That is a completely different transition, wouldn't you agree yourself?
I wouldn't agree. Equipment is equipment. You learn specific skills and adapt generic skills. You learn set-up, configuration and adaptation. You learn how to apply the necessary protocols.
It's not rocket-science, nor is it miraculous. It's pretty bloody simple stuff.
A basic sidemount course simply adapts OPEN WATER skills to a slightly modified equipment basis. The only addition is the aspect of gas management of two tanks.
A technical sidemount course simply adapts ENTRY-LEVEL TECH skills to a slightly modified equipment basis.
The only issue with zero-to-hero instructors is their lack of familiarity with the equipment - when
all they are supposed to be doing is teaching that equipment. That issue stems mainly from recreational sidemount instructors who lack a technical instructor's expertise and insight into setting-up and configuring equipment; rather than donning and adjusting kit via adjustable buckles.
I know this, because I qualified some of the course directors that now qualify the current generation of sidemount instructors. Those instructor-trainers aren't specialist in sidemount, nor expert in fundamental (tech/overhead) skills,... and they don't dive sidemount as their primary configuration... most dive it only when teaching it (which is very occasionally). It doesn't take a genius to see the breakdown in expertise. They, nonetheless, deliver standard agency course syllabus to the agency specified standards.... but are limited with their equipment and protocol familiarity...especially on the diverse and growing range of sidemount rigs on the market. But they can strap their instructor students into a Hollis SMS50 off-the-shelf and tick all the right boxes.
You seem to view any 'non-elite' sidemount instructor or diver as sub-standard. That's naive. Yes... we have icons like Bogearts, Martin, Dallas etc... who market themselves exceptionally and have elite reputations stemming from cave diving. They charge big-$$$ and provide a syllabus far in excess of the basic requirements. They include, as standard, refined fundamental skills that
compliment the equipment based training... and transition practices and procedures from technical and overhead diving... introducing them at the earliest stages with a 'beginning with the end in mind' philosophy. Sound familiar?
That's a modern trend... a business model that became popular with the success of GUE. It's uncompromising in quality and reflected in cost. It's also a tiny niche market.
Below this we have a scale of instructors... ranging from awesome 'elite' instructors who don't have much time, expertise or interest in social media and internet marketing... down to dedicated 'non-elite' sidemount instructors, through to competent generalist instructors that run good sidemount courses... down to the zero-to-heroes who learned in a few days and dive sidemount only when they have a sidemount student to teach once or twice a year. The further down that scale you slide, the less is provided beyond the bare-bones equipment conversion necessities.
Last, but not least, we have a tiny....and diminishing... minority of instructors who jumped on the band-wagon at an early stage and hopelessly made it up as they went along. They're basically scammers... Their numbers are diminishing for two reasons; firstly because the consumer is better educated about what to expect from sidemount training... and secondly, because even those scammers learn something over time and start getting it right.
I initially learned sidemount from a very elite instructor... Bruce Konefe. He doesn't do a lot of articles, or have time for glamorous YouTube channels and fancy webpages... so people on the fringes won't have heard of him.
He doesn't have 'fan-boys' on chat forums. He is, nonetheless, an elite instructor with staggering amounts of experience at phenomenally high levels of diving; and has taught for decades. There are quite a few like him... 'unsung heros'.... quietly producing the future generations of world-class divers.
That's the
world of sidemount instruction right now. It's varied... it's developing.... and it's not some sort of dark or mysterious art. Simple equipment, basic skills and a growing cadre of developing instructors who teach an eager and increasingly informed demographic of consumers.