TDI Sidemount Diver Course

Learn how to configure, streamline, and manage a sidemount system for technical diving

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TDI Sidemount Diver Certification in Nanaimo

Learn a streamlined, flexible equipment configuration used by technical and recreational divers worldwide.

Sidemount diving offers freedom of movement, balanced trim, and easier access to your cylinders and valves. The TDI Sidemount Diver course teaches you how to configure your equipment, manage independent cylinders, and dive safely and efficiently in a horizontal profile. Many divers move into sidemount for comfort, redundancy, and as a foundation for future technical training.

Training with Nanaimo Dive Outfitters gives you the chance to develop these skills in British Columbia’s cold-water conditions, where proper trim, buoyancy, and equipment management are essential.

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Who should take the TDI Sidemount course?

The TDI Sidemount Diver course is designed for certified divers who want to:

    • Use a sidemount configuration instead of a traditional backmount system
    • Improve access to valves, regulators, and gas management
    • Enhance comfort, trim, and body positioning underwater
    • Build foundational skills for future technical diving pathways

Minimum age for participation is 18, or 15 with parental consent. Students must already hold an SDI Open Water Scuba Diver certification or equivalent.

Inside your TDI Sidemount Diver training experience

This course blends hands-on configuration work, in-water skill development, and progressive training dives. You’ll complete classroom learning, land-based equipment setup, and open-water dives to build confidence in your sidemount system.

A typical schedule includes:

    • Classroom session on equipment setup, cylinder configuration, and gas management
    • Land drills focused on harness adjustment, hose routing, and S-drills
    • Water entries and exits from both shore and boat environments
    • Open-water dives to practice buoyancy, trim, propulsion, and cylinder handling

This structure gives you the time and repetition needed to feel comfortable, balanced, and streamlined in your new configuration.

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Skills you’ll build in your TDI Sidemount training

The Sidemount Diver course includes three main phases:

#1. Knowledge development

You’ll complete TDI eLearning and review key topics, including:

    • Gas management using independent cylinders
    • Cylinder, regulator, and harness options
    • Proper weighting and equipment configuration
    • Hand signals, communication, and problem-solving methods
    • Gas-sharing procedures and managing gas hemorrhages

#2. Land-based configuration and drills

On land, you’ll learn how to:

    • Fit and adjust your sidemount harness
    • Route hoses for clean, streamlined diving
    • Perform S-drills specific to sidemount
    • Attach cylinders in various environments
    • Conduct full pre-dive checks and equipment tests

#3. Open-water sidemount dives

In the water, you’ll practice:

    • Controlled descents and ascents while maintaining trim
    • Attaching cylinders out of the water, on the surface, and at depth
    • Gas switching with proper verification
    • Managing depth, time, and air consumption
    • Buoyancy control and propulsion techniques
    • Maintaining team awareness and communication

Your instructor will demonstrate each skill before you practice and refine it during your dives.

Gear expectations for the TDI Sidemount Diver course

Gear is available for rent through Nanaimo Dive Outfitters, so you can train with properly maintained equipment that’s already set up for local conditions.

You’ll use:

    • Mask, snorkel, fins
    • Sidemount harness and BCD
    • Two independent cylinders with regulators
    • Dive computer
    • Drysuit and thermal undergarments
    • Accessories such as reels, SMBs, and backup lights

All training is completed in a drysuit, which offers warmth, trim stability, and better control in our 8°C to 10°C waters.

Refined skills for confident sidemount dives

Learning sidemount in British Columbia gives you a skill set that transfers easily to warm-water destinations, caves, wrecks, and future technical diving. Once you’re comfortable managing independent cylinders and maintaining horizontal trim in our conditions, diving sidemount anywhere else feels natural and intuitive.

Your TDI Sidemount certification is recognized globally and serves as a launch point for advanced courses like cavern, wreck, and technical decompression programs.

What’s included

    • TDI Sidemount Diver eLearning
    • All required training dives
    • Land drills and equipment configuration sessions
    • All essential scuba gear available for rent
    • Small class sizes for detailed, personal instruction

Student perks: You’ll receive discounts on gear purchases and are welcome to join our regular club dives, where many divers train and practice in sidemount.

Coming from out of town?

If you’ve already started your Sidemount Diver course elsewhere, we can finish your training through a multi-agency referral. Many divers visit Nanaimo specifically to refine their buoyancy, trim, and equipment skills in our cold-water environment. Whether you’re passing through on a dive trip or here for a short stay, we can help you complete your certification with flexible scheduling and access to ideal training sites. Contact us for details and availability.

TDI Sidemount Diver Course FAQ

Ready to become a certified diver?

Scuba diving opens the door to new experiences, travel, and friendships. Training with Nanaimo Dive Outfitters gives you confidence in one of the richest cold-water ecosystems in the world.

Start your SDI eLearning today or contact us to reserve your spot in an upcoming class.

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Are you ready to start your journey to becoming a scuba diver?