PADI Sidemount Diver

Orpheus built their Sidemount programme internally rather than running the PADI template off the shelf. The resident sidemount instructors added proprietary workshops on propulsion techniques and pre-dive safety checks that sit on top of the standard agency requirements — the result is a course that runs five days and four nights rather than the shorter formats common elsewhere.

The format gives students enough time to actually internalise the configuration changes that sidemount demands. Switching from backmount is not just about where the cylinders sit — it changes trim, buoyancy management, how you handle gas switches, and how you move through the water. Five days is long enough for those adjustments to start feeling natural rather than mechanical.

Pre-dive checks in sidemount are more involved than in backmount, and the centre treats this seriously. The workshop component on safety checks is specific to sidemount configurations rather than a generic dive-planning exercise. Propulsion technique work is also included — relevant because poor technique in sidemount tends to show up faster than in backmount given the different drag profile.

The centre markets this course with deliberate intensity ('join the cult'), which reflects the instructors' own investment in the discipline rather than a casual add-on offering. For divers who want to move toward technical diving configurations or simply prefer the sidemount setup for travel, this is one of the more thorough entry points available in Singapore.