When I started sidemount diving after having done a sidemount specialty course, I found that, although I was able to safely dive in a sidemount configuration, there was still a lot of room for improvement. Searching the internet I found a lot of information, some good, some bad. When I came across sidemounting.com I started watching the free videos and liked them a lot and I purchased access to all the online training videos. They are of excellent quality, breaking down step by step all aspects of sidemount diving and diving in general. Being it the setup of your harness or failure of a high-pressure hose and everything in between. It’s been tried, tested, and discussed. Over the years I’ve been using the videos as a reverence and as way of improving my diving. They enable me to make an educated decision on which way to go when preparing for new things like diving from a rib or using heated undergarments. Thank you.

The most comprehensive and informative online sidemount content library I have come across. Well worth signing up for and running through the wet and dry tutorials. Fantastic job guys. I previously studied online theory elements of TDI OC and CC that we’re delivered via online training, and they don’t compare to what you’ve achieved here. The only thing I can suggest to you as improvements is to just keep doing more of what you are doing.

Hi Steve, 10 days ago I purchased the £25 intro to sidemount course and I'm really enjoying the content. Please email me the voucher code and I will upgrade to a full online course subscription. It really is great learning material and makes all the difference when moving to sidemount. Even for someone like me who has been diving for a long time, it's a pretty steep learning curve. It's actually questionable whether I would have had the confidence to go all in on sidemount without the support of your training videos, even after a 2 day course on holiday. Thanks again

I have to give a shout out to Steve Martin's sidemounting.com online training videos. I really struggled in my Cavern course and was determined to be where I needed to be skills wise before I started cave. Over the summer I would watch one of Steve's videos and then go to the quarry and practice that skill over and over. One day long hose drills, next day valve shut down drills but the most valuable one was the Advanced Buoyancy Control/Lung Volume Training. When I started doing that one it transformed my diving and my RMV plummeted. I was able to move between 12 meters and 18 meters easily using only lung control. Steve you charge way too little for your inline training courses!

Definitely worth every penny!!! Subscribing to your online courses was an eye opener. Best money I ever spent! Very highly recommend Steve's online courses to everyone! Not only for sidemount divers.

You have put a lot of work into your online training mate. It's a great resource, perhaps the most comprehensive online training available in diving, not just sidemount specialism. It's especially valuable for those without access to a legitimate sidemount subject matter expert for training.

After I did my very first sidemount dive it was clear to me that I want to dive deep into this topic. So I was very happy to find sidemounting.com and these videos actually prepared me best for my further training/development in diving. When the Masterclass was launched I was very excited of the new format. Videoing the dialog between Steve and the different divers was a great idea because it makes the videos very vivid. Further there is a lot of information presented comprehensively & efficiently and the audience can build up very quick a good understanding of all the relevant topics. I think the masterclass as well as the other classes are very valuable for new and for experienced divers. I appreciate a lot the work that has been put into these online lessons!

I recently completed the online course - intro to sidemount, which was excellent. This helped me make the switch from single cylinder backmount to sidemount. There were some issues I was unclear on, but after discussing these with Steve, he has now included the donning and doffing cylinders lesson into the intro course which I think nicely completes it. I was very impressed with Steve’s quick response and him actually changing the intro course based on my feedback. I then decided to upgrade and am now progressing through the full side mount online course and am amazed how many little details, I hadn’t even considered, are covered in the very clear and explanatory videos. This online training is going to allow me to enjoy side mount much more as well as making it safer and less stressful. Prior to registering with sidemounting.com, I had been trying to find this information online from various unrelated and incomplete sources. Paying for the full online course has highlighted the issue, that for beginner sidemounters like me, you don’t even know what you don’t know. Just from what I have watched so far, it amazes me how many bad habits I was already developing! I cannot recommend sidemounting.com online training enough.

I very much enjoyed the online Masterclass course. It was nice to be able to access more exclusive material at a budget friendly rate. The brevity of the videos made them easy to follow and made it easy to maintain focus throught the course. In addition it is not daunting to go back and look again at any material since the segments are so short. I did find it tough to hear some of the dialogue occurring in the class at times (I imagine dive shop classrooms do not have the best acoustics for recording!), however subtitles are available so you can read anything that you could not hear. In addition more portions of the video with the presentation as the main screen and the recording of the course as the minor side window would be nice. You did well to mix in portions of the presentation as part of the video together. All in loved the course and hope to see more content or sequels in the future.

This is my second year subscribing to sidemounting.com with Steve Martin. I think that the online training course is an excellent resource, and a great baseline for any diver. Steve, Vas, and Joe do an excellent job of demonstration as well as education and best practices. I was able to acquire my Sidemount certification with Joe Seda, just outside of Gainesville Florida. Steve’s online videos continue to be in my opinion some of the best resources. The Masterclass just covers some of the basics, but there is far more information when you purchase all of the courses, the video demonstration is an excellent way of learning, and when you are implementing some of the courses in the field as well as configuration of your equipment. It really does work. Thank you Steve for your excellent attention to detail. I will continue to subscribe yearly and to share what I’ve learned and the resource wherever I can.

I have recently completed the new online course - Masterclass. I found it to be a great diving and teaching experience concentrated in video lessons. I think it will be very useful for the site 'newcomer' to gain this expertise, to learn various helpful tricks, to get acquainted with the site and the materials offered on it and... then subscribe to one of the training packages and maybe even register for the in-water training 🙂 And for those who already have a subscription to the full sidemount course, the Masterclass can always help refresh their knowledge and even learn something new. I personally really enjoyed the Q&A section because there was new information that I wanted to know. Thank you for this new course and for sidemounting.com in general!

