Sidemount BCD Setup Guide: xDeep, AKUANA & Scubapro Prices
A complete sidemount setup needs three things: a sidemount BCD (a harness and wing built to carry a cylinder along each side of your body instead of on your back), two independent regulators, and a short specialty course to learn to dive it all. We stock complete sidemount systems in Singapore from $800 to $1,250, including both xDeep Stealth 2.0 models, plus preassembled sidemount regulator packages from $1,050; apart from the preorder-only Hollis SMS 100, everything below is on the shelf at our Paya Lebar shop, ready to try on.
Sidemount began as cave diving equipment and has since spread to wrecks, technical diving, and plain recreational diving. This guide explains why divers make the switch, what actually changes in the gear, which harnesses and regulator sets we stock (with real prices from our shelf), and what training you need before your first two-tank dive.
Why do divers switch to sidemount?
In a sidemount configuration the cylinders are clipped to a harness at your sides, under each arm, rather than mounted on your back. That one change buys a list of benefits long enough to explain why the configuration escaped the caves it was invented in:
- True redundancy: two independent cylinders, each with its own regulator, give you a fully redundant gas supply. If one has a problem, you breathe from the other.
- Streamlining and trim: the tanks lie in line with your body, cutting drag, and the configuration helps divers dial in buoyancy quickly and hold a flatter profile in the water.
- Kinder to your back: there is no heavy twinset to stand up under on a rocking boat. Cylinders can be clipped on in the water and handed up before you exit, which is why sidemount is popular with divers who have back problems.
- Everything in front of you: all valves and regulators sit where you can see and reach them, instead of blind behind your head.
- Simpler logistics: single cylinders are far easier to source around the world than manifolded doubles, so a travelling diver can rig sidemount almost anywhere.
The slimmer profile is also what makes sidemount the tool of choice for restrictions, wreck penetration and cave environments, where the configuration originated.
What makes a sidemount BCD different from a normal BCD?
A conventional jacket or wing BCD wraps around a back-mounted tank; our BCD buying guide covers that world. A sidemount BCD strips the idea back to a harness and a wing, then adds the attachment points the tanks need: rear D-rings and a waist rail or butt-plate take the bolt snap at the bottom of each cylinder, while bungee loops secure the cylinder valves up under your armpits. Because the bottom of each tank clips to the harness rather than bolting to a backplate, you can adjust tank position through the dive as gas is consumed and the cylinders ride lighter. Getting that trim right is a large part of what the sidemount course teaches.
Sidemount systems we stock: xDeep, AKUANA and Hollis
These are the harness and wing systems we sell, cheapest first:
| System | Built for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| AKUANA HB training harness | Divers and instructors who adjust the harness often; 35 lb lift, one size fits all | $800 |
| AKUANA HB extreme | Cave divers heading into restrictions, or recreational divers trying the configuration | $870 |
| AKUANA Black Manta | Technical and advanced recreational divers; steel tanks, multi-tank and CCR sidemount | $928 |
| xDeep Stealth 2.0 Classic | The cave-proven original; modular, low-drag profiled wing | $950 |
| xDeep Stealth 2.0 Rec | Recreational sidemount, compact and easy to set up | $990 |
| Hollis SMS 100 | Everything from stages to rebreathers; 52 lb lift, 360 degree wing (preorder, 4 to 6 weeks) | $990 to $1,250 |
Which xDeep Stealth 2.0: Classic or Rec?
The Stealth 2.0 Classic ($950) is the version tested and proven in cave diving: fully modular so you can configure it to your needs, with a profiled wing that decreases drag and eases passing through restrictions. The Stealth 2.0 Rec ($990) is the same materials and attention to detail packaged into a compact, easy-to-use system aimed squarely at recreational sidemount. If cave or serious technical diving is the ambition, buy the Classic and grow into it; if you want sidemount for the trim, redundancy and easier tank handling on ordinary dives, the Rec is the simpler starting point.
The AKUANA and Hollis options
AKUANA covers three price points. The HB training harness ($800) uses separate plates for the shoulder, dorsal, waist and crotch straps, so it re-rigs quickly for divers who adjust their harness often; one size fits all, 35 lb of lift, with a Molle attachment system. The HB extreme ($870) presets D-rings at different points on the waist strap for tank buoyancy and cylinder position control, built for cave divers who want restrictions or recreational divers exploring a new way of diving. The Black Manta ($928), the newest arrival in the shop, is a high-lift, easy-to-adjust BCD for long dives, multi-tank configurations, steel-tank setups and CCR sidemount.
The Hollis SMS 100 ($990 to $1,250) is the do-everything answer: 52 lb of lift and a 360 degree wing that handles beginner through technical diving, stages, rebreathers, even rear-mounted singles. One honest caveat: it is preorder only, with a four to six week wait, so plan around a course date rather than booking one for next weekend.
What goes into a sidemount regulator set?
