Photo by Pete Nawrocky · CC BY-SA 3.0
TDI Sidemount
Sidemount teaches certified divers to configure and dive with primary cylinders mounted at the sides of the harness rather than on the back. This course covers independent valve gas management, streamlined equipment setup, and emergency drills specific to sidemount failure modes. Sidemount improves mobility in tight passages, reduces snags overhead, and enables simpler gas redundancy compared to back-mount doubles, making it a popular choice for technical progression or overhead environments.
Centres that teach this course
10 dive centres in the directory publish a price for this exact certification, checked Sep 2026. Each centre's own wording is shown beneath its name. Ranges cover whole-course prices only — where a centre charges per day or per dive, its rate is listed separately below, since a daily figure is not comparable with a course total.
- $700total
- $1,200total
- $1,650total
Charged by the day or dive rather than as a course price:
- CDT Mexico (Cave Diving Training)MexicoSidemount (tech level)1 student$300/day→ $1,200 for the 4-day minimum$300per day
- $325per day
- Go Dive MexicoMexicoSidemount Diverprivate$330/day→ $990 for the 3-day minimum2+ divers$300/day→ $900 for the 3-day minimum each$330per day
- THB 16,900total
- THB 23,900total
- THB 16,900total
Charged by the day or dive rather than as a course price:
- €300per day
- MX$15,000total
These prices are not like-for-like. Two centres can charge very differently for the same certification because they include different things. One price may cover twinsets, stages, deco gas and cylinder rental for every training dive, a dedicated classroom for the theory, boat or transport to the site, and the agency's registration and materials; another may be tuition only, with all of that charged separately — or the other way round, with a centre bundling in extras the first leaves out. Class size, whether the course is one-to-one, and how many days are allowed for it move the figure too. Check what each centre's price includes before comparing them, and confirm with the centre before booking.
Consumables are usually extra. Sorb, helium, O₂ and other fills, park and cenote fees, certification fees and rental are commonly charged on top.
Packages combining several certifications, upgrades from an existing one, and open-ended day rates are excluded — none of them is the standalone price of this course, and including them would move the figures away from what a new student can actually book.
Prerequisites
Minimum age 18. Certified SDI/TDI Open Water Scuba Diver or equivalent. Minimum 25 logged dives (though manifest current description incorrectly stated 20; standards specify 25 minimum for TEC Sidemount track).
Standards
What a diver must demonstrate to pass this course — not always published by the certifying agency.
Students must complete 3 open-water dives with minimum 90 minutes accumulated bottom time. Demonstrate mastery of: independent valve operation and gas switching, proper sidemount trim and positioning, S-drill emergency procedures, buoyancy control in sidemount configuration, and safe ascent protocols.
Instructors Teaching This Course
Mexico
Philippines
United States
Egypt
Thailand
Indonesia
Malta
Dive Centres Offering This Course
Mexico
United States
Thailand
Philippines
Egypt
Indonesia
We're still building out the directory country by country, so this list isn't every instructor or dive centre teaching it in the world — more locations are coming soon.
Common questions about TDI Sidemount
How much does TDI Sidemount cost?
Published prices for TDI Sidemount range across 6 centres in the TecDiveTools directory — roughly US$500 to US$1,650 at current exchange rates. In each centre's own currency: $700–$1,650 (3 centres), THB 16,900–23,900 (2 centres) and MX$15,000 (1 centre). 4 centres charge by the day instead, which is not comparable with a course total. Prices differ mainly in what they include, so compare the inclusions before comparing the numbers. Prices were last checked in September 2026.
How long does TDI Sidemount take?
Between 2 and 5 days, based on the durations 11 centres publish for it. The time depends on the centre's schedule, weather, and how quickly the required skills are demonstrated — agencies set a minimum number of dives, not a fixed number of days.
What are the prerequisites for TDI Sidemount?
TDI's standards require: Minimum age 18. Certified SDI/TDI Open Water Scuba Diver or equivalent. Minimum 25 logged dives (though manifest current description incorrectly stated 20; standards specify 25 minimum for TEC Sidemount track).
What is the minimum age for TDI Sidemount?
TDI's standards state: Minimum age 18.
What does TDI Sidemount training involve?
According to TDI's published standards: Students must complete 3 open-water dives with minimum 90 minutes accumulated bottom time. Demonstrate mastery of: independent valve operation and gas switching, proper sidemount trim and positioning, S-drill emergency procedures, buoyancy control in sidemount configuration, and safe ascent protocols.
Where can I take TDI Sidemount?
185 dive centres and 322 instructors in the TecDiveTools directory teach TDI Sidemount across 7 countries, most in Mexico, the Philippines, the United States and Egypt. Each is listed further up this page.
Does the price of TDI Sidemount include gas and equipment?
Not always — it varies by centre. Certification fees, equipment rental and boat or site fees are commonly charged on top of the course price. Each centre's price list on TecDiveTools shows what it notes as included.