Sidemount configuration mounts cylinders along the diver's sides rather than on the back, which provides full gas redundancy with independent cylinders and a lower, more streamlined profile.
It originated in cave diving, where restrictions make a backmounted twinset impractical, and has since become popular well beyond that context — including with recreational divers who simply find it more comfortable.
It also allows a diver to don and doff cylinders in the water, which matters for shore entries, boat ladders and anyone with back or shoulder issues.
Sidemount Diver: learning topics
sidemount harness setup and cylinder rigging
Discuss how this topic is taught and assessed within the exact programme.
gas switching between independent cylinders
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trim and buoyancy with side-mounted cylinders
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valve and regulator management
Discuss how this topic is taught and assessed within the exact programme.
donning and doffing cylinders in water
Discuss how this topic is taught and assessed within the exact programme.
propulsion techniques for restricted spaces
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Topics recorded in this general course guide, not training instructions or a statement of automatic eligibility. Confirm the programme’s current scope with its agency.
What the course covers
- sidemount harness setup and cylinder rigging
- gas switching between independent cylinders
- trim and buoyancy with side-mounted cylinders
- valve and regulator management
- donning and doffing cylinders in water
- propulsion techniques for restricted spaces
Why divers choose it
Independent cylinders mean a failure affects only half your gas. Streamlining improves in restricted spaces. Cylinders can be removed and handed through a restriction.
For divers with back problems, carrying two cylinders separately to the water rather than one heavy twinset is a decisive practical advantage.
Gas management differs
With independent cylinders, a diver must switch regulators regularly to keep the cylinders balanced, both for gas reserves and for trim.
It is a discipline that becomes automatic quickly but has to be learned deliberately — a sidemount diver who forgets to switch ends the dive with one full and one empty cylinder.
Common questions
Is sidemount only for cave divers?
No. It originated in caves but is now widely used recreationally and in wreck diving, and many divers prefer it purely for comfort and redundancy.
Can I use sidemount for recreational dives?
Yes, and many divers do. The configuration provides redundancy that a single-cylinder setup does not.