna be doing a revamp of these sidemount videos since I've learned so much diving in cold water. Stay tuned!
Hello Jacob, thanks for your comment. I been checking info about the Hsms 100 and is true, is hard to find more information and specially here in Asia, maybe is easier to check forums from USA, that harness is more popular around here, Maybe you can join Reddit.com , is a big community where you can find info about pretty much everything, many many divers from USA and Europe use this platform and is plenty of diving forums, also very nice people to ask questions and get answers. Let us know how the search goes and talk to you soon!
Hi. I interested to take Padi sidemount course in your DC. How much it would cost? And i’m currently stay in jakarta, any advice on which flight should i take to get there?
Hi Nathan, I just responded to you on IG. As for flights, any domestic flight from Jakarta to LBJ (Labuan Bajo airport) will be fine. Then, you're only a 5 minute car ride to the center of town. Please don't hesitate to reach out again if you have any further questions. I hope you get to dive with Azul Komodo very soon!
Great video about SM, easy to feel your love for this configuration. I understand very well the benefits of SM in compare to a single back mounted tank configuration , however what I like less is the need for further training and to have to buy and carry more dive equipment along, so I would really appreciate if you could explain the benefits of a SM configuration in compare to a sling tank + back mounted tank. Thanks in advance and best regards PS1 : For an open water dive with tricky currents, I guess the sling tank + back mounted tank configuration makes it easier PS2 : Do you dive in SM configuration the most difficult current dives of Komodo islands ?
Hello Pierre. So I guess for me the big different is that Sidemount offers double redundancy for safety, yes, you need extra equipment (a second reg) but that means you can be completely self-sufficient in case one of your regs fail completely. Regarding the currents, with the side tanks buoyancy and position underwater is way better, also you offer less resistance to the currents, your body and equipment are aligned perfectly and also you have the benefit of double volume of air in case your air consumption goes out of control. And finally yes, once your level of confort with sidemount is good enough, you can dive with no problems with strong current, we do it in Komodo and specially for extra safety for our clients, because we carry with us an extra tank just in case is necessary. Please let me know if you have any more questions, sidemount is an amazing configuration and give us so much benefit that we rarely dive with a single tank anymore.
Sidemount is practice and more practice, I now many people that are amazing sidemount divers and never did a course, just dive and dive with someone helping or giving feedbacks!
Took the course a few yrs back but didn't have much chance to dive sidemount as didn't have my own rig .. also when u rec dive here in Malaysia, hardly any DC will let u borrow their sidemount rig if they have it ...
@@jacobooi6500 I made side mount out of my back mount BCD. Then I saved for a side mount BCD. Like the video says it is safer and extended dive time. 2 hour dives! Good to have a computer as you can easily go into DECO.
If you are Open Water, you do NOT need two 80 tanks. Two 40's give you the same air as backmount divers. I use two steel 50's in open water. More streamlined and easier to control than Al 80's.
Yes that option is perfect! But we experience that not many diving operators will offer 40s, just because they don't have it as a part of the regular equipment of the shops unless they do some tech diving, but totally agree! 40s is the new 20s hahahah.... thanks for your comment!
Yeah, two 7 liters is greatnfor open water. Easy to carry and compact. In general I use two standard 11 or 12 liters (80 cuft) though because I also travel and that's what they have available.
Hello! At this level is not a big difference between SSI or PADI, for this specific course I will put more attention to the Instructor and the experience teaching Sidemount that the organisation behind. We recommend PADI because our Shop is a PADI Dive Center and a Professional training Center for new Instructors. Let me know if you have any specific question about the course and I will be happy to answer.
My main advice to aspiring sidemount divers is: Ask around to find an experienced trainer. Don't go for the instructor who does sidemount once a year on the side. It's not a 'specialty' that you should check off in a day. There's a lot to learn and if you want to look and feel good while sidemounting you need someone who knows what they're doing.
Hi there! I had some lower back problems and with my sidemount, unless I can back roll from the boat, I just gear up in the water, so no weight lifting or carrying the tanks on the sides for me.
