Nico Dives Cool Bali

Why Start Your Technical Diving Journey in Bali?

Are you ready to push beyond the limits of recreational diving? Whether you are already committed to the path or still wondering if Technical Diving is the right move for you, there is no better place to start than right here in Bali.

Bali - More Than a Destination: a global center for technical diving excellence

Bali isn’t just a tropical holiday spot; it is a global center for technical diving excellence. The island offers a world-class infrastructure designed to make “learning the hard stuff” not only manageable but genuinely enjoyable. From the calm, shallow bays of Tulamben, Amed or Padang Bai to the impressive, steer drop off and walls in Candidasa and Nusa Penida, Bali has the perfect underwater topography for a technical “ladder”.

At Nico Dives Cool Bali, we complete this experience by providing the precision of specialized gas-blending and the mentorship of Bali’s most experienced instructors. We’ve got you covered every step of the way, ensuring your equipment, your gases, and your skills meet the highest global standards.

Why Do Divers "Go Tech"?

Most divers who transition to technical diving do so for three core reasons:

• Exploration: To reach the “untouched” wrecks and reefs that sit silently beyond the 40-meter mark.
• Personal Mastery: To achieve elite-level buoyancy, precision propulsion, and a deeper understanding of dive theory.
• Science & Research: To stay longer and deeper, documenting marine life and environments that few humans ever see.

The "Zen" of the Technical Mindset

There is a unique mental shift that happens when you transition to tech. When you are underwater with a twinset and stage tanks, the outside world disappears. Every breath is calculated, every movement is purposeful. This level of focus creates a “flow state”—a disciplined, meditative experience that is far more profound than standard recreational diving.

The Foundations: Why We Start with the "XR Foundations" Course

Before we go deep, we build the platform. Our SSI XR Foundations programs are designed to give you the ultimate “Intro to Tech” experience. Using a twinset (backmount doubles), or Sidemount configuration, we focus on:

• Perfecting your trim and “rock-solid” buoyancy.
• Mastering the gas management.
• Building the “muscle memory” needed for complex problem-solving.

How to start ?

Twinsets Extended Range Foundations or Sidemount Extended Range Foundations?

Deciding between Twinset XR Foundations and Sidemount XR Foundations really depends on your ultimate goal.

Here is a breakdown to help you choose the best starting point for your technical journey.

1. Twinsets XR Foundations:

Think of this as a “Tech Diving” workshop. It is designed to teach you how to use a twinset configuration and bring your skills to a technical standard.

• The Focus: Mastery of buoyancy, perfect horizontal trim, and precise propulsion (back-kick, helicopter turns) and basic tech diving skills.
• The Gear: You will learn how to use and set up a twinset configuration + a stage decompression cylinder on your side.
• Why start here? Most recreational divers are already used to having a cylinder on their back. Moving to a twinset is a “scaled-up” version of what you already know.The twinset is the “global standard” for technical diving. Gaz sharing, positioning and emergency responses are predictable in a twinset configuration.
Best for: If you want a standardized and “easier to master” entry into the world of technical diving, twinset is usually the better foundation.

2. Sidemount XR Foundations:

This course is about mastering the sidemount system itself, specifically for technical applications.

• The Focus: Learning how to rig tanks, manage gas from independent cylinders (regulator switching), and handle a “stage” or decompression cylinder on your side.
The Gear: You will learn how to use and set up a sidemount harness and three cylinders.
• Why start here? If you already know 100% that you want to be a sidemount technical diver (perhaps for cave diving or back comfort), you can jump straight into this. It covers the basics of the configuration and prepares you for decompression diving in that specific configuration.
• Best for: Divers who are committed to the sidemount style and want to learn how to manage multiple tanks immediately.

Comparison at a Glance

Feature	Twinset XR Foundations	Sidemount XR Foundations
Gas Management	Simple (manifolded)	Active (regulator switching)
Course Prerequisites	OWD + 24 dives	OWD + 24 dives
Learning Curve	Faster for most divers	Steeper (requires more "tuning")
Best For...	Deep wrecks, boat diving, team diving	Caves, tight wrecks, shore entries
Course Environment	Confined water (Pool/Shallow)	Confined + Open Water dives

Our Recommendation

Start with Twinset XR Foundations if:

You want to build the “muscle memory” of technical diving first. It is much easier to learn to handle two tanks in backmount and work on perfect buoyancy without having to fight your trim while reaching for valves.

Start with Sidemount XR Foundations if:

You have back issues that make wearing a tank on your back painful, or if you are an avid sidemount diver and want to build your XR path in sidemount configuration.

Pro Tip: Many top-tier instructors actually recommend doing Twinset XR Foundations (backmount) first to get your skills dialed in, and then taking XR

Sidemount later as a “side-grade.” This gives you the versatility to dive both systems.

Your next SSI Extended Range Course

After you complete SSI Twinset XR Foundations/ SSI Sidemount XR Foundations, your path into the world of technical diving becomes more about depth and decompression.

Since you now have the fundamental “technical skills” (trim, buoyancy, and finning) dialed in, the logical next step is to choose your depth and decompression limit

The Logical Next Step: SSI Extended Range 40 or SSI Extended Range 45 (Air / Trimix)

This is the core program that transitions you from recreational “No-Stop” diving to decompression diving. You typically choose one of three levels depending on your local conditions and goals:

• Extended Range 40:
- • What you learn: Your first taste of decompression. You’ll learn to plan and execute dives to 40m with a maximum of 15 minutes of accelerated decompression using gaz mix up to 100% oxygen.
• Extended Range 45 Air / Trimix :
- • What you learn: This extends your limit to 45m and allows up to 25 minutes of accelerated decompression using gaz mix up to 100% oxygen.
- • The “Trimix” edge: Optional – Using a Trimix blend (adding Helium) at these depths keeps your head clear by reducing nitrogen narcosis, making the dive much safer and more enjoyable.

Differences between XR 40 and XR 45

The main difference between the SSI Extended Range 40 and the SSI Extended Range 45 is the “stepping stone” nature of the courses. While both introduce you to technical decompression diving, the 45m course allows for greater depth, longer decompression times, and the option to use Trimix.

Think of the 40m program as an “entry-level” tech course and the 45m program as the full foundational technical diving certification.

Feature	Extended Range 40	Extended Range 45
Max Depth	40 meters (130 feet)	45 meters (145 feet)
Max Deco Time	15 minutes	25 minutes
Gases Used	Air / Nitrox (up to 40%)	Air / Nitrox / Limited Trimix
Deco Gas	Up to 100% Oxygen (1 Stage)	Up to 100% Oxygen (1 Stage)
Logged Dives Req.	24 dives	50 dives
Equipment	Twinset or Sidemount	Twinset or Sidemount

Which one should you choose?

• Choose SSI Extended Range 40 if you want to dip your toes into technical diving, learn how to handle a stage cylinder (deco tank), and don’t feel the need to go deeper than 40m yet.
• Choose SSI Extended Range 45 if you are serious about technical diving and want a certification that serves as the “gold standard” prerequisite for moving into Technical Extended Range 60 or Hypoxic Trimix 100.