It was clear right from the beginning of the in-water training that Steve and Vas were not instructors just going through the motions to be in the lifestyle, but were master practitioners passionate about transferring their skills on sidemount diving. They were patient and encouraging, and offered personal guidance and feedback during the daily debriefs using video recorded during the training sessions. And as awesome and liberating as the sidemount diving experience can be, the shift in equipment configuration and management requires significant adaptation in both your skill-set and mindset from traditional back-mount scuba. Watching the online training videos on sidemounting.com until I understood the fundamental differences between the two systems was invaluable in preparing me for what to expect in the water, familiarizing me with equipment setup, and aiding in becoming proficient in important procedures. The in-water training sessions were recorded by Steve and Vas in UHD (Ultra High Definition). Looking at the quality of the footage, you would think the camera had been mounted on a gimbal. All the videos and photos were made available to be downloaded through a cloud server. Not only was I able to go back and see what went well and the techniques that needed more working on, I was able to share/upload the content with my family, friends, and social media platforms, garnering some oohs and ahhs. I can say I came out a different diver at the end of the course, and I challenge you to find a better pair of instructors than Steve and Vas. If you think you would benefit from world class sidemount training, good luck reserving a slot when they become available as they fill up fast.

I have enrolled in the sidemounting.com online course for all students (package 2), and it has proven to be incredibly beneficial to me. These courses offered highly detailed explanations covering every aspect of sidemount diving. I discovered certain nuances that I hadn't previously considered, and these were not even addressed by my past instructors. Especially, they were all explained by great videos, not only by texts and photos. The masterclass series serves as a more condensed version of the comprehensive sidemount course. It offers an overarching view of the curriculum, allowing for a quick grasp of the most important concepts. To those who haven't yet enrolled on this platform, I highly recommend taking this Masterclass to gain insight into the breadth of knowledge and expertise this website has to offer. And for those who are already participating in the sidemount courses, this masterclass can serve as a valuable knowledge review. I'm eagerly anticipating the release of more materials and the exploration of various aspects in diving by this website and Steve Martin.

After completing a sidemount course, I was looking for additional study material for a few doubts that I had, after searching the internet and getting a few recommendations I subscribed to sidemounting.com. I was not disappointed! The amount of material and the attention to detail is astonishing! Every single aspect is explained clearly and in HD! My diving has improved significantly thanks to sidemounting.com. I cannot recommend this site enough, also contacting Steve is very easy, quick to reply and always helpful! If you’re looking for the BEST online material on this subject look no further!

Thanks for creating this new online course, I enjoyed the masterclass. I was in the process of getting drysuit certified when you put this out so some of the conversations were very beneficial and more detailed than your other online training materials. I appreciate that you keep adding to the content as I have been a member of your online courses now for just over a year. The material was a great precursor to my training with Joe Seda in Florida. The more I dive sidemount the more I go back to the material and review it with additional experience and I keep getting additional understanding. I look forward to any additional material you put out.

I wanted to learn sidemount diving and decided on your online courses. That was 200 sidemount dives ago. Your videos were the only source I used and most importantly to setup my newly purchased X-Deep wing. I watched and studied all of your videos which helped me immensely. I will NEVER go back-to-back mount. I love the freedom it gives me as a solo diver. If there is an issue with any tank valve or similar issue it is right under my armpit attached by a bungee loop - super easy to diagnose and work with. The diving I can do in currents where I dive the St. Lawrence River in Ottawa Canada, sidemount configuration is so streamlined it makes it child’s play. Anyhow, I just wanted you to know and to thank you for your efforts!

After initially completing the entire online course and then the Sidemount Essentials with Steve, I am now very happy to have booked the online Masterclass. For me, it was a very helpful summary and refresher of what I was allowed to learn a few months earlier. At the same time, I was able to learn a lot of new things that were not covered in the online course (or I had forgotten...). I was looking forward to every single video and used every little gap in everyday life for it. The entertaining clips are ideal for learning something in between and letting it sink in. Regardless of whether you already have previous knowledge or not, I would like to recommend the master class to you 100%. Best regards from Baltic Sea Coast, Germany

I have gone through the online MasterClass, and I am truly impressed on how comprehensive and at the same time concise and relevant it is. Excellent job Steve. I didn’t realize how effective remote online training could be until I watched this MasterClass series. I’m glad I know that it’s this easy and VERY effective. I wished my college courses could have been set up like this 😝. I can appreciate the hours it must have taken to prepare and structure this.

I just completed the online Masterclass, well done my friend! So much valuable information I’m taking away with me! I’m working with a student as we speak and I used the heel touch suggestion. It made such a difference in his buoyancy. Thank you!

Your online training has been BY FAR the best value I have ever spent on diving. Outside of my initial OW instruction (8 weeks, twice a week classroom AND pool before the actual open water) this is the best and most comprehensive scuba training I have had, although I have no complaints there are only 2 in-water courses I'd consider at this point. GUE-Fundamentals and your Sidemount Essentials course. While I would enjoy and learn from both - neither are likely due to cost and time. If I'm ever in Malta..

Hi Steve, when I finished my sidemount course at a diving school at home, I was a little bit disappointed about the harsh way of teaching and a bad handbook (TDI). So, I looked for more and better information and found your online courses. I think they are great and really helped me a lot. Even now I always have points I´m looking for during diving and try to make it better. I have not seen better teaching materials anywhere! I recently got access to the Masterclass and found it very helpful, especially after I have seen already most of your online training videos. I got lots of extra valuable hints within these videos, which made it easier for me to understand, what or how I should do a lot of things. Congratulations to your continued efforts!

I just finished watching the new Masterclass course and I can highly recommend it to all scuba divers. I got lots of new ideas out of it even though I have taken both the sidemount online course and the Sidemount Essentials in-water training, it was fun to see pictures and video of myself included both for good and bad things in the masterclass 🙂 New content like this makes it even easier to keep on subscribing to sidemounting.com

I recently got access to the new Masterclass series and I must say if you want a good return for investment this is the thing worth investing in. It condenses the 20+ years of knowledge Steve has in a 4 hour, well structured, presentation. It can and will fast-track your development as a diver or instructor. Steve explains really well why certain things work or don’t and how you as a diver (or instructor) benefit from that. All of this in a very relatable, clear and concise maner. There is enough details in the sections to benefit from but not too much that is becomes unclear. As a long time subscriber to the online training of Steve you can only benefit from this Masterclass series, I would (and will) strongly recommend this for any diver out there. It is 10 bucks very well spent.