Two of everything. Each cylinder carries its own complete regulator: its own first stage, its own second stage, its own pressure gauge. Underwater you manage gas by switching between the two tanks to keep their pressures roughly balanced, so both supplies stay usable throughout the dive. The hose lengths are specific to the configuration, which is exactly where self-assembled sets go wrong.
The AKUANA sidemount regulator package ($1,050) solves that by arriving preassembled and tested: two first stages, two second stages, a 200 cm and a 61 cm low-pressure hose, two 15 cm high-pressure hoses, two pressure gauges and the bolt snaps to rig them. For divers who want a premium pairing, the Scubapro Side Mount Regulator Kit ($2,305) teams the MK25 EVO first stage with the venerable G260 second stage, again with the correct hoses from the box, saving the hassle of buying wrong ones. If you would rather understand every component before you commit, our dive regulator guide explains first stages, second stages and gauges in plain English, and the full range lives under regulators, SPGs and hoses.
One accessory worth planning for: a dive computer that can watch both tanks. The Suunto Nautic family supports sidemount with dual wireless transmitters, from the Nautic S ($880) to the Nautic on a bungee strap ($980, usually $1,099). Browse the rest of the range on our Suunto brand page.
What training do you need for sidemount diving?
The PADI Sidemount Diver specialty. Prerequisites are light: a PADI Open Water Diver certification (or a qualifying certification from another agency) and a minimum age of 15. The course runs knowledge development plus four sidemount dives, one in confined water and three in open water within your existing certification limits, and covers two-tank dive planning, gas management, trim and finning technique. Divers heading toward decompression diving take the separate PADI Tec Sidemount Diver course for technical configurations. If you are still mapping the route from Open Water to specialties, our diving courses in Singapore hub lays out the whole ladder.
Is sidemount worth it for recreational divers?
Yes. PADI teaches sidemount as a recreational specialty and pitches the benefits above at ordinary divers, not just cave teams. The strongest recreational cases are divers with back problems who dread carrying a tank across a boat deck, divers who want genuinely redundant gas without the bulk of doubles, and divers chasing the flat, streamlined trim that sidemount encourages. The gear reflects this: the xDeep Stealth 2.0 Rec was designed for exactly this diver, and AKUANA pitches the HB extreme at recreational divers who want to explore a new way of diving.
Be honest with yourself about the alternative, though. If what you actually want is better trim and a cleaner rig on a single back-mounted tank, a backplate and wing BCD gets you most of the way with no new training: the Hollis Backplate Set ($862.50), AKUANA Seal 25lb carbon backplate ($860) and AKUANA Sonic carbon backplate set ($965) all live in our BCD category, and the BCD buying guide compares the styles head to head.
Frequently asked questions
What is a sidemount BCD?
A harness and wing designed to carry cylinders at the diver’s sides instead of on the back. Rear D-rings and a waist rail take each tank’s bottom clip, and bungee loops secure the valves under the arms. We stock sidemount systems from xDeep, AKUANA and Hollis from $800 to $1,250.
Is xDeep available in Singapore?
Yes. We stock the xDeep Stealth 2.0 Classic ($950) and Stealth 2.0 Rec ($990) sidemount systems at 178 Paya Lebar Road, so you can try the harness on before buying rather than guessing your size online.
Do I need two regulators for sidemount?
Yes. Each cylinder carries its own complete first stage, second stage and pressure gauge, which is what makes the gas supply fully redundant. The preassembled AKUANA sidemount package ($1,050) includes both sets with the correct hose lengths; you can also build a set from components in our regulators and hoses range.
What does the PADI Sidemount Diver course involve?
Knowledge development plus four sidemount dives: one in confined water and three in open water. You need a PADI Open Water certification (or equivalent) and to be at least 15. The course covers two-tank planning, gas management, trim and finning technique.
Is sidemount only for cave and technical divers?
No. Sidemount originated in caves, but PADI teaches a recreational sidemount specialty, and the benefits (redundant gas, easier tank handling, flatter trim) apply on ordinary reef and wreck dives. Systems like the xDeep Stealth 2.0 Rec are designed for exactly that diver.
Do you stock Scubapro sidemount gear?
Yes: the Scubapro Side Mount Diving Regulator Kit ($2,305) pairs the MK25 EVO first stage with the G260 second stage, with the correct sidemount hoses included so nothing needs swapping.
Which dive computer works with sidemount?
The Suunto Nautic S ($880) and Nautic ($980 on a bungee strap) both support sidemount diving with dual wireless transmitters, so the computer can monitor the pressure in both cylinders at once.
The fastest way to get sidemount right is to put the harness on with someone who dives one. Every in-stock system above can be tried, fitted and rigged at 178 Paya Lebar Road, #03-03; browse live stock in the BCD and sidemount category, or WhatsApp us at 9800 0539 with the diving you have in mind. Orders over $50 ship free and tracked anywhere in Singapore.