@@AzulUnlimited It's not so much a bad back...tanks are just heavy single or double...but donning in the water is always an option. With the extra buoyancy of two Aluminum 80s, I guess you'd need more weights too, which is additional weight. I'm pretty good with my trim on a plate and wing and as for redundancy I use a pony. But I appreciate your enthusiasm for side-mounts and thanks for the well done and informative videos. If I was in Rinca, I would definitely do my next course, Tec 40, with you ☺
Hi Sarah. One of these days I will try sidemount. You mention that the harness needs to be fitted to the diver. Any chance of a video on how to fit it and why while you still quarantined. Regards.
You definitely should! I will see what I can do about that video. Maybe I can fit a harness to one of our staff and show the process so that you can see how to do it... 🧐 Stay tuned! Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
To each their own. I agree about shore diving with waves, but there is some shore diving (like in the Puget Sound) where sidemount is great. Depends on what you want/need from your rig👍
Literally all the same benefits with BM doubles except for the fact that the tanks aren't manifolded and can be moved individually. I would only go side-mount if you're getting into serious caving. For technical diving BM doubles or potentially CCR is the way to go, depending on need. It's a waste of real-estate space not to use your back... especially once you start carrying 4 tanks of more. Sidemount is just one of the latest fads and completely unnecessary in recreational diving.
BM doubles or CCR are also completely unnecessary in recreational diving, but that doesn't mean there aren't many enjoying the extra gas compared to single tank diving. The advantage to sidemount is obviously moving tanks. The advantage backmount has over sidemount is if you experience a freeflow or blown hose, you lost half of your gas. With backmount, you simply close one valve and still have all of the gas from both tanks.
Who here is a sidemount diver? Put a 🤘🏻here in the comments 🤘🏻
🤘
@@dand7065 yaaaasssss part of the two tank crew 🤘🏻
Here here! #sidemountistheanswer #realitybaseddiving #expeditiondivers
I am doing the sidemount course at the #easydiversportugal. Albufeira marine, in Portugal.
🤘(if a newbee counts(will have my first sm class on tuesday)
🤘🏻My 15th dive was on a sidemount course and I never looked back. As a new diver with terrible gas consumption I wanted more air, but twins were terrifying - being able to SEE my valves, turn my valves off, all in my field of view, all accessible, and without the non-din o-ring blowouts, gave me twice the air with 1/10th of the stress. So while I went on to be a keen tech diver (the instructor happened to be a cave diver who loved wrecks, if I hadn't met him I'd probably never have carried on diving!) I'm an ardent supporter of sidemount being the FIRST option for all recreational divers who want more gas. All the TDI courses I've done I've had to watch backmount guys do shutdown drills - a friend even asked me to turn his valve back on for him underwater, as his shoulder was playing up - and I'll never forget the instructor telling everyone that when they do their drills they may need to go literally upside down to reach the manifold isolation valve before turning to me and saying "you just, I dunno, turn a valve off and on again or something" lol. I'm constantly trying to convince people it's NOT just for tech, that everyone should try it, and my number on argument is this - if I find you trapped in a wreck, I can push one of my tanks complete with reg through a porthole in seconds. I also love how cool we look pushing two tanks out of a gap we shouldn't have fitted through :) The only downside is upright wrecks. The 'BONG! BONG! BONG!' as we smash our way through vertical doorways gets old fast lol - you get used to turning onto your side but sometimes we get lazy. Bong! 🤣
Just finished dive #1 in sidemount. A very humbling day. Looking forward to dives #2, #3, #4 ... Thanks for the virtual reassurance that it will all come together with practice. I needed that. Cheers from Nova Scotia, Canada
Hi there!!
Congrats! the first dive with the new configuration is something else hehehe but yes, at the end all will make sense.
Please let us know how the course is going and have a lot of fun!!
Hi Sarah!
Because of you & this video I have decided to pull the trigger on SM diving. I’m a current TEC45 diver and run twins all day, everyday but because of your insight & bullet points I have been drawn into the SM world.
