Sidemount | Principles For Success Verified ((full))

Sidemount Principles for Success — Verified Techniques from Experienced Divers

Your primary regulator is not yours—it belongs to your teammate in an emergency.

• The Rule: Always know which tank you are breathing and which is your reserve.
• The Standard (Open Water / Cavern): Breathe one tank down to 1/3 of its starting pressure, then switch to the other tank. Breathe the second tank down to 1/3, then return to the first tank (Rock Bottom method).
• The Cave/Wreck Rule (Third’s): Breathe one tank down to 2/3, switch. Breathe the second down to 2/3. Now both have 1/3 left. Turn the dive.
• Verification: At any point in the dive, you can state your current tank pressures and which tank you will switch to next, and you have sufficient gas for you and your team to exit.

In backmount, you can often see your regulators. In sidemount, they are under your arms. Hose routing is not just about aesthetics; it is about life-support functionality. sidemount principles for success verified

Principle 4: The Second-Stage "Trap" (No Hoses Left to Float)

Loop Bungees:

These are the most effective way to maintain upper cylinder hold, keeping the valve close to the armpit. The Rule: Always know which tank you are

• Light signals: O’s, check, ok, problem.
• Touch contact: In zero viz, a hand on the cylinder or shoulder.
• Gas checks: Regular display of SPG to teammate.

Sidemount Success Verified – The 10 Commandments