PADI sidemount SPECIALTY Course in Komodo

• The course consists of 3 sections:

  • Knowledge Development – read the PADI Sidemount diver manual and complete the knowledge reviews
  • Confined water training – a shallow water training session that introduces you to the equipment and how to use it
  • Open Water training – 4 Sidemount diver training dives

The PADI Sidemount diver specialty course consists of 4 Open Water training dives at dive sites around Komodo.

There is a Sidemount Specialty diver emanual to read and an open book knowledge review with 9 questions that your instructor will guide you through and review.

The Instructor led knowledge development is conducted during the morning of day 1. Some of the subjects you will cover include:

• What the benefits of Sidemount diving are
• Sidemount Equipment configuration
• Dive planning, gas management and turn pressure
• Sidemount equipment malfunctions & emergency procedures
• Techniques used for flutter, frog and reverse frog kicking

Shallow & Confined water training

As you will be using new and unfamiliar equipment compared to what you have previously dived with it is a good idea to start with a confined water training dive.

And our pool is the best one in town for it.

This will allow you to become familiar with your harness and sidemount equipment configuration and familiarise yourself with the basic skills that differ between sidemount and standard scuba equipment. 

It is more comfortable – with your cylinders mounted either side there is much less pressure on your back.

Expend less energy – enhance your streamlining & body position, improve your buoyancy, become a more efficient diver and use less energy.

Maximise your dive time – two tanks will give you more air and bottom time, especially if you are using Enriched Air sidemount.

Have more control – the regulator first stage and valves are in front of you where they are visible and accessible, making it easier to see and deal with problems.

More peace of mind – with two-cylinder sidemount, you can handle an out-of-gas problem without your buddy by switching to the second cylinder.

• Be an Open Water diver
• Have recent diving experience – we recommend completing a scuba review if you have not dived for 12 months
• 15 years of age or older
• Medically fit to dive