Thank you! Keep up the awesome work & content 🩵
Love this!!! It would be great to hear how the switch goes for you. Find me on Instagram where it’s easier to stay in touch with people 🤙
did you do it? how do you like it?
I'm doing the sidemount course at the momment. This is a complete 'different kind of dive'. Love it.
That's awesome! Welcome to the two tank crew! Where are you doing your course?
Love your sidemount videos. I’ve been thinking about sidemount for a while. You have helped me to make my decision easier. I’m planning to do my side mount training and to do my AOW in sidemount configuration.
Awesome!!! That's going to be a ton of fun. Be kind with yourself. Your buoyancy may be a bit crazy, but as long as you can laugh at yourself you're going to have a blast and learn so much. Where will you do the courses? Let us know how it goes!!
Went Sidemount after shoulder surgery. Love it. 🤘🏻
Cool! yes, that's a great reason to go sidemount. So adaptable 🤘🏻
A huge benefit is the ease (and safety) of getting in / out of the boat. You can clip the tanks to a rope and set them in the water, then enter/exit the water. In addition it is way more comfortable in the water than the standard setup. Really great video!
Thanks so much! Yes, I love when conditions allow for that type of chill entry. The best!
Side mount is perfect for solo diving and made it really easy for me to transition into tech 🤘
Never used dedicated tanks though except for the course and it's all good
For me the transition was from twins to SM in tech and was really easy, since that I always teach Tech now directly with SM, is way more easy for the student!
I use those same 1st stages for SM and doubles. love them
I´m really happy with them, I been using them for ove 5 years non stop with not a single problem.
This was one of the videos that helped me get into sidemount and I haven’t looked back #twotankcrew
This makes me so happy!!!
Sidemount is my favorite course to teach!! 🤘🤘🤘🤘
Yeah!!! The best, outside of the rescue course 🤪
Sidemount is the way to go. Sarah is definitely right that it will be more efficient to find a GOOD sidemount instructor to help you get started than to figure it out on your own like I did 10 years ago. Back then there were very few SM instructors and even fewer agencies with a course. Additionally, there were barely any SM harnesses to speak of. So, I made my own, then tuned it over the course of a year of diving it, then made a better one, and another year of tuning. My third harness was pretty good, and I still dive all three of them, but these days I'd recommend starting with a Razor or X-Deep and a good SM instructor. They can help you get it fit right for you and teach you the basics in a week, and you can become proficient enough in a few months of regular diving.
My 3-year trial and error method was fun, but if you want the fast track go down the training route. Just make sure the instructor you choose is a good SM diver themself. A good way to find out is to observe them diving sidemount (or at least on video) before registering for their class. If they look like Steve Martin or Steve Bogaerts or let's say Lamar Hires in the water, they can get you there too. If not, maybe look a bit further. Check out some free videos here to get you thinking about what to look for in a SM instructor: http//sidemounting.com
That's some solid advice 🙏🏻 I can't even imagine the trials of making harnesses and figuring out how to fix them on your own, but what great experience you must have! We are fans of Razor as well. I always say, if you're confident that you want to go sidemount, buy yourself the harness and then take the sidemount course with that harness so that you get it perfectly fitted. I also tell my fellow petite divers that getting a petite sidemount instructor is really helpful too.
Thank you for sharing resources! We appreciate you 🤘🏻
If you're on a boat dive with non-sidemount divers, is there still a way to take advantage of the increased air (of course assuming safe NDL)? Would the typical boat/divemaster be okay letting you stay in the water that much longer? I'm guessing it depends a lot on the circumstances, whether doing multiple dives or headed back to the shop, etc.
You are right Andy.
Most likely you diving plan will be the same.... max 60 minutes dive if you are on a boat and with a diving operator. Maybe you can get some more time if you are the first one getting into the water and then the last one (70 minutes dive).
While recreational diving, for me the point of using sidemount is more about safety, having double redundancy system, also to work on body position and finning technic, training for more complex dives in the future like wreck or cave diving, maybe easy Decompression dives (with the training required) not to mention how cool you looks on sidemount LOL.
