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Recreational divers learn to set up equipment and dive with one tank attached to their back but is this the best way to dive? No longer solely the realm of techie cave divers, sidemount diving is becoming more and more popular with divers discovering the benefits of diving with a tank carried on each side of the body.

Diving with a sidemount configuration improves position and streamlining, offers more air due to having a double tank capacity and improves safety as the air source is redundant. Better positioning in the water reduces fatigue, stress and drag, which in turn improves air consumption and makes the dive more enjoyable. The benefits are apparent on land too – have you ever noticed that when standing up in scuba gear you need to lean forward to counteract the weight of the tank and prevent yourself from toppling over backwards? With the tanks at your sides you can stand upright, you can easily clip them on and off to allow for water entry and exit to be tank free if desired.

Let us know in the comments below if you’ve tried sidemount diving and what your impressions were.

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Euro-Divers Egypt is pleased to be able to offer Open Water Divers who are aged 15 years and over, the Sidemount Diver course. The course includes learning how to: assemble and configure sidemount scuba diving equipment. Trim your weight system and sidemount gear so you’re perfectly balanced in the water. Manage gas by switching second stages as planned, if wearing two cylinders. Respond correctly to potential problems when sidemount diving.

If you’ll be staying with us at Utopia Beach Club in Egypt’s southern Red Sea, come and find out more during our sidemount diving week from 21st October 2022.

The sidemount week will be presented by Marcel Schmid from sidemount-kurse.com. There will be evening presentations about sidemount diving, where it comes from, different styles, techniques and systems. Marcel will have different systems with him to introduce advantages and disadvantages of each. Guests will be able to book a try dive with sidemount equipment, and those who are already sidemount divers can book a ‘trim dive’ to perfect their technique.