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My first set of Freedive gear

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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skarz

Rasta Freediver
Mar 4, 2004
199
22
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Hello, i am about to purchase the first freedive gear of my life, and i'm on a very low budget, so this is what im thinking.

*Picasso APNOS, 5mm
*Cressi Superochio mask
*Sporasub H. Dessault Fins
*C4 Mairselles Belt
*Torpedo Float

The last thing i need to get is weights for the belt, but i wasn't sure how many to buy. I'm 5'6", 130 lbs., could i get any suggestions? I'm not sure how many Kg's that would be, but i need to purchase weights too, so i'm open for anything. Thanks
 
Hey Skarz
I just ordered a very similar set of gear !
I ordered:
Cressi Superocchio mask
Sporasub Dessault H. fins
Socks / gloves / knive etc

I already have a belt and it has 3 blocks of lead on it - a total of 12 lbs - I am 6'2'' - no idea what I weigh (13 stone ? or about 90kg ? - no idea).

I tried on the mask after I had ordered it - a friend has one - and it is a good fit. The fins are a good start by all accounts.

Depending on where you dive you may want to get a knife - might save your life one day (uw snags, rescuing turtles etc etc).

The gear you are thinking about seems like a good logical choice. Good luck - Ed
 
Sweet. I'm not really sure how many KG = lbs. ( i shoulda payed attention during class!) so i dont know how much weight to put on my belt. I was thinking of getting a leg or arm knife just incase. The quick-release snap belt looked cool too. Good luck
 
So far I have gotten:

Super occhio mask
Sporasub samaurai snorkel
H Dessault plastic fins
Marseillaise belt

I ordered a 5mm wetsuit from elios which should arrive around the end of June.

I still need to get thick socks to fit into the fins and weights for the belt
 
skarz,
Hey, as far as weight goes I'd get a few 2 lb ders.. if you're a lean 130 w/5mil suit you will probably be good with 4lbs.. if you're a soft 130... maybe 6lbs. Myself, I like to be able to float (at least almost) at the surface so I don't always have to hang on the tube to breath up. and I aim for nuetral somewhere down around 40'... I know you haven't been there, just telling you what I prefer... everyone is probably different. For shallow spearfishing I'll throw on more weight and aim for nuetral at 10' or so.
Super Ochio.. I have one but really prefer my Mares Target over it... might consider that mask too.
Fred
 
so you're suggesting i only have like 4 lbs. on my weightbelt? I thought i would need more than that. I want to be able to just lay on the water, i dont want to have to hold my float.
 
Skarz, you'll like the 5mm apnos, I've got one myself, no complaints at all evn though I've used it twice so far but only to a depth of 25 feet. I'm in Jon's clinic and wil be going to a depth of about 60 feet tommorrow, so I'll have more to say about it then. I did want to warn you though, If you just turned 15, be prepared for a growth spurt and you may grow out of you new wetsuit in a season.
 
yea, i grew 5" inches already this year.... i'm buying it big, so yea it might be loose for this summer, but my parents are both 6', so i've got some room to go. I still need help on weight tho. I know you have to be neutral boyant and all, but how much do you normally wear? Please list weight and how much weight you use on your belt.
 
i'm still working on that, at 25 feet I used about 10 pounds at 60 feet probably 6 should be about right (for me) I'll let you know tommorrow. Also, Im 5-11 and about 205. Where are you getting the suit from? If its from the Scubastore in Spain, you'll be amazed at how fast, mine got here in about 5 days.
 
Ok, i think i'm going to buy 10 pounds, for when i start spearfishing, and i'll use about 6-7 for my dives (i havent gone deeper than 35ft. yet anyhow). How many kg in a pound? Hehe, i should prolly know that, but i dont. I'm ordering all of it from the store here. They have good prices, but shipping is a bitch.
 
I can't quite remember, Jon gave me the sizing, i'd have to go check my PM. I know i'm going to buy it one size bigger than what would fit snug on me now, so i can grow into it. Right now i guess my main thing i need is a weight belt. I have a surfing 3mm shorty, which at least keeps me warm. I also have some junky goggles, fins, and snorkel, which are fine for the depths i can go. I just need a weight belt so i can dive with my wetsuit on :)
 
I wonder if there is some calculator online that takes in all the factors and can estimate weights... would be nice
 
Jimmy
There are so many variables that it isn't possible. The type of rubber varies over a pound. Water density, temperature, body fat, type of suit, preferences, dive depth and most of all, lung size are also variables.
The old rule of thumb is a great place to start, problem is there are many 'rules of thumb'.
10% of body weight,
one kilo per mm of suit
neutral at 30 feet
one meter per second during the glide (my favorite)
equal time up and down on your deepest dive
10% (7.5 for fresh water) and +/- 2.5 for chubby to skinny is a good place to start for 100 foot (30M) max. For very shallow dives, it's probably safer to dive with lungs at less than max than to wear a lot more lead.
Aloha
Bill
 
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Yeah, I know it would be impossible to be exact, but ill have to make one some time that estimates at least somewhat close


Thanks for those tips, good starting place for me
 
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Why do you wear more weights when spearfishing compared to freediving? And if im diving with a pole-spear, would i need as many weights as compared to sitting on the ocean floor waiting with a speargun?
 
Skarz
A freediver starts his glide about 60% of his target. For spearing, you want to start earlier (much earlier in shallow water) so the fish don't see, feel or hear you moving. When you lie on the bottom you want to be negative for the same reason. If you are swimming, a few pounds one way or the other doesn't care and less lead helps on the surface.
Aloha
Bill
 
Get yourself some weights, both 2 and 3 pounders with a 5mil suit you'll want to be able to try different combinations between 12 and 18 pounds. Start with about 10 or 12 pounds and go dive, see how that weight performs. Adjust from there. An Omer 5 mil suit is more buoyant than a Picasso 5mil because the Omer Long John is 5mil all the way through the shoulder straps.

:) Nice choices on all your gear. Good luck.
 
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