Hi Steve, just finished your Masterclass. Initially the first few videos up to the equipment one I felt could be condensed a bit. Maybe that’s because I’ve seen all your online training videos over the years and know what is coming. From that point on it was classic Steve Martin. As in all your courses, videos are well shot, making the point being made very clear. Demonstrations are well executed at a relaxed pace and therefore are easy to follow. The explanations are delivered at a speed that allows time to assimilate the knowledge without missing the next few sentences. More please!

Hello Steve, I would like to express my gratitude for the Masterclass course. It provided me with a wealth of knowledge and was thoroughly enjoyable. I found myself engrossed in the content, watching all the videos in a single sitting. Despite being an esteemed diving expert, you presented the material in a relatable manner, making it accessible to all. Your teaching style instilled confidence and reassurance. The course offered tremendous value, and I acquired numerous valuable insights to apply on my future dives. Whether someone is a beginner seeking an introduction to diving or an experienced diver looking for a comprehensive review, this Masterclass is suitable for both. If I desire a more in-depth exploration of specific topics, I can always refer to the full training videos. Overall, I am extremely grateful for the knowledge and inspiration gained from this Masterclass, and left me eager to further content. Best regards, Eli

Great new online Masterclass course Steve. It’s courses like this that keep me renewing my subscription. Looking forward to the rest of your 2023 videos. I learn so much and when I put it into practice, other divers comment on my sidemount skills. Thank you!

Thank you Steve for making this !!! I really enjoyed the online Masterclass and making it only 10$ amazing. The best 10$ I ever spent !!!

I have already studied all sidemounting.com online courses and I just finished the new Masterclass course, it's well put together as always with very informative snippets that all divers can learn from; I strongly advise watching it and also investing in any of the other online training courses. Trust me, it will be money we'll spent! Good work as always Steve

Congrats for the release of the Masterclass series. It seems to be a fitting addition to the already vast body of knowledge. I already have all your online courses including instructor series. You keep continue impressing me with the quality of your marketing communication and the efficiency of how you manage your business. The sheer speed of your responses and the quality of preconceived message responses is exemplary. Thank you. Regards Zsolt

I have just finished watching the whole masterclass series. Very interesting in most parts from my point of view. Some new tricks and concepts regarding setting up harnesses like using a special upper plate to attach loop bungee to with XDeep harness has to be tried on the water to feel the effect. Overall, very good work... By the way I am the distributor of Xdeep and other brands in Egypt. I am also an instructor diving sidemount 95% . I honestly and objectively have to say subscribing to your paid videos was the best thing I did to my self and to my students. Great ideas and great tips. Keep up this great work we appreciate it. Best regards, Mohamed

I wanted to let you know how valuable your online classes have been to me. I set up my xDeep stealth tec 2.0 and regulators all according to your videos, and I get compliments on trim quite a bit. I try to record myself as frequently as I can. The way you break down every detail of setting up a sidemount system, every length in CM of bungee/line is great, and it allowed me to have a great starting point. Also, cylinder donning/doffing drills on land to put what each hand did into muscle memory are great. I am in Monterey, CA and very few people dive sidemount here, it is mostly all beach entries here and sometimes big waves and steep drop offs of the sand within feet of shore. Thanks, Chris

First and foremost, your online videos are absolutely fantastic. I naively took the PADI Sidemount course and fell in love with the discipline. Although my instructor was great and had 1-2-1 tuition, I have found your videos have provided so much more insight and act as great reference I keep referring back to! I have active subscription please add the new Masterclass to my courses and I look forward to studying them too. Thank you!

As a current subscriber who has already paid for and watched all of sidemounting.com online training videos, as well as, completed in water sidemount essentials and cavern courses with Steve’s Florida based instructor Joseph Seda, I didn’t think I would get much out of this new Masterclass course. I was wrong! Steve put a lot of his other training videos into perspective, and I learned some new things about what I was previously doing wrong. The explanation on weighting, trim in a drysuit and the harness configuration workshop videos were worth the price of the course by themselves. I am an SSI Assistant Instructor with aspirations of moving further to a full instructor. Videos like this will insure not only that I am successful, but the students will be too.

I have been following Steve's online courses almost from the beginning. There is always something new to learn. The material is very useful and got better and better in time. I see Steve as a leading opinion leader and top influencer of the industry. I use the sidemounting.com online course materials to align myself with the techniques taught in the videos. Therefore I recommend everyone who is into sidemount to keep themselves within the subscription loop. Thanks Steve. So glad to have you around.

I really appreciate the effort you've put into the courses you offer online. Your content is well thought out and easy to follow. I agree online courses are no substitute for in-person training but having the ability to go back and watch a lesson to review concepts/demonstration of skills is a game changer. I currently have the Package 3 subscription and would like to upgrade to Package 1, let me know how I upgrade please and send me my referral coupon code as I have friends to recommend. Thanks Deitrich

Hi Steve - your online training is excellent! I would like to renew/upgrade to package 1 including instructor level lessons please? Your online training material has been my ultimate equipment configuration and handling reference - great repeat viewing value, especially if returning to diving after a break. For me it has made diving sidemount extremely practical (shore, boat, tech and rec) and enjoyable for hundreds of dives- excellent! Thanks, Rob

Love the new chapter selections. This online training course has been fantastic for us. Taught ourselves how to put XDeep system together. No Essentials instructors here in Australia.

Steve / Vas, thank you so much for your online training. Following a back injury I changed from back to sidemount and did a course here in the UK. Whilst the standard of training was OK, in water time was short and I did not get enough practice time on the course to embed the new skills (Im a slow learner!). I have been using your online videos to support my own practice. It is helping with learning transfer but also blending in new skills and understanding. The quality and thoughtfulness of the instruction is amazing. I look forward to benefiting from your expertise face to face one day. Thank you!