But for us sidemount is a way of keep learning in every dive, pushing yourself gently out of the confort zone.
@@AzulUnlimited Thanks! Those are all definitely good reasons. And enough to make me want to give it a try :)
Last Wednesday I did my first side mount dive on my 45th dive and wow, I swear I'm never going back to my old BCD 😂
It's a game changer!
why is that? what kind of diving do you do?
@@MysticalDragon73 just recreational, but sidemount it's great, way more comfortable than back mount in general, easy to put on inside the water so no need to walk around with heavy stuff, at least from shore, the streamline is much better as well, I feel safer having two cilinders instead of one, and I'm not a huge fan of twins since it's too heavy... I don't know, it just feels better hahaha and since I'm planning on hopefully doing cave dive in the future it's also good to be familiar with this configuration as well
@@albertoskytwins3527 thank you I really appreciate it. Guess I'll add it to the list of things to look into. I am learning some tech things though I dont expect to do too much tech stuff like caves.
I was seeing a discussion in a local quarry page that started me down this rabbit hole. He said he will often run lp50's when he doesnt need the 85's.
This does sound interesting for sure.
@MysticalDragon73 no problem, definitely try it out, 100% recommended!
🤘I switched to sidemount after a spinal injury. Backmount wasn't comfortable anymore. Got trained by some of the best sidemount instructors. It not only was more comfortable but helped me finally get perfect trim. It also introduced me to the tech mindset of the thinking diver. I've since done Advanced Nitrox & Decompression Procedures training in sidemount as well, with up to 4 tanks. Surprisingly comfortable. This winter I started drysuit diving, in sidemount of course. But it does invite far more tinkering than backmount. I keep finding things to tweak, streamline and optimize.
That's great! yeah, we keep hearing about people who make the switch after surgery or an injury. Gotta love how adaptable scuba is to every body. Nice to hear you've kept up your training and you've gone for tech. It's really interesting right? We still haven't tried drysuit diving. It's on the wish list :)
Did you do full face? I would imagine if you’re going to do dry suit, then you would need to do full face. Is this correct or am I bugging out?
🤘
I did the PADI Sidemount Specialty October 2019 in Dahab. Einjoyed every minute of it.
Bought the sidemount harness and 2 new regs (with the extra inflator port) last year (all from the relatively new brand "Tecline" from Poland). All I need now to get them in the water is the pandemic to end. 😕
I also find that the easy access to the tank valves is another benefit of this setup.
Good choice! Let's hope the pandemic give you the chance to get into the water soon! Mmmmm I will have a look to the Tecline equipment, I´m not familiar with that one.
Thanks for comment!
Thanks a lot for the video! I tried sidemount for the first time recently and it *did* feel like going back to my first Open Water days lol. Quite frustrating but somehow relieved to know that I am not the only one! Looking forward to more SM dives :)
Totally not the only one! Just takes some practice and then you'll never want to go back :)
My Dive Buddy (who is also a Master Instructor) told me that you basically have to relearn Diving all over again.
Thank you for video and videos you do. Taken your advice no split fins for me. I've just got apeks rk3. Safe diving
Thanks for watching them! Saving divers one blade fin at a time 🤪
@@AzulUnlimited lol
Love this video! One day I'm going to try Side Mount with Azul #blessed
so blessed. But you'll need to work on that frog kick! 🐸
Thank u so much for ur infos ❤️❤️❤️
Appreciate you watching and leaving a comment!
Great video.... loved it... Love sidemount ...
Thanks a lot! We love it too 🤘
I love your work, recently I have to undergo from a lower back fusion surgery, 3 months ago.... and I'm diving again. Found that sidemount it is a benefit, in order to take the pressure from the back area. I want to wright a blog poiting that a sidemount configuration is the best way to do scuba diving again, at list for the first year of the surgery. I asking for permition to use this video. Thanks a lot...
Hola David!
Glad to know you are back in the water again, sidemount is perfect for those with back problems, Aitor is having also a lot of issues with his back and is diving mostly sidemount unless he is teaching Open water divers (to match configuration)
Feel free to use this video and please share the link of your blog with us so we can also post it on our social media for people to read it! Let us know if you have any questions that will help with your blog.
