TDI SIDEMOUNT DIVER COURSE
DURATION
4 days
IN A NUTSHELL
The TDI Sidemount Diver Course with CDT Mexico is designed for divers looking to adopt a streamlined, redundant gas setup with a strong technical foundation.
It provides the skills needed to configure, manage, and optimize sidemount equipment for technical and cave diving. Students will develop proficiency in buoyancy control, advanced propulsion techniques, gas planning, regulator handling, and efficient equipment donning and doffing.
The course also covers crucial sequences for water entry and exit, as well as problem-solving strategies in challenging conditions. Emphasis is placed on team communication, situational awareness, and handling potential failures while maintaining control.
Mastering these essential skills ensures a safe, efficient, and prepared transition into technical or cave diving using a sidemount configuration, laying the groundwork for more advanced exploration.
PRE-REQUISITES
Students must be 18 years old, and:
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certified as an SDI Open Water Scuba Diver (or equivalent)
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have a minimum of 20 logged dives
SUBJECT AREAS
During our TDI Sidemount Diver Course, we will focus on the following aspect (on top of reviewing everything else from previous levels) Underwater: - gas management (awareness, reading and keeping redundancy) - regulator switching techniques (two hands, one hand and in low visibility) - hand and light communication - basic fundamental techniques : breathing, buoyancy, trim, propulsion, and positioning - advanced propulsion techniques : mod frog kick, mod flutter kick, reverse kick and helicopter-turn - problem solving : mask replacement, cylinders rigging failure, bungee failure, etc. - leakage and haemorrhages : valves, regulator first and second stage, free-flow, LPI hose, etc. - lift bag deployment On land: Land-drills and simulations of procedures - configuration and set-up - pre-dive checks and team’s dynamic - do/doff sequences - communication - gas switches simulations Briefings and de-briefings - pretty much everything… White board presentations and discussions - awareness and mind-set - rule of 1/3 and conservatism - keeping gas redundancy and regulator switches - dive planning - potential failures and counter-measures - emergency and safety procedures - psychological and physiological considerations - mind-control and stress recognition and management
MEET NEW CHALLENGES
Diving sidemount requires a higher level of awareness from the divers, as the complexity of the equipment configuration increases. Divers need to put almost constant attention to the gas supply and correct gas redundancy, regulator switches at proper intervals and the need to readjust the cylinder’s position as their trim changes while the gas depletes. Clearly, it is much more task overloading than most sport divers are accustomed to. Sidemount divers also need a deeper understanding in gas planning, as they carry redundant cylinders and apply new rules and new concepts such as conservative thirds, rock-bottom reserves, gas matching and eventually cylinders matching. It is obviously extremely interesting to learn, and if you’re curious enough, you’ll find addicted to the theory side as well as the diving part ! Well, ok, almost as much !
COURSE DURATION
The TDI Sidemount Diver Course has a duration of 4 days with CDT Mexico. TDI Sidemount diver = 4 days
DURATION OF THE COURSES
PRICE OF TRAINING
MEANING OF "PERFORMANCE-BASED TRAINING"
BEFORE STARTING THE COURSE / BOOKING
HOW TO PREPARE FOR A COURSE