People be warned! Sidemounting.com has some seriously excellent videos to help all types of diver improve their skill set and techniques. They are very addictive!! I had an inflator malfunction during my side mount course with SSI... Steve's instruction video on it the same subject which I had watched several times prior, got me out of trouble. I am now in my third year.. and I still refer back to the tutorials alot. You have been warned 🙂

Greetings Everyone. I have found this collection of online training videos to be invaluable in the development and progress of my diving. Thank you for all your great training videos. I have never taken a Sidemount course in person. I learned just from your training and self videos. I am personally have no interest in learning skills for skills sake, but rather I learn skills to make my diving safer, more pleasurable and memorable. Its important to remember that we invest all the money and time and effort to enjoy the ocean.

I took the leap into the online courses having looked at the quality of the free course on Steve’s sidemounting.com pages, and of course, YouTube. I was blown away at how useful they are; how much content there is; how useful as a reference they will be continuing forwards. Although my subscription is coming close to its end, I will be renewing it without hesitation, as I know others have done. Divers I know locally seem to ponder how best to set their sidemount rig up, for say a third cylinder – not me, I just reference Steve’s content and get a solution backed with years of thought and experience – simples! After watching a bunch of hours of content I started to wonder about how I could fit in a Gozo-based Sidemount Essentials course; thinking "maybe one year in the future sometime". I explained it to my wife and she was hugely positive...! This year in September I completed Sidemount Essentials with Steve, enjoyed every minute, and am looking to go back next year for what has been hands-down the best training I have had since first placing a reg in my mouth.

Steve& Vas what a brilliant course I learnt so much with you two. Brilliant mentors with an unprecedented amount of knowledge in sidemount and general diving. Would fully recommend this course to any SM diver from new diver to newly qualified to very experience instructor or no, There’s always something new to learn and these guys are the best to do it with

Update.. I went to Egypt / Soma Bay in September and did some more sidemount dives. Enjoyed it so much. Everything went well, the different entry types, finding the correct weights, regulator setup on standard valves etc. all thanks to your in-water training and online videos. I am so glad that I was able to receive some lessons from you in June. At the moment I am thinking of buying a new drysuit, so that I can dive more often in Germany, we will see 🙂

Hi Steve, First I watched most of your free videos 🙂 Then decided to buy package 2. It's excellent! Very impressed with your thoroughness, and precise explanations. Definitely worth the investment!

I'm a relatively new recreational SM diver, and have benefited tremendously from subscribing to sidemounting.com, a treasure trove of online training resources for SM divers. While my SM instructor was fantastic, it was a lot of info to absorb in a few days. Being able to reference videos and other perspectives has proved to be very valuable. I have no affiliation to the site other than being a paying member.

Sidemounting.com online training is a critical component for all recreational and technical divers. I consider the start of my technical training sidemount essentials, which I did with Joe Seda in Florida, even though I had completed a Tec 40 / sidemount class prior to starting my training with Joe. The online training allowed Joe to focus on the in-water skills development, which was the foundation for cave training and all other technical training including trimix with Vas Proud. The online training shows what all divers should expect from high quality in-water training, and it expedites in-water skill development. My daughter, who is just starting her journey into diving, has watched the backmount diving videos prior to starting open water training, and I am reviewing the instructors videos to make sure I'm the best 'buddy' I can be for her through her training process. I cannot stress enough the importance of these training tools in the safe development of recreational and technical divers. Daniel Glynn (father and cave diver)

I would definitively recommend Steve for all his courses (online videos courses and in-water courses) to anyone seeking the right sidemount training.

I have never tried sidemount before but from studying his online video training, I knew that Steve was the perfect man to teach me and be confident about it. ...And I wasn't wrong! It was truly a life experience week!!! The Sidemount Essentials course has far exceeded my expectations. Steve is a great teacher, has a lot of patience and puts a lot of time and effort in everything he does with his students. Everything is planned and worked with great detail. I found it a memorable and a rewarding experience. The Sidemount Essentials Course transformed my diving. My awareness and skills level under water raised where I never expected in such a short period of time. Everything is in the right place... the harness set up, the weight amount and position, the cylinder trim and your balance in the water. This makes you feel very relaxed, confident and experience the true sidemount set up... and no back pain!!! 🙂 The course was very demanding yet very enjoyable. Every day starts with a theoretical and planning session and ends with a video review about our drills in the water where everything is discussed in great detail. We drained our cylinders every time we went into the water and that's why our learning curve is so high! Everything was done in a relaxed and secure atmosphere yet with extraordinary professionalism. Don't think twice about taking this course with Steve. If you are truly engaged in Sidemount and want to be a great diver, Steve will help you to achieve more than you ever expected!

Hi Steve, I really enjoyed your Sidemount Essentials course in Gozo! Have probably never spend my money on anything better. It made so much fun and I enjoyed every single minute of it. Seeing your dedication and experience is simply amazing. You pay attention to the smallest details and you are always striving to improve things even further. I also love your enthusiasm to capture all those details, new equipment, new methods, hints etc. with the camera to be able to include them in upcoming videos to the benefit of everyone. Speaking of your online training videos I must say that they are a class of its own. They definitely get you well-prepared for the things you need to know during the in-water training and I think that exactly this concept is the key to the steep learning curve because the time underwater can be used efficiently. Thank you so much for everything Steve! Cheers, Nils

I met Steve, a little over 10 years ago when he came to Portugal to teach our staff to Sidemount (at the time it was the early days of Sidemount). I could immediately see his level of enthusiasm, technical ability, and professionalism. That moved to an all-different level with his new website and online training. The contents are so complete either for someone starting, someone experienced and instructors alike. Thanks for all the effort to make sidemount a known and easy way to dive.