Have a good one and dive safe.
@@AzulUnlimited Thanks I really appreciate, I will keep in touch!
Thanks for this video. I’m planning on becoming a sidemount diver.
Heck yeah!!! It’s so much fun. Stoked for you to try it out.
@@AzulUnlimited I will let you k ow how it goes. I’m gonna get a backplate from DGX first and work with that for a while
Switching from steel LP85s to AL80s to get ready for side mount cave diving. Any tips on using Al bottles?
I like sliding d rings. For many years I used 2 fixed d rings on each side of the hip belt, but I switch to sliders last year and they’re great. Your tanks will get floaty during the dive so you’ll have to be aware of their positioning to avoid having your gear out of trim. Your instructor will be able to help you with that. Have so much fun!
Hi Sarah, do dive centres charge double for two tanks?
Yeah of course. You pay for what you get 🤙
I am interested in side mount! Question is best kit or set up of regulators with little budget ? Thank you
It'll be hard to do sidemount on a budget since you need two sets of regulators, but dive rite has great regs and I've liked harnesses from xdeep and apeks. Good luck! Let me know how it goes.
A good tip for storing the lead on the Siedmount is to build a Maghalter Fast Mag Pouch into the belt.
this allows you to easily slide weight into the mag holder
I shared my favorite sidemount weight system in my most recent sidemount video. Game changer for sure!
I plan to dive recreationally only. While I am learning some tech things, I dont expect to use it too much. Is it beneficial for rec divers?
It definitely can be beneficial for recreational divers. You can do longer dives if you want. The redundancy is a great safety feature, if you learn to use the system properly. It's great for divers who need to take it easy on their bodies because you don't have to strap your whole kit to your back and walk (if shore diving) to the water. You can stage your bottles at the shore and then just in with you harness and hook everything up in the water when the bottles are much more manageable.
Love this video. I currently live near cave country in Florida and want to get my open water and hopefully go for cavern and full cave training once I’m ready. Typically how many dives are recommended before taking side mount training? Is this something that can be done shortly after getting my open or advanced open water?
You can do it whenever you'd like, but I'd recommend doing enough dives to feel really comfortable with your buoyancy and finning techniques before getting into sidemount. It's a great configuration, but can be a pain if you don't understand how to move in the water. Good luck! They're amazing courses and you'll absolutely love them.
@@AzulUnlimited thanks for the reply. I’m probably not going to buy a full setup right away so I’ll definitely get some practice on backmount for a while. I’m just trying to avoid buying twice, and sidemount really seems like a great way to dive.
Random question, but do people ever dive an octo on their sidemount tanks? Seem like if you’re down to a single cylinder and you have a regulator issue it’s potentially really serious
@@Ryan-rc3kq If you go single tank sidemount then yes, you put a long hose on the configuration, but if you're going doubles, you have the long hose on your second tank. it would take some serious equipment malfunctions to lose both air sources
Thanks! So what is needed to migrate from twinset to sidemount? I mean, besides separating the cylinders, rearranging the hoses and adding an extra SPG.
Would I need shorter SPG hoses? Can I keep the same hoses for the primary and secondary second stages? And what about hose length for BCD and drysuit?
Thanks for the questions! I actually am not a twinset diver so I'm not the right person to ask, but I would say that you're right about shorter spg hoses and my experience has been a much shorter lpi hose. I would reach out to your local dive shops for details. good luck!
Would it be better to buy a bcd that does both sidemount and twin back mount or one for each?
Hi there!
I'm not a big fan of Hybrid BCDs, because at the end they are not as good as a specific Sidemount or back mount BCD, they are kind of weak because they try to accomplish too much.
I tried some of them from Hollis and DiveRite but after several dives I went back to something made for Sidemount, Razor is my actual harness and I'm super happy with that one.
