Freediving gear for Scuba?

[SangP]

Hi all,

Firstly, I really new to this sport and I usually scuba instead of free diving but I would really like to know the benefits of using free diving equipment for scuba like free diving wetsuits/fins over regular scuba gear.

I’m currently using a Dacor medium shorty but I’m a 181cm, 65kg, 36 inch chest, long limbed, short body asian guy and I find the Dacor a little tight in the crouch due to the shortness of the body length of the wetsuit.

Anyway, I need to first know the correct size for me for companies like Elios, Sporasub and Picasso.

I’ll be using the suit for scuba mostly and need it to be able to handle the harness straps and unfortunate knocks on a dive boat. I need 2 suits, a 3 mm and a 5 mm for tropical to Australian waters.

What suit would you recommend me?
Btw, in real interested in this suit on ebay a sporasub 5.5 camo is it ok?
[ame]http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7133947806[/ame]

Also Elios has these suits on offer but I can't find any info on them.
Arbalete Black Viper 100
Arbalete Viper Elite 55
Arbalete Aspic 2002 55

Are any of these suits suitable...? Sorry for the Pun rofl !

As for fins, I have heard that free diving fins perform so much better than scuba fins especially in air consumption. What free diving fins would be perfect (not too long) and good at the surface too?

Many thanks.

SangP

 

[quasimoto]

well first of all i would like to say that with caution(suits), freediving gear can be fine for most scuba diving. personaly, I do all my scuba diving in a 3mm omer suit, but if you use an apnea suit make sure it is nylon exterior or equivilant, because it will rip much easier scuba diving. As for fins, they are much more powerful then scuba fins, but can also be more clumsy. I found them fine for open water dives, but for tight manouvering in kelp beds and along the bottom i found them MUCh more clumsy and difficult to work with. I use my freediving mask for scuba as well, and theres no reason you shouldnt, as long as your down vision with it lets you see your gear and instruments. i think thats about it, except for maybe weight belts, which i wouldnt see why it would be a problem unless it was marsailles style or if you like integrated belts
hope that helps
rory

 

[feign]

Get a custom fit Elios. It will not cost much more and will be warmer and more comfortable. Get nylon exterior for the durability and opencell inside if you want the best warmth.

 

[SangP]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the prompt replies. The gear I'm currently using is a Backplate/wing BC and I'll be diving around asia mostly and maybe in Australia so a 3mm medium density suit may be all I need for now. I would also like to use this suit for spear fishing and may need some kind of camouflage.

I know I definately need a nylon exterior like Kanoko or Anti Tear with elbow/knee pads. However, I would like not to spend too much on this as I'm kidda streched already.

Elios is a very good choice but I'm worried that expensive is really EXPENSIVE! Elios do not advertise their prices and I'm kidda wary of that.

Anyway, any more info on fins or other advice as I'm interested to get some decent gear.

Best regards.

SangP

 

[Donna]

Elios prices are very reasonable, I didn't find them very expensive at all. Email your requirements to them, tell them what you want it for and they will come back with various options for you, together with prices. There is no obligation to buy at that point....

Good luck

Donna

 

[samdive]

check also where you might be diving. Some scuba boats do not let you wear freediving fins for scuba as they think you will be clumsy and damage the coral. I don't find them that easy to scuba dive in really - good for chasing stuff but clumsy the rest of the time!

 

[SangP]

Hi guys,

Donna, I took sent an email to Elios on what I wanted so I really hope the price isn't too high.

Samdive, I think you are right, for open water dives, these fins will work but for rec diving where there is a possibility of damaging coral or any marine life I'll do anything to avoid it. I'll just rely on my jets, apollos or some of my other scuba fins.

Best regards.

SangP

 

[Noel]

I personally used my long fins for everything. We don't have any coral around here to damage, but we have lots of kelp; I had far more troubles getting open heel scuba fins tangled in kelp than I ever had "maneuvering" my long fins in same. Never had any troubles with the scuba boats either, althout walking on deck in them simply isn't going to happen.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that can't imagine ever going back to shorty "scuba" fins.

 

[island_sands]

i enjoy using my freediving fins for scuba if there's not a lot of people on the boat, and also if i know there's going to be strong currents and we have to leg it to the reef edge.

I use my Sporasub mask as well... despite what people say about vision etc.

I took a guy snorkelling the other day.. he mask was pretty interesting.. apparently he bought it in the 70s!