First of all, let me say how much the content you have made available has improved my diving and my instruction to other students! I would like to upgrade my online course subscription to Package 1, which includes the instructor material. I'm always looking for other techniques to improve my students' experience when they take training with me. Thank you!

I just want to say, your online training is top notch. I learn something every time I log in. The fact that you go above and beyond to engage with your subscribers only adds to the already incredible value we get from your site. Thank you very much for your time.

Your work is greatly appreciated, started sidemounting with your online videos, completed a speciality course on it and just finished my UTD cave 1 a couple of days ago. Learning from your videos made a massive difference, so hats off Sir. Keep the great content coming 🙂

Hi Steve, I just saw the new chapters you are adding into your online courses. Really like them. Especially helpful, when reviewing videos and searching for just a part in a video. I starting using them as soon as I noticed them. Cheers, Timo

I'm sure you get this all of the time, but I really do appreciate your online videos. I have used them to get my sidemount set up much better, and as an instructor, I have also been able to diagnose student issues and remedy them much more quickly. So, I want to thank you very much for that

Thanks so much to you Steve, and to Vas for your mentoring. Not asking questions and exploring options, tends to put a stop to the progression of safety and growth in diving. I have studied in depth your online teachings for 2 years now and counting. I have practiced and trained muscle memory but most importantly never kept my mouth shut if other divers ask me. The results are incredible as they now see a better way. I must also say that in my 2 years of learning, you were always kind enough to explain, or give me an idea for improvement!!! There is always an opportunity to ask, learn, teach, discuss, and grow. In diving there should be no stupid questions. I’m sure I will open my mouth in future to ask another question!! Lol

Steve/Vas, your instructor series is phenomenal. Please let me be the first to say you are correct in what you say. One can teach themselves how to SM just by watching the videos as I have done. However, I did compromise/sacrifice my learning curve without one of you (SM essentials instructor). It took me almost one year to get pretty good with AL80s. I then took the first level of tech diving a year after that and told my tech instructor I was doing it in SM configuration. I had to tell him I taught myself which he responded with “you most likely will have to take a SM workshop with me depending on how I do on dive one”. After the first dive he said “there is no reason for you to take a class with me”. So your online training is spot on but if I had it to do all over again I would see your guy Joe Seda first. I will, in the future, take the course with him so I can be the best I can be. Regards Tony

Hi Steve, Your tutorials are amazing and are a valuable addition to any instructor’s toolbox. I teach PADI in Cyprus, and I took a few courses trying to master this type of diving that although came from cave diving, became very popular among recreational divers . But I found that only using your technique , I am certifying capable and confident sidemount divers , which , I know, will not be a nightmare for any dive boat and/or Dive guide by using up double the space and needing double the time to kit up. I also know that they will look streamlined underwater and be safe. And it is all due to your structured approach in explaining every aspect of sidemount diving , where configuration is crucial. I would not hesitate to recommend it to any instructor teaching sidemount! Thank you very much !

Thank you for your great work, it is a huge help for everyone getting into the Sidemount world. I recently did a cave sidemount crossover course with Natalie Gibb in Mexico and could join her Training well prepared due to your online resource.

Please send me a renewal code for the Package 1 - Instructor Course. I look forward to enjoying my 5th year with Sidemounting.com. You and your team continue to be a great source of inspiration and guidance! All the best! Scott

Love your vids Steve. I’m in Nova Scotia Canada. Just got my tdi sm cert in August. I bought your online course to supplement my training. It’s helped me a lot! Thank you

Hi Steve, I wanted to thank you for all the sections of the online courses, it was really worth going through all these lessons, I learned more online than I thought. Your well-made videos, actually help me understand a lot of things much faster than from book and other materials. I am planning to repeat the most important lessons before the water course. Regards Rafal

I just have this enlightening experience with your online course. I had few experiences with other instructors in my scuba 'career', but I can honestly say that I never saw such a useful, deep, and practical explanations about how to become a better scuba diver. When I did my PADI AOW training, I was struggling with buoyancy control as I tried to shoot my SMB. I asked my instructor how to improve my buoyancy. He said just practice. He had a good buoyancy control surely, but didn't explain to me about the importance of proper weighting, breath control, etc. Your videos were eye opener. Not to mention that every one of my dive buddy didn't really understand why I wanted to dive sidemount. Even now highly recommended instructors ask me why I dive sm. What is the use of it? Mostly cave divers do it. I am very happy that I did choose sm. It is a different world. Nobody really taught me or checked how I do SM, but many times I dive with others, they mention how good my trim is. I learned everything from your videos, how to setup my equipment, enter or exit water, or solve problems, etc. I hope we can meet sometimes and can have a training together, because I want to improve and help others to become much better, quality divers. I am sure that there many excellent divers and instructors out there, but I am sure that your contribution to the scuba diving society is huge and very important. Thank you for that! Regards, Csaba

Steve, just wanted to thank you for your incredible online Sidemount course. I did my PADI Sidemount training last year but always felt like my XDeep harness setup wasn't streamlined where I wanted it. The instructor was good, but I could tell he did not live and breathe sidemount. At the time I had signed up with your free course system which was helpful but obviously left you wanting more. I am doing my Overhead Environment training this November in Florida and wanted to make sure my skills and setup were up to speed. After watching your entire online course (WOW). I decided to rebuild my XDeep harness setup using all your recommendations. I re-did my entire bungee system, my attachment points, wing, etc... all using your setup. I finally feel my setup is where it needs to be, and I felt very comfortable in the water. So again, thank you. Next is working on all my skills which are much easier to work on now that my harness is setup correctly. Wish I spent the money on your training a year ago. Take care and please keep the updates coming. Thanks, Jason

Two months ago I started my PADI Sidemount specialty and about the same time I enrolled for the Sidemount online training on Sidemounting.com. So far I learned more from the online training videos than what I learned from the PADI specialty course. What I found is that what you learn from the online training is not been taught by your PADI course simply because that’s not part of the course. Things like setting up you cylinders, setting up your Sidemount BCD, deciding the correct bungee lengths, weight checks and placement, plus donning your cylinders when in the water. There is so mush to do, you simply can not teach this in a 3 dive course, the online video’s are a very big help here, and they are a big help during your progress of getting better and more experienced. The biggest mis in my opinion on the PADI Sidemount specialty is that the instructors aren’t really Sidemount divers, they dive with you in back mount dive gear and are not really able to give you feedback on your gear setup. This also affects the ability to do some of the important exercises like out of air procedures with the long hose, if your instructor doesn’t have a long hose, how can they demonstrate the skills I am to do? For now I keep following the online course, occasionally filming myself so I can see how I was doing in the water, then I can correct this on the next dive if needed. I big thanks to the Sidemounting.com instructors for making me a better sidemount diver!

