Corso Sidemount

Sidemount diving at Argentario Divers is offered in a context that goes beyond the recreational application — the centre's technical programme uses sidemount configurations for wreck and cave diving, and the equipment inventory includes three dedicated sidemount kits alongside twinsets and stage cylinders.

The technique involves positioning cylinders along the diver's sides rather than on the back, which improves horizontal trim, reduces drag, and makes it easier to attach and detach cylinders in the water. The centre's text traces the configuration's origins to British cave divers in the 1960s, and that heritage is reflected in how Argentario Divers uses it — as a tool for overhead environments and technical diving, not just a comfort option for recreational divers.

Training takes place in the open water around Porto Ercole, on the same stretches of coast and island approaches the centre uses for its regular dive programme. The Argentario coast's rocky seabed and moderate depth profile suits the confined-space drills that sidemount training requires before moving into more complex environments.

Students who continue into UTD technical courses will encounter sidemount as a standard configuration option. The centre stocks sidemount rental gear for certified users, so the equipment is available beyond the course itself.