Specialty · SSI Recreational Sidemount Diving

Recreational Sidemount
Diving Malta

Mount your cylinders at your sides instead of your back. SSI Recreational Sidemount Diving teaches you a configuration that improves trim, streamlines you through Malta's narrow passages and wreck penetrations, and gives you greater redundancy at depth.

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Certified by SSI

Course Price

^€265+^€94SSI eLearning

Total all-inclusive: €359

✓SSI eLearning licence: €94

✓Course fee inc. full equipment: €265

✓3 open water dives

✓Sidemount equipment provided

✓SSI Recreational Sidemount certification

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Course Overview

What is sidemount diving?

Instead of a single cylinder mounted on your back, sidemount configuration places one or two cylinders along your sides, clipped to the harness at hip and shoulder. Originally developed by cave divers for tight passages, it has been adapted for recreational use.

A more horizontal trim underwater, which reduces drag and improves visibility of depth gauge and console
Access to narrower spaces, useful for wreck penetration and cave environments
Greater gas redundancy when diving with two cylinders
Reduced surface stress: no heavy tank on your back when entering and exiting the water
Single and two-cylinder sidemount configuration within recreational no-decompression limits
Practical advantage at Malta's wreck and cave sites where a lower-profile configuration matters

SSI Recreational Sidemount Diving

diveshack Malta, SSI Diamond ITC

Level Specialty

Certification SSI Recreational Sidemount Diving

Valid Worldwide, lifetime

Min Age 12

Prerequisite Open Water Diver

Max Depth 30m

Medical Mandatory

What You Will Learn

5 academic sessions + 1 confined water + 3 open water dives

The course covers both single and two-cylinder sidemount configuration from setup through to guided dives in Malta's open water sites.

Academic (Online)

Sidemount Theory and Configuration

SSI eLearning: sidemount diving theory
Harness types, cylinder attachment systems, and equipment selection
Differences between single and two-cylinder sidemount
Gas management principles for sidemount configuration
Equipment checks and pre-dive procedures in sidemount

Confined Water

Harness Fitting and Cylinder Skills

Harness fitting and adjustment for correct cylinder position
Cylinder attachment and detachment at surface and underwater
Buoyancy drills in sidemount: achieving horizontal trim
Equipment handling skills: regulator routing, pressure checks
Underwater cylinder management in confined water conditions

Open Water Dives 1 and 2

Sidemount in Open Water

Dive 1: sidemount configuration skills in open water, trim and buoyancy
Dive 2: two-cylinder configuration, gas management, and navigation
Shore entry and exit with sidemount cylinders carried separately
Buoyancy control and neutral trim in sidemount at varying depths
Gas sharing and redundancy procedures with two cylinders

Open Water Dive 3

Skills Consolidation

Longer guided dive in sidemount configuration at a Malta site
Skills consolidation: applying trim, gas management, and navigation together
Instructor assessment and final sign-off
Debrief: equipment setup, technique refinement, and post-course guidance

Malta Context

Why sidemount in Malta?

Malta's dive sites reward sidemount diving in specific and practical ways.

Wreck Penetration

HMS Maori, Um El Faroud, Rozi

Malta's wreck passages benefit directly from a sidemount profile
Lower cylinder position reduces snagging risk in tight corridors
Horizontal trim improves visibility and manoeuvrability inside wrecks
Two-cylinder redundancy adds safety during penetration dives

Sea Caves

Malta's Cave Systems

Malta's cave dive sites reward a low-drag, horizontal trim
Sidemount reduces the overhead profile, opening access to tighter sections
Gas redundancy from two cylinders adds a meaningful safety margin

Deep Walls

Reqqa Point and Similar Sites

Streamlined configuration suits the long wall dives in Malta and Gozo
Better trim means less effort and more stable depth control
Two-cylinder setup provides reserve gas on deeper recreational dives

Shore Entries

Rocky Entry and Exit

Malta's rocky shore entries are easier with cylinders carried separately
No heavy tank on your back when walking over uneven rock surfaces
Cylinders clipped on at the water's edge, reducing fatigue before the dive

Course Structure

Session by session

Session	What happens
Academic (online)	Sidemount theory, configuration options, equipment selection via SSI eLearning
Confined water	Harness fitting, cylinder clipping, buoyancy drills, and equipment handling in controlled conditions
Open water dive 1	Sidemount configuration skills in open water, trim and buoyancy focus
Open water dive 2	Two-cylinder configuration, gas management, and underwater navigation
Open water dive 3	Skills consolidation, longer guided dive in sidemount configuration, final assessment

Prerequisites and Equipment

What you need, what we provide

What you need

SSI Open Water Diver certification, or equivalent from another major agency
Medical clearance (mandatory; diveshack will provide the form)
Experience beyond OWD is recommended: the more dives you have logged, the more you will get from this course
If you have fewer than 20 dives, speak with us first and we will advise the best timing for you

What diveshack provides

Sidemount-compatible harness for the duration of the course
Cylinders configured for sidemount (single and two-cylinder setup)
Regulators and all standard diving equipment
Full guidance on equipment options if you plan to purchase your own rig after certification
No personal sidemount equipment required to take the course

Pricing

Choose your option

Recreational Sidemount Diving Course

^€265+^€94SSI eLearning

Total: €359

✓SSI eLearning licence (€94)
✓Full sidemount equipment
✓Pool session with instructor
✓3 open water dives
✓SSI certification card
✓diveshack instructor

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Private Instruction

^€530+^€94SSI eLearning

Total: €624

✓SSI eLearning licence (€94)
✓Everything in standard course
✓Dedicated one-on-one instructor
✓Flexible scheduling
✓Priority site selection
✓Personalised debrief

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Group Booking

POA

3 or more divers. Contact us for a group rate and flexible scheduling.

✓All equipment included
✓Dedicated instructor
✓Flexible dates
✓SSI certification card

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All prices include VAT · Deposit of 50% required to book your place · Balance due on Day 1

FAQ

Common questions

No. diveshack provides all sidemount equipment for the course, including the harness, cylinders, and regulators configured for sidemount. If you plan to dive sidemount regularly after certification, we can advise on what to buy, but it is not required for the course itself.

Yes. Recreational Sidemount Diving is the recreational-level specialty, covering single and two-cylinder sidemount within recreational limits (no-decompression, 30m max depth). The XR Sidemount course is a technical Extended Range programme with deeper limits and decompression diving. This page covers the recreational version only.

The SSI prerequisite is Open Water Diver certification. However, divers with more logged dives will find the course more rewarding. If you have fewer than 20 dives, speak with us first and we will advise the best timing. Medical clearance is mandatory for all participants.

Practical reasons for recreational divers include easier shore entries on Malta's rocky coastline, better trim on wrecks and in cave passages, and redundant gas with two cylinders. Some divers also find sidemount more comfortable than a back-mounted cylinder. The certification opens wreck and cave penetration opportunities that are more challenging in backmount configuration.

Your SSI Recreational Sidemount certification is recognised worldwide. Divers who want to continue into technical sidemount diving can progress to the SSI XR Sidemount course after meeting the technical prerequisites. The recreational certification also serves as a useful complement to Wreck Diver and other specialty courses.

Cancellations made more than 7 days before the course start date receive a full refund. Cancellations within 7 days are non-refundable, but you can reschedule once at no charge. Cancellations due to weather or sea conditions on the day are always rescheduled at no cost to you.

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Book Recreational Sidemount

Locationdiveshack, Sliema, Malta

Duration2 days, 3 open water dives

Group SizeMax 5 per instructor

Price from€265 course + €94 eLearning

Deposit50% to book your place

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Recreational SidemountDiving Malta