Thanks for creating the online sidemount course! I have found it very helpful and have been diving SM since and loving it! From boats to shore dives your tips really help, even with simple things like stowing your mask in your fins. Please send me the upgrade cost to upgrade to include the technical course subscription?

To my favourite "phantom" mentor and fellow diver that I hope to cross paths with, the further I get into the online Instructor Series, the more I find just how comprehensive it is. Personally, I think both you and Vas did a brilliant job! So far, the only thing I would like to see is STUDENT EVALUATION VIDEOS. Specifically, covering student issues that the two of you have found most challenging to address, along with explanations on the approach that was taken to successfully work through them. Safe travels!

I am really enjoying your online courses. By far the best I have come across, the videos are brilliant. We set up my sidemount system this morning and took a long shore dive. We are in lockdown here so we have limited sites where we can dive. Still, managed 2 hours and 7 minutes average 8 metres. We’ve no sidemount instructor here in Bahrain, so your video training is tremendously helpful. Thank you.

Hi Steve, just to let you know. My wife started watching your online training and she was triggered by your statement “that a diver who made an experience in sidemount diving being perfectly trimmed, will have never felt so stable in the water.” Long story short, I got her in the pool and kitted her up, she now dives sidemount and is fully stoked!

It is definitely a great base of help, knowledge, instruction and inspiration in all fields of diving. Steve is an incredible professional, with an impressive knowledge base and didactics. I'm very grateful for how much I've learned and I'm constantly learning from Side Mount..

Worth every penny. Just finished my side mount training and I was way ahead of the curve because I studied these videos. I had all my gear put together and dry run techniques down before I even got with the trainer. Even if you don't plan on sidemounting, the videos on proper weighting are priceless. Why isn't this stuff standard fare with the training agencies? The back mount and all the tips and trips are excellent as well.

A great resource with thorough explanations, examples, and demonstrations. I will continue to follow these video workshops and updates as I progress through my diving journey.

Thank you for the wealth of training information on sidemount. It is without a doubt the best money and investment I have spent with regards to diving. I have watched all the online videos multiple of times and often go back to certain ones to review on whatever I am working on.

Amazing online series that has been massively beneficial towards my sidemount education. The detail Steve goes into in each video has helped me step my diving up to another level. Thank you!

I would like to thank you for your astonishing work creating training materials, not just for sidemount, but for all divers in general. I belong to those who believe proper training is key to good scuba diving practices, and your online training certainly helps on that front. Philippe, South Korea.

I'm not an instructor, but I'm always looking for new input. I stumpled upon Steve's videos and found them so helpful. The training concept is top notch and I would love to see more instructors following his approach. I started with the backmount package and was so into it from the early beginning that I ended up even booking the instructor package because I couldn't get enough. Now it's time to get into the water as soon as Covid allows it again. The videos have input for any type of diver and describe many basics very clearly and visual, which are too often neglected. Keep up going Steve, I cannot wait for new videos 🤙

I cannot say enough about the online training video series. The quality of the instruction, the level of detail and how much I have learned from them is amazing! Your very clear and simple demonstrations have been an incredible learning experience for me as I continue to work through the 4 training modules. Thank you so much for developing these and I look forward to continued learning in your online program.

I hear you say often, you welcome any feedback. So my feedback is, that I very much appreciate your e-learning platform. I found it, as the best on the market compering by the content. As a teacher, I can imagine how much time does it cost to create valuable training materials. So thank you very much, I am sure I am not the only one you've made a better diver.

I signed up in 2019 for the full program in the search for better ways of side-mount diving (and diving in general). The videos are focussed on a single topic, easy to follow and greatly narrated. Pointed me to a lot of things to learn and maybe even more to unlearn. In 2021 when the instructor series came out I signed up for that as well. Another great series with a treasure trove of information on how to improve the side-mount courses given to students. However, the tips apply to all in-water training courses. Both the regular series and the instructor series are great and improved both my diving as well as my teaching skills.

I have found these online courses to be invaluable in improving my sidemount diving. Sidemount is both skill and equipment intensive. So it is essential to spend a great deal of time in and out of the water to get it right. These courses break down sidemount diving into manageable chunks that really makes them easy to follow and the skills easy to replicate on your own. I have just started to view his instructor series and am already noticing that his videos provide insights that it took me years as an instructor to learn on my own. This program will make better instructors, which will improve the sport. I'm definitely going to find time to take a course from him soon!

Thank you, I upgraded to the instructor series 😉. Sadly, I learned much more in your online courses than in my “live” sidemount course with a SDI/TDI instructor in Egypt. With your latest tutorials it's now much better (especially as you have included more “cold water” details, and I live in Tirol/Austria, where cold water / drysuit is the “normal” setup). Keep going! Günther

I love your videos, far more detailed than a training agency or manufacturer provides.

Love the instructor series so far (have gone most of the material), it is a treasure trove of information and tips on how to conduct the best training you can as an instructor. It helped me redefine some of my teaching techniques, now I will need to practice them.