@@AzulUnlimited That was unfortunately was I was thinking hahaha here goes a lotta $$! Outside of being environmentally sealed 1st regulators, is there anything specific to look out for on 2nd stage regs? I’m kind of attached to my current one 🤣
@@viperpm For sidemount it's very beneficial for hose routing if the first stages have a fifth port and a rotating turret. Check out the Apeks DST which comes with an optional fifth port or the Scubapro mk25. Both brands have a sidemount regulator kit that comes with all you need, correct hose lengths and all. Yeah it sucks having to buy new ones but does make a difference.
Always willing to try new ways of doing things. One plus to not get into a side mount set-up, I don't have to spend any more money on scuba equipment or lessons.
Yeah because once you start is difficult to stop hehehe, that's my problem with underwater photography for example!
great tips, can I certificate as sidemount on my level? I'm open water diver.
You can! But you should definitely log some dives as in single tank backmount and make sure that you feel confident with your buoyancy with just one tank before going for the specialty.
Yes you can. Do your research to find a good instructor. There are alot of poor instructors out there.
@@dand7065 Good point for sure! research is always a good idea
What wing you suggest for beginner?
Xdeep stealth or the Apeks wsx25 or 45 are great starting points besides the Razor. I would definitely recommend taking the sidemount specialty since you're just starting out. Thanks for watching!
Awesome advice ... l am a long time sidemount diver
Awesome! Thanks for checking this out. We love connecting to more sidemount friends 🤘🏻
Excellent video and very helpful. Ive just complete my advanced PADI deep water course and enriched air so now looking to add side mount to asset with under water photography techniques. Any more tips from anyone on a good photographer's set up for diving?
Hi there!
Congrats on your training and I´m sure you will love sidemount configuration! So for your photography question I would like to know more, if you are thinking about taking video, then I will recommend the new GoPro and a good lighting system and for the photo it depends on your skills as a photographer, I personally use a mirrorless, Olympus OM-D E5 Mark II and I´m super happy with the camera but a good strobe is necessary and maybe a wide-angle or macro lens. Tell me a little bit more about what would you like and maybe I can recommend something else.
Have a nice day and talk to you soon!
Sidemount diver with my homemade SM BCD!
Cool, a lot of friends back in Mexico use to homemade the harness and works really well!!
Can you just install a sidemount bladder onto a standard backplate?
Hello!
Mmmmmm I haven't seen it that way because the tanks are on the sides you don't need a backplate, some bladders are independent from the harness, like old version of XDeep. Something that I did back in Mexico was to build a Hogarthian configuration harness with a few modifications for sidemount, and buy separately the bladder from Xdeep.
Always thought “sidemount” was only for tech divers and pony bottles... never crossed my mind to mount my tank to the side as a recreational diver. But then again, seems like just a different place to mount your tank? So, do you harness two 80s to both sides or do you use two smaller tanks, or doesn’t really matter I guess? Seems quite heavy for shore dives...
Sidemount is really coming to the mainstream these days and for good reason. We use the standard 80s but if you're just going for a normal recreational dive (like from the shore) you can set up your equipment to only take one tank. The benefit of it is that you can carry your tank into the water in any way that works for your body and then in the water, it's extremely comfortable. When you take two tanks for a recreational dive, you have the safety and redundancy that gets added to it, so that's cool 😎
As a 4”11 female it is very quite hard to dive with a backmount as the tank is as long as me and I usually end my dive with calf bruises. Would it be worth trying to see if a sidemount would work better?
I would say get your own tanks. You can get shorty tanks that will be more comfortable. Sidemount could also be a solution, especially if you set yourself up for single tank sidemount
Is Komodo opem for diving again?
Hi there, not quite! The word is that local diving can start again in mid August and International hopefully in September, but nothing is set in stone. If you would like to know more details, please email us at azulunlimited@gmail.com. We would love to take you diving once things are open again!
