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The Who’s Who of Sidemount

Published

2 years ago

June 16, 2023

InDEPTH

Steve Davis

Steve is the producer and host of the acclaimed podcast, “Speaking Sidemount,” author of the books, “The Canterbury Wreck – A Diver’s Guide” and the eBook, “Sidemount Fundamentals.” He is a specialist sidemount diver/instructor, dives exclusively in sidemount, and is the principal instructor and founder of Sidemount Pros. Steve travels the world diving sidemount in caves, wrecks, and open water. Through Speaking Sidemount Steve’s mission is to share his passion for sidemount diving and provide a medium for the world’s top sidemount divers, instructors, and explorers to share their experiences and thoughts on sidemount diving.

What is sidemount to you?

Sidemount is my configuration of choice and I dive it exclusively. Why? Firstly it’s the feeling of freedom you get with properly setup side-mounted cylinders. They are part of you and you are streamlined and balanced in all orientations. Next, are a few key advantages I feel sidemount gives me; redundancy via two independent cylinders, easy access to my valves, better trim, balance and stability, and lastly, a huge amount of flexibility in how I mange my equipment to and from the water.

Was there an epiphany moment for you with sidemount?

Before I even started sidemount diving, I saw Steve Bogaerts “skills video” filmed at Ponderosa in Mexico. I was mesmerized with how balanced and stable he was in all orientations. I had to have that. The second was when I donned my sidemount system for the first time, also at Ponderosa in Mexico. I remember how easy it felt to fall into trim and how balanced I was. That was it for me, I was hooked.

Any wish for those interested in sidemount?

If I had one wish it is that Sidemount divers seek out good instruction at the beginning of their “journey” and then work at perfecting their diving. You can get a good result very quickly when shown how and with some diligence around doing video reviews of your dives, adjusting your set up to improve it and above all, practicing stability and skills. This will pay big dividends in improving your sidemount diving.

Sidemount and social media, the good the bad and the ugly:

Four years ago when I started the “Speaking Sidemount” podcast, the terrible state of social media commentary was part of my motivation. I knew there was a “rabid” audience for good information about sidemount diving but there was so much negative criticism especially of new sidemount divers, many of whom didn’t know any better. I felt there had to be a way to cut through the dross and give some of the very best sidemount divers and instructors a platform that would really help. My guests and I have regularly called out much of the unnecessary criticism and to be honest, I feel as though this has improved dramatically to where you get a lot less nastiness than before. There’s still some but to a large degree this is also just human nature. Social media now, and maybe it’s just what I see, is a lot more positive and supportive, long may that continue.

Is CCR sidemount the future of diving exploration and why? Is there a negative side?

Certainly, I think CCR Sidemount is the future of cave exploration. The ability to go further without having to stage as many cylinders, the reduction in gas, distance, and time stress, and aspects such as less percolation will make sidemount CCR the right tool for this type of diving. In other environments, it may well be that there are better tools but this will be very much situational and also driven by the explorer’s tool of choice. Is there a negative side? I am not sure there really is, excepting the increased level of diligence required to dive CCR in general.

After speaking to all SM stars through the years, moments and phrases that “stayed” with you.

Wow there are so many:

Steve Bogaerts: “Take the time to build your experience and comfort zone, the caves aren’t going anywhere!”

Tomasz Michura: “Take a camera, record yourself and analyze what you see” – in reference to improving your skills

Richard Harris: “You can learn to enjoy that feeling” in reference to problem solving in zero visibility restrictions

Richard Harris: this time quoting Rick Stanton on what they will face in Thailand… “You’re going to dive into the cave and see the kids, they’ll be all happy and smiley, then you’re going to leave knowing that they are all going to die”

Natalie Gibb: “I teach new sidemount divers how to be still”

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