Due to where I live there are only a handful of sidemount divers living on Borneo island. And the instructor whom I took my sidemount course with is not even a seasoned sidemount diver himself… I did not enjoy diving it during the course and I blamed on the rented BC. It was a vendor who introduced me to check out Steve’s website when I was making purchase of my Xdeep Stealth TEC during my visit to Australia last year. To be honest, I was feeling very reluctant to sign up for Steve’s online workshop at first, as it is very expensive for me especially when I have to convert from my super weak Malaysian Ringgit to British Pounds. It was a leap of faith for me, not knowing how much I could grow from this hefty investment that I have put on an online course. But then, magic started to happen my investment is returning as I have gone deeper and through every chapter. I have setup my harness and rigs as instructed in the video and I remember how I was eager to try it out in the pool. My biggest improvement I’ve took away from Steve’s workshop are my donning and doffing speed, tank trim and my backward finning. 3 months later, during our diving season has reopened, I remember the facial expressions my sidemount instructor had when he saw how efficient and effectively, I could get both my tanks done and jumped into the water waiting for him, and how I could get out of the water as soon as I have surfaced without going through the drama stowing the long hose on the surface. That was our first dive together after 3 months I have taken my sidemount course with him. Yes, my sidemount skills have surpassed my sidemount instructor in merely 3 months time, now how cool is that? 😁 So, if now you are to ask me if it is worth to sign up for Steve’s online courses? I will say F* yeah, don’t hesitate! 🤘🏻 Thank you Steve. C.W.

Course Progress 100% Yeeehaw! 😉 Sidemount, Free Training and Backmount (nearly) is done. Dear Steve, dear Vas, I thank you very much for your work. I really enjoyed the course and although English is not my mother tongue, I was able to follow it very well and understand everything in combination with the videos and photos. Since I’ve booked the whole package, I’m now looking forward to the other courses. However, I am even more looking forward to the In-Water-SM-Course at your location, which will hopefully take place next year. With the previous video course, I can well imagine that the In-Water-Training will be very effective and efficient. Now, I wish you a nice christmas. Greetings from the Baltic Sea coast, Germany. Jan

The best online video training their is, better than most face to face training, although putting into practice with a we’ll qualified sidemount trainer solidifies your training, well done Steve

Wonderful opportunity for all diving enthusiasts in "Sidemount configuration" to learn and refine this excellent technique of immersion made by Steve Martin, True master of this discipline. Steve has prepared for all this promo video that focuses in a few minutes, the essence and the ingenious techniques available on sidemounting.com. Choose the best in this sport and continue your training in the water by visualizing the lesson studied on the "personal device". To all the Sidemounter enthusiasts, to soon. Antonello

Hello Steve, A short feedback. I've bought the on-line course and I've just watched some videos. I'd like to let you know that this is the best and most valuable investment I've made since I'm diving. You have done a great job Steve !!! Thank you. Best regards, Eros Francolini

I recommend Steve Martin's Online Sidemount course to anyone who wants to know anything about sidemount diving, I have benefited greatly from his online course. Even thought I took two physical sidemount courses from deferent instructors, I didn't benefit from them as much as I benefited from Steve's online course. I should say all I know about sidemount Diving I owe it to Steve, and I'm still looking forward to do a physical sidemount course with him.

I signed up for this program with a ton of dives already under my belt, training from top-notch instructors across several different agencies, and had been a dive professional for many years. I thought I was a pretty good diver. But after watching just a few of these videos, I realized that I not only had a lot to learn but a lot to unlearn, as well. To say that this program revolutionized my understanding of diving would be an understatement. To me, it is the most valuable single source of diving information currently in the market, and it just keeps getting better!

I Was on Gozo and training whit vas's and Audrey ind dec and it took my diving ti a whole other level. I definitely want to go back for more training.

I was fortunate enough to be able to take a sidemount class and a full cave class with Steve Martin. I had a subscription to his videos well before the class. The videos were an amazing amount of help for the course as well as practice. Having Steve and his affiliates work with me though these two courses is the best memory I have of any training or experience in diving. If you have the opportunity to work with Steve or any of his sidemount essentials instructors, it will change the way you think, the way you dive, and the way you appreciate those who have truly mastered sidemount at a level that is nearly unparalleled. Erik Augustine SSI Instructor Trainer Advanced Trimix Full Cave

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I subscribed to the online courses and am very happy with the quality and wealth of information in the videos. I recently switched over to the xDeep Stealth Tec harness and followed along with the xDeep specific videos to setup my new harness. Although I still need to make some minor tweaks, I was pleasantly surprised at how good the initial setup turned out. I highly recommend these videos to certified sidemount divers as a supplement to their initial training.

THANK YOU for making sidemount as good as it can get. I dive 5,6 cylinders and i don't miss (i actually sold everything) from my backmount gear. Before you, Sidemount had limitations but now, no more. Thank you.

Wealth of information, meticulous attention to details and great presentation. Thorough explanations not only "how" but also "why" with exhaustive troubleshooting. Mr. Martin established a standard in online diving education in general and sidemount in particular. Must take if you are thinking diver and want to become a better one.

excellent video series on all aspects of sidemount, well worth subscription

I bought the online course. It really helped me in my sidemount education

As a new SIdemount Diver it was kinda hard for me to find good trainings / teachers close to my hometown hrere in Germany. So i was lucky to find Steve Martin online. After wachting just a few of the Sidemount training videos i was able to improve instantly ! This pushed Sidemount to my personal next level! Big thanks to Steve !

If you think your two-dive sidemount specialty makes you a competent SM diver, you should seriously take a look at Steve's online courses. Even in recreational diving, sidemount is much more than just clipping your tanks on the side. Especially if you think that sidemount "just does not feel right", this online course will be eye-opening for you and my money is on your instructor just not being sidemount-competent. Unlike in many other online courses, Steve goes in a great depth of now only explaining WHAT to do, but also WHY and are the implications of each setup/procedure decisions and usually demonstrates everything in the water with his students. I like his no-bullshit approach, especially to basic but often overlooked skills like buoyancy, trim and weighting, which are a must for a competent diver. His video on weighting helped win more than one argument 😀 Even if you are a highly competent diver, you can still learn a lot from his videos and discover new approaches for the way you dive. I myself got very thorough sidemount training in caves of Mexico, but Steve's videos helped me a great deal with the transition to using sidemount with drysuit here in Denmark.