Just got my sidemount certification in Gili T, and will be diving in Nusa Penida in the next 3 days. So was hoping if Komodo is already open for diving for domestic Indonesian tourists, I could fly right away from Bali to there :(
I noticed that the lower clip/band on your tanks are only a few inches from the bottom of the tank. Do you clip to a buttplate or the harness waistband? If to a buttplate, where do the clips move to when the tanks get light? Otherwise, how do you avoid the clips pushing the tank valve up out of your armpit and over the shoulder and out of trim? For a shorter person (5’5”) positioning the clip high enough to be at the hip, but low enough to still have leverage to control the tank bottom as it gets light has been a challenge…
I clip into the waistbelt although I'm playing with changing that up depending on what kinds of tanks i'm diving with. I haven't had that specific issue with mine, but my harness belt is also super low on my hips (which gives enough space between bungee and clip). I'm gonna be doing a revamp of these sidemount videos since I've learned so much diving in cold water. Stay tuned!
Can u recommend any Hollis sms100 threads ? Just got myself a sms100 but information is hard to come by .. esp where I live here in Malaysia
Hello Jacob, thanks for your comment.
I been checking info about the Hsms 100 and is true, is hard to find more information and specially here in Asia, maybe is easier to check forums from USA, that harness is more popular around here,
Maybe you can join Reddit.com , is a big community where you can find info about pretty much everything, many many divers from USA and Europe use this platform and is plenty of diving forums, also very nice people to ask questions and get answers.
Let us know how the search goes and talk to you soon!
Very good job on SM training ! Giant stride in cold water with a scooter :-) As you say, SM is great/awesome/soooo confortable in the water...
oooo that sounds complex 😂and fun hehe
Hi. I interested to take Padi sidemount course in your DC. How much it would cost? And i’m currently stay in jakarta, any advice on which flight should i take to get there?
Hi Nathan, I just responded to you on IG. As for flights, any domestic flight from Jakarta to LBJ (Labuan Bajo airport) will be fine. Then, you're only a 5 minute car ride to the center of town. Please don't hesitate to reach out again if you have any further questions. I hope you get to dive with Azul Komodo very soon!
Great video about SM, easy to feel your love for this configuration. I understand very well the benefits of SM in compare to a single back mounted tank configuration , however what I like less is the need for further training and to have to buy and carry more dive equipment along, so I would really appreciate if you could explain the benefits of a SM configuration in compare to a sling tank + back mounted tank. Thanks in advance and best regards
PS1 : For an open water dive with tricky currents, I guess the sling tank + back mounted tank configuration makes it easier
PS2 : Do you dive in SM configuration the most difficult current dives of Komodo islands ?
Hello Pierre.
So I guess for me the big different is that Sidemount offers double redundancy for safety, yes, you need extra equipment (a second reg) but that means you can be completely self-sufficient in case one of your regs fail completely.
Regarding the currents, with the side tanks buoyancy and position underwater is way better, also you offer less resistance to the currents, your body and equipment are aligned perfectly and also you have the benefit of double volume of air in case your air consumption goes out of control.
And finally yes, once your level of confort with sidemount is good enough, you can dive with no problems with strong current, we do it in Komodo and specially for extra safety for our clients, because we carry with us an extra tank just in case is necessary.
Please let me know if you have any more questions, sidemount is an amazing configuration and give us so much benefit that we rarely dive with a single tank anymore.
Very cool. That will be my next certification 🤙🏻🤙🏻🤙🏻
YESS!!! It's such a fun course! You'll love it
I think you convinced me :D
Yaaaas come to the dark side 🥷
@@AzulUnlimited Looking at Hollis side mount harness….letting the dark side in….
I side mount all the time. I never took the course. I love it and will never go back! I could do 4 tanks with ease.
Sidemount is practice and more practice, I now many people that are amazing sidemount divers and never did a course, just dive and dive with someone helping or giving feedbacks!
Took the course a few yrs back but didn't have much chance to dive sidemount as didn't have my own rig .. also when u rec dive here in Malaysia, hardly any DC will let u borrow their sidemount rig if they have it ...
@@jacobooi6500 I made side mount out of my back mount BCD. Then I saved for a side mount BCD. Like the video says it is safer and extended dive time. 2 hour dives! Good to have a computer as you can easily go into DECO.
If you are Open Water, you do NOT need two 80 tanks. Two 40's give you the same air as backmount divers. I use two steel 50's in open water. More streamlined and easier to control than Al 80's.
