Beginner Equipment

[chimppingpong]

Evening everyone.

I'm looking for some help regarding equipment for a beginner. I've spent many a summer holiday, weekend away etc Snorkelling around and completing shallowish dives. As a result I've got a wetsuit, mask, snorkel fins etc. I'm looking at getting more into freediving, currently looking at courses. I'm already aware that my mask, snorkel and fins aren't exactly suited to freediving but am wondering whether the wetsuit will make much of a difference.

Basically I've got a one piece suit (zip up the back). Will a beginner, such as me see/feel much benefit from a two piece custom suit? I'm assuming a two piece will be more streamlined

 

[podge]

Welcome to Deeper Blue.
Have a word with this bloke http://forums.deeperblue.com/members/apneaboy.html
He can offer a freedive course and will put you right and more important on a safe track for better dive experience.
Enjoy the forums.

 

[Simos]

If anything, your suit will be probably what's not suitable for freediving and you'll notice a big difference wearing a freediving suit. If not anything else, you'll probably get rewlly cold in your current suit...

 

[Simos]

By the way, i am not suggesting you go buy a suit - do your course first, find out more about suits, try some on if you can and only then get one...

 

[chimppingpong]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'd better get saving some pennies and get a course sorted.

Thanks again

 

[Mr. X]

Seems like we all start off with one of those surf wetsuits. I guess freedivers don't carry as much weight as spearos - but I would think you'd need to factor in the cost of a weight belt & some weights too.

Taking the training first sounds like a good idea - might well save you time and money (and possibly your life) in the long run. As you've already learnt, experience will improve your understanding of what you need - might as well benefit from the learning of those that have gone before you. DeeperBlue offers freediving training from time to time - some at the Navy submarine training tower in Gosport, so they can get you diving quite deep (and back up again, alive and conscious ). Might also be worth checking out SaltFree on the forum.

 

[Chris_C_NZ]

I'd probably say go join a club before you start shelling out the wonga. If you then decide you like it, you can then decide if you need to upgrade gear.

 

[Simos]

DeeperBlue offers freediving training from time to time - some at the Navy submarine training tower in Gosport, so they can get you diving quite deep (and back up again, alive and conscious ).

Unfortunately I think the SETT has been closed to freedivers etc since the beginning of this year... :-( Someone please prove me wrong on this!

 

[apneaboy]

I'll give you an email for a chat about courses and equipment buddy

steve

 

[spudguncat]

are you wanting to freedive or spearfish???? i was in the same place as you last year. drop me a pm and i will give you unbiased info(my story)

Dont waste your money, keep asking questions on here it costs nowt!

peace

 

[uw_ikarus]

Good idea to join a course. Normally they'll advise you to buy long fins at a reasonable price (like the Cressi Gara - around 80 EUR), a small mask and a two-piece wet suit with a hood. 5 mm is a good choice, works in rather cold waters but doesn't make you suffer in summer. You'll need all this stuff also during the pool sessions (fins for dynamic, wet suit for statics - I feel awfully could during statics without my 5 mm suit). But I guess the instructors will tell you more and give youn som advise where to buy.