I've won an access to the online course awhile ago and as I'm going through the course at my own pace, I'm learning and honing much through him. Thanks again for the given knowledge.

It is a very helpful set of video training for beginners to advance sidemount diver. Even as an instructor, you can learn something new. Highly recommended to all.

Can't say enough how helpful Steves videos have been. Not just on the side-mount stuff, but throughout his series of skills. He has obviously spent a decent amount of time thinking of how best to present all the information, with plenty of top tips to learn. Whether you are already a skilled diver or new to the sport. There is plenty to gain from diving into his online courses.

One of side mount scuba diving pioneers. I learned lots of skills from his videos.

Amazing videos with a lot of details. Even as a experienced diver you can learn some nice tips and tricks

Got to give a shout out to Benjamin Stanfield for recommending this to me. I have been going through all the videos and learning how I can improve myself in diving whether it's inside the water or outside. I am learning new things and will be using those new skills to train to become a better backmount diver and eventually a great sidemount diving. Keep up the good work.

So great to discover this spéciality! the videos are amazing and inspiring ! Thank you very much Steve Martin from Reunion Island ! 🙂

Great set of videos. Would definitely recommend to all side mount divers. Clear and helpful videos from setting up your rig all the way to technical diving and everything in between. Hopefully will have the change to get in water with Steve in the near future.

Highly recommended to all sidemount divers (whether new, experienced or even instructor) desiring to improve their knowledge & skills, step by step, and at their own pace. Steve, I'm going to renew my subscription!

It's very very valuable for improving my sidemount skills and more importantly, building up a proper and practical sidemount configuration concept as well. I've repeatedly watched the online training videos before every time I drump into the water practicing. You will learn something new after each watching. The investment is worthy and definitely the right choice.

It is the best step by step online training for sidemount diving. I got many useful hints, how to mount tanks, witch have normal valves. Thank you Steve and good look

Hi Steve, I am Chiwon Lee, a professional diver from South Korea. Thanks to your videos, I have learned side mount diving since 2013. You are my great inspiration to upgrade my side mount diving skills. So luckily, I bumped into you at Grand Cenote in Mexico in 2015. I was so glad to meet you although you may not remember me. Anyway, I sincerely appreciate your updates about the side mount diving tips and gears. I definitely highly strongly recommend your videos to others. I really look forward to your forthcoming videos, and I hope to have another chance to meet you in the future. Best, Chiwon

As an aspiring technical and sidemount diver, these videos are invaluable. I found that the trials Steve has gone through show in his experience when guiding students and pros alike. The methods shown are through his extensive experience in water and using his teachings has reduced my learning curve significantly. - P.dauteuil

As a sidemount diver for over ten years and teaching it for over five, I find that there are few great resources to leave a new sidemount diver (ex Student) with once they go it alone. This is where Steve's online courses excel, its literally like having your own dedicated instructor in the room with you. Teaching elements and key points are explained, demonstrated and zoomed in to provide that vital detail that is missing from so many other reference materials. Want to move from Steel tanks to aluminium tanks and don't know how to set them up? There is so much useful information available at such a great price that it really should be in the library of any serious diver wanting to get the best out of their sidemount diving. It is without doubt the best reference that a new or even experienced sidemount diver or instructor could ever have. I recommend it to all my students. Mark Rowe - Dive Pro

Just completed the Sidemount Essentials course in Gozo. An intense, wonderful 5-day programme, professionally led by Steve, supported by Audrey Cudel at Gozo Technical Diving. The course perfectly matches the online video series. Highly recommended to all divers desiring to improve their knowledge & skills.

I bought the videos even though having a couple hundred sidemount dives under my belt, mainly because I was curious since I was always diving the same system and methods since I started and most people I dive with do so as well. The material is well structured and contains a load of information for sidemount beginners. Even for seasoned sidemount divers there are a few interersting points to take away. However if you already experienced the material is a bit slow going and could be more condensed. Some parts could be explained better as to WHY a specific setup is used.

I enrolled in Steve's course a year ago. I went through it and practiced configurations on dryland prior to actually taking an OWSM course in Mexico. I found the training went smoothly and there were no surprises as everything and more is covered in this course. I found it a useful reference afterwards to refresh my knowledge and to fine tune my configuration. I highly recommend it.

The videos are very detailed and comprehensive. There is an endless amount of information and rewatching the videos always reminds me of something more I can do. Great value. Thanks Steve!

Overall very good videos. What I would like is more detailed modification options to other side mount systems than xDeep. For example Apeks WSX in my case. Also I would like to see more different options for cold water diving. Because some of these solutions don't work very well in cold water (+4 °C) with thick under gloves. But very good instructions to every sidemount diver regardless of your level.

I follow Steve since he started to publish video about sidmount. I use this configuretion from 2012 but only when I saw Steve diving I understen how far i was. So, when Steve published his on line video course, I immediately perform it. The course took me step by step in his world and allow me to spend time trying skills instead of looking for the right configuration. Subsequently I started the I follow Steve since he started to publish YouTube videos about sidemount. I use this configuration from 2012 but only when I saw Steve diving I understand how far I was. So, when Steve published his on-line video course, I immediately perform it. The course took me step by step in his world and allow me to spend time trying skills instead of looking for the right configuration. Subsequently I started the technical formation and I get the maximum yield from the course. Another important thing: after the first release I asked Steve by PM and the web to help me in some configurations that had not been treated. Into the second release in 2017 I find all the answers I was looking for. So, I can say that Steve's course is really interactive because he listens to our problems and solve them! Thanks Steve