Yes that option is perfect! But we experience that not many diving operators will offer 40s, just because they don't have it as a part of the regular equipment of the shops unless they do some tech diving, but totally agree! 40s is the new 20s hahahah.... thanks for your comment!
Yeah, two 7 liters is greatnfor open water. Easy to carry and compact. In general I use two standard 11 or 12 liters (80 cuft) though because I also travel and that's what they have available.
Why Padi. NOT SSI? What is the difference?
Hello!
At this level is not a big difference between SSI or PADI, for this specific course I will put more attention to the Instructor and the experience teaching Sidemount that the organisation behind.
We recommend PADI because our Shop is a PADI Dive Center and a Professional training Center for new Instructors.
Let me know if you have any specific question about the course and I will be happy to answer.
👍🤙
Thankssss
👏👏👏
Thanks!
Sidemountom is story of my life :-) 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻
That's what we like to hear! 🤘🏻
why not get an HP 120 with an H valve.....
Because that's not what we do 🤷♀️
🤘🏻
Sidemount is the only way to go!
My main advice to aspiring sidemount divers is: Ask around to find an experienced trainer. Don't go for the instructor who does sidemount once a year on the side. It's not a 'specialty' that you should check off in a day. There's a lot to learn and if you want to look and feel good while sidemounting you need someone who knows what they're doing.
This is so true! I think that's why it's so much fun to teach the course. There are so many details and individual nuances diver to diver
Hello ! 👏 Very interesting. A good idea of subject for my channel 😉 Have a good dive 😎
Hey, thanks!
BTW nice channel, very informative!
I can barely get up from the dive bench on singles...and now you want me to try doubles 🙄 😒
Hi there!
I had some lower back problems and with my sidemount, unless I can back roll from the boat, I just gear up in the water, so no weight lifting or carrying the tanks on the sides for me.
@@AzulUnlimited It's not so much a bad back...tanks are just heavy single or double...but donning in the water is always an option. With the extra buoyancy of two Aluminum 80s, I guess you'd need more weights too, which is additional weight. I'm pretty good with my trim on a plate and wing and as for redundancy I use a pony. But I appreciate your enthusiasm for side-mounts and thanks for the well done and informative videos. If I was in Rinca, I would definitely do my next course, Tec 40, with you ☺
Hi Sarah. One of these days I will try sidemount. You mention that the harness needs to be fitted to the diver. Any chance of a video on how to fit it and why while you still quarantined. Regards.
You definitely should! I will see what I can do about that video. Maybe I can fit a harness to one of our staff and show the process so that you can see how to do it... 🧐 Stay tuned! Thanks for watching 🙏🏻
Cool???clumsy you mean😝
Hahaha yeah we can say that LOL
Caves yes, wreck,boat and shore diving no. It's better to dive independent doubles in my proffessional opinion.
To each their own. I agree about shore diving with waves, but there is some shore diving (like in the Puget Sound) where sidemount is great. Depends on what you want/need from your rig👍
@americanazhexk Can you say why?
🇨🇦🤟🇲🇽🤟
Thanks guys!!!
Literally all the same benefits with BM doubles except for the fact that the tanks aren't manifolded and can be moved individually. I would only go side-mount if you're getting into serious caving. For technical diving BM doubles or potentially CCR is the way to go, depending on need. It's a waste of real-estate space not to use your back... especially once you start carrying 4 tanks of more. Sidemount is just one of the latest fads and completely unnecessary in recreational diving.
Just out here enjoying ourselves. No need to get upset 🤙
@@AzulUnlimited lol, not upset... just offering some info. Cheers :)
BM doubles or CCR are also completely unnecessary in recreational diving, but that doesn't mean there aren't many enjoying the extra gas compared to single tank diving. The advantage to sidemount is obviously moving tanks. The advantage backmount has over sidemount is if you experience a freeflow or blown hose, you lost half of your gas. With backmount, you simply close one valve and still have all of the gas from both tanks.
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yeah!! sidemount diving all the way :)