RAID Sidemount Fundamentals is our sidemount course in Belgium. You learn the foundations of sidemount diving: configuration, trim, buoyancy, finning techniques and gas management. Through e-learning on the RAID learning platform and in-water training with Sidemount Academy, you work toward the RAID Sidemount (Diver) specialty.
Who is this course for?
This course suits recreational and technical divers who want to learn sidemount or strengthen existing sidemount skills. You should adequately master your current configuration and have a solid base in trim and buoyancy. A recognized open water certification or equivalent is the usual starting point; we confirm details when you enroll.
What will you learn?
- Selecting and adjusting sidemount equipment
- Trim, buoyancy and finning techniques in sidemount
- Gas management and critical skills
- Practical scenarios where you apply that knowledge
This course is not a decompression or overhead/cave certification. It focuses on sidemount fundamentals within your existing certification limits.
How is the course structured?
- Online theory: via the RAID learning platform, at your own pace.
- Workshop day: put theory into practice and correctly set up your gear.
- Confined water (4 dives): build buoyancy, trim and finning techniques in controlled water at the municipal pool in Temse or at Wetfun in Limburg.
- Open water (4 dives): refine those techniques in a realistic diving environment, usually Put van Ekeren; other suitable sites in Belgium by agreement.
- Scenarios: within those dives you apply critical skills under changing conditions.
Would you rather train one-on-one with your instructor? That is available on request.
Fundamentals or Basics?
Sidemount Fundamentals builds a solid foundation: buoyancy, trim, finning techniques and critical skills, going beyond an entry-level sidemount introduction.
Sidemount Basics is a shorter path for divers who already have that foundational skill set. We discuss which variant fits during planning.
Equipment
Our instructors help you select and configure sidemount equipment. Whether you train on your own gear or center gear is agreed during planning.
Video: Sidemount fundamentals
Frequently asked questions
How much time should I set aside for the course?
Besides the online theory, which you work through whenever it suits you, the course consists of one workshop day and eight dives in total. We schedule the dates together with you. Every training dive is a proper, full-length dive with plenty of time to practise skills calmly, not a quick twenty-minute dip.
Can I look at the theory before I sign up?
Yes. Once you register with RAID for free, you get access to FREe-Learning and can read the manuals before you buy the course. After purchase, the training materials stay available in your online account for life.
What certification do I get?
Once you have completed the online exams and your instructor has signed off all your skills, you receive an internationally recognized electronic RAID Sidemount Diver certification.
Is sidemount worth it if I don't plan to do technical diving?
Yes. RAID itself describes Sidemount as a recreational specialty, and some divers take it soon after their first open water certification. You are more streamlined in the water, reach your valves and regulators more easily, and carry extra gas with a second, independent breathing system. You also learn to get in and out of the water comfortably with your cylinders.
I already own a sidemount rig. Can I use it?
Yes, you can. Beforehand we check together that your rig is complete and in good condition, so you can start fine-tuning it straight away on the workshop day.
Can I combine this with other RAID courses, and what comes next?
If you want to go deeper, Deep 40 is a logical next step. Heading toward technical diving, you can combine Sidemount with the RAID Decompression Diver course, which requires Deep 40 and Nitrox among other prerequisites. If caves appeal to you later on, RAID offers dedicated cave courses. Each course has its own entry requirements.
