PADI Sidemount Rec Diver

About the PADI Sidemount Rec Diver Course

Discover the balance and efficiency of sidemount scuba diving with your PADI dive instructor. Many divers find sidemount tanks are more comfortable and easier to put on in the water. Sidemount diving is also beneficial for divers who want improved balance and prolonged dives.

What You'll Learn

• Assemble and configure sidemount equipment
• Mount scuba tanks in the water
• Adjust your weights for optimal balance
• Frog kick to move easily while wearing sidemount

Certification Requirements

• PADI (Junior) Open Water Diver (or qualifying entry-level certification)
• PADI e-learning: 2-4 hours
• Entire course: 2-3 days (dives must be completed over a minimum of two days)
• Good physical health
• 15 years of age or older

How to Earn Your PADI Sidemount Diver Certification

Complete your Sidemount Diver e-learning coursework online, then meet with a highly-trained PADI Instructor for training dives.

Step 1

PADI e-learning

PADI e-learning® makes it easy to fit scuba certification into a busy schedule. Study online or offline, using a computer or mobile device. Connect with your instructor if you have questions.

• e-learning time commitment: 2-4 hours

Step 2

With Your Instructor

First, you'll make a confined water dive to become familiar with sidemount diving equipment. Your PADI Instructor will also teach you sidemount diving skills including: frog kicking, attaching and removing scuba tanks as you enter and exit the water, unclipping a scuba tank and swimming with the tank in front of you, and how to switch second stages and manage your breathing gas when wearing two scuba tanks. When you’re comfortable with these skills, you’ll make three open water dives where you’ll practice your new skills, buoyancy control and problem solving.

Total time commitment: 2-3 days

After this Course

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.

Technical Divers explore reefs and wrecks at depths below the 40 meter/130-foot recreational limit. With specialised training, they can explore underwater caves and other places well beyond the reach of mainstream recreational diving.

The Sidemount Diver Specialty course dive may count toward your Advanced Open Water Diver certification – ask your instructor about earning credit.

Each PADI Specialty you complete gets you one step closer to earning the elite Master Scuba Diver™ rating.

Available Languages

English, Nederlands, Français, Italiano, اللغة العربية, Deutsch, 한국어, Espanol, 日本語, 中文简体, 中文繁体, Русский язык

Visit the PADI Website

Visit the PADI website for detailed course pricing, more information or to book this course.

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Breathe In, Chill Out. Learn How To Dive And Explore An Amazing World Beneath The Waves. Start Today At PADI.com

PADI is the world's largest scuba diving training organisation. For over 50 years, PADI has enabled people around the world to seek adventure and save the ocean through underwater education, life-changing experiences and travel.

For accredited courses a certificate will be sent directly to you from the appropriate awarding body.

For short courses a completion certificate is available at the end of the course.

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If you plan to be somewhere without internet access, use the PADI Training app to download course content and study offline. Content can be downloaded in small sections with a total file size of approximately 182 MB. When you get back online, upload your progress so you can resume your training right where you left off.

The PADI Training app is available for Android and Apple iOS devices. For the ideal experience, devices should be no more than three models old and running with the most current OS (operating system).

After you purchase this course you will be contacted by PADI.

Envico Limited is an independent intermediary working with PADI in an affiliate program. Envico is not accredited by or associated with PADI or any other examination body or institution in any way. All courses promoted on this website are delivered by independent and established accredited or approved training providers.