Sidemount diver in a cave, showing both cylinders clipped along the body

Photo by Pete Nawrocky · CC BY-SA 3.0

SidemountIANTD

Tek Sidemount Diver

Official course standards ↗Last updated September 7, 2026

Technical sidemount configuration diving to depths matching the diver's previous certification level. Teaches advanced sidemount trim, redundant gas management on sidemount, equipment assembly and configuration, and specialized procedures. Ideal for technical wreck penetration and confined cave systems where sidemount excels.

Centres that teach this course

7 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.

THB 19,500 – THB 20,000across 4 centres pricing in Thai Bahtfrom ≈ $582
Priced per day or per dive in US Dollar — see below.

    Charged by the day or dive rather than as a course price:

    One centre publishes a price in Euro.
    • TechWise MaltaMalta
      PADI/IANTD Tec Sidemountone price, several agencies
      €500
      total

    Same training under a different agency

    26 centres

    A separate set of centres, teaching Technical Sidemount under a different agency. These are not the same certification — the standards and the card differ — but they cover the same depth and scope, which is why centres price them alike. Every row here names whose rating it is, and none of them is counted above.

    €450 – €700across 12 centres pricing in Eurofrom ≈ $505

    Charged by the day or dive rather than as a course price:

    $600 – $1,650across 4 centres pricing in US Dollar

    Charged by the day or dive rather than as a course price:

    • Under The JungleMexico
      Sidemount ExpertTDI
      private$345/day→ $1,725 for the 5-day minimum
      per diver in a group$295/day→ $1,475 for the 5-day minimum each
      $345
      per day
    • CDT Mexico (Cave Diving Training)Mexico
      Sidemount (tech level)TDI
      1 student$300/day→ $1,200 for the 4-day minimum
      $300
      per day
    • Divers UnderGroundMexico
      TDI Sidemount DiverTDI
      1 diver$325/day
      2 or 3 divers$300/day
      $325
      per day
    • Cave AdventurersUnited States
      SidemountTDI
      Private class$450/day→ $900 for the 2-day minimum
      Group class$350/day→ $700 for the 2-day minimum each
      $450
      per day
    • Go Dive MexicoMexico
      Sidemount DiverTDI
      private$330/day→ $990 for the 3-day minimum
      2+ divers$300/day→ $900 for the 3-day minimum each
      $330
      per day
    • CDT Mexico (Cave Diving Training)Mexico
      Advanced Sidemount (tech)TDI
      1 student$300/day→ $900 for the 3-day minimum
      $300
      per day
    • Under The JungleMexico
      Advanced SidemountTDI
      private$345/day→ $1,380 for the 4-day minimum
      per diver in a group$295/day→ $1,180 for the 4-day minimum each
      $345
      per day
    IDR 6,500,000 – IDR 8,400,000across 3 centres pricing in Indonesian Rupiahfrom ≈ $362

    Charged by the day or dive rather than as a course price:

    • Air Dive AlorIndonesia
      Technical SidemountTDI
      1 student, privateIDR 3,200,000/day→ IDR 12,800,000 for the 4-day minimum
      3 studentsIDR 2,400,000/day→ IDR 9,600,000 for the 4-day minimum each
      IDR 3,200,000
      per day
    MX$14,000 – MX$15,000across 2 centres pricing in Mexican Pesofrom ≈ $759

    Charged by the day or dive rather than as a course price:

    THB 17,000 – THB 35,000across 2 centres pricing in Thai Bahtfrom ≈ $507
    One centre publishes a price in Philippine Peso.
    • Tech AsiaPhilippines
      PADI Tec Sidemount DiverPADI TecRec
      ₱32,250
      total

    Same tier, agency not stated

    16 centres

    These centres publish a price for Technical Sidemount, but their own wording does not say which agency's certification it buys — many teach several and name the card only once you enquire, and some price one course for either agency. The figure is comparable; the certification is not identified, so we do not guess at one.

    $449 – $1,000across 5 centres pricing in US Dollar

    Charged by the day or dive rather than as a course price:

    • Protec MexicoMexico
      Advanced Sidemount
      1 student$470/day→ $1,880 for the 4-day minimum
      2+ students$420/day→ $1,680 for the 4-day minimum each
      $470
      per day
    THB 15,000 – THB 23,900across 4 centres pricing in Thai Bahtfrom ≈ $447
    €400 – €425across 2 centres pricing in Eurofrom ≈ $449

    Charged by the day or dive rather than as a course price:

    IDR 6,500,000across 2 centres pricing in Indonesian Rupiahfrom ≈ $362

    Charged by the day or dive rather than as a course price:

    • Air Dive AlorIndonesia
      Sidemount Essentials
      1 student, privateIDR 3,200,000/day→ IDR 9,600,000 for the 3-day minimum
      3 studentsIDR 2,400,000/day→ IDR 7,200,000 for the 3-day minimum each
      IDR 3,200,000
      per day
    One centre publishes a price in Philippine Peso.
    • Tech AsiaPhilippines
      TDI Sidemount
      ₱25,950
      total

    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 15 years old (with parental authorization) or 18 years old independently. IANTD Advanced EANx Diver (or equivalent); no extra diving experience required beyond the prerequisite certification.

    Instructors Teaching This Course

    Other locations

    Julian Ledesma

    Dive Centres Offering This Course

    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 IANTD Tek Sidemount Diver

    How much does IANTD Tek Sidemount Diver cost?

    Published prices for IANTD Tek Sidemount Diver range across 5 centres in the TecDiveTools directory — roughly US$550 to US$600 at current exchange rates. In each centre's own currency: THB 19,500–20,000 (4 centres) and €500 (1 centre). 2 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 IANTD Tek Sidemount Diver take?

    Between 3 and 4 days, based on the durations 3 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 IANTD Tek Sidemount Diver?

    IANTD's standards require: Minimum 15 years old (with parental authorization) or 18 years old independently. IANTD Advanced EANx Diver (or equivalent); no extra diving experience required beyond the prerequisite certification.

    What is the minimum age for IANTD Tek Sidemount Diver?

    IANTD's standards state: Minimum 15 years old (with parental authorization) or 18 years old independently.

    What is the equivalent of IANTD Tek Sidemount Diver in other agencies?

    At the same tier in TecDiveTools' cross-agency comparison: SSI XR Extended Range Sidemount, RAID Sidemount, TDI Advanced Sidemount and PADI TecRec Tec Sidemount. They cover comparable training, but each agency sets its own standards, depth limits and certification card, so they are comparable rather than interchangeable — check which one your next course accepts.

    SSI XR Extended Range SidemountRAID SidemountTDI Advanced SidemountPADI TecRec Tec Sidemount

    Where can I take IANTD Tek Sidemount Diver?

    38 dive centres and 57 instructors in the TecDiveTools directory teach IANTD Tek Sidemount Diver, in Mexico, Thailand, the United States and Indonesia. Each is listed further up this page.

    Does the price of IANTD Tek Sidemount Diver 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.

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