Sidemount- Principles For Success -

Perform the Snake while standing, then again in the water before descent. The second check is vital because water pressure changes the way hoses lie.

You dive sidemount primarily for redundancy (and secondarily for coolness). But owning two tanks is not the same as being redundant. Success is demonstrated by how you handle a failure.

What if a bolt snap fails and your tank drops to trail behind you by the hose? Sidemount- Principles For Success

Most divers fail here because they spin in circles. The principle is simple: Turn your body to face the problem.

Sidemount was born in caves because it solves one problem better than any other configuration: access to valves. Perform the Snake while standing, then again in

In backmount, a free-flowing left post is a disaster. You cannot reach it. In sidemount, every valve is within 6 inches of your shoulder. But simply being able to reach it is not enough. You need muscle memory.

In backmount, the tank is fixed. In sidemount, the tank is a lever. And levers cause rotation. You dive sidemount primarily for redundancy (and secondarily

If you clip a cylinder to your chest D-ring and bottom clip, but the tank's center of buoyancy is behind your center of gravity, you will roll onto your back (feet up, face to the sky). If it is too far forward, you will pitch head-down.

The solution is the Leaning "L" position. When viewed from the side, your tank should angle slightly back—the valve higher than the boot. Typically, a 5 to 15-degree tilt.