Polo Sub wetsuit chest protection?

[Sysbuster]

Hi,

i am going to order my first custom made Polo Sub wetsuit (Lined OpenCell) 3,5 mm for shore spearfishing but i don't
know which type of chest reinforcement i should take. There are 3 possible options:

1) External chest reinforcement
2) Internal chest reinforcement
3) External + Internal chest reinforcement together

So i would love to hear your experience and what you ordered or prefer when loading stronger guns 130cm +.
I tend to take both the external for wetsuit proctection and internal to avoid pain on chest during loading.

What are your thoughts?

Thank you!

 

[Mr. X]

Get both. I didn't realize there was an internal option available. Both my wetsuits have external loading pads. While I consider those essential, I do not consider them adequate.

I used to use a thick sandal sole as a supplementary loading pad strapped to my chest, inside my wetsuit for loading my RA railgun, which had no loading butt. Otherwise, when diving daily for a week, my chest would be bruised black and blue ( I posted an image of it some years ago).

Rob Allen used to sell a strap-on loading pad, perhaps they still do.

But last week, even using my lightweight Omer XXV spearguns, with 16mm bulk rubbers, and extra padding that I glued to their loading butts, they were starting to bruise me. When loading 20mm rubbers, a long speargun or a roller speargun the problem is exacerbated.

So yes, get as much loading padding as you can!

 

[Bill McIntyre]

Get both. I didn't realize there was an internal option available. Both my wetsuits have external loading pads. While I consider those essential, I do not consider them adequate.

I used to use a thick sandal sole as a supplementary loading pad strapped to my chest, inside my wetsuit for loading my RA railgun, which had no loading butt. Otherwise, when diving daily for a week, my chest would be bruised black and blue ( I posted an image of it some years ago).

Rob Allen used to sell a strap-on loading pad, perhaps they still do.

But last week, even using my lightweight Omer XXV spearguns, with 16mm bulk rubbers, and extra padding that I glued to their loading butts, they were starting to bruise me. When loading 20mm rubbers, a long speargun or a roller speargun the problem is exacerbated.

So yes, get as much loading padding as you can!

I have two custom Polosubs, 5.5mm and 3.5mm with the external loading pad and I didn't even know that an internal pad was an option. I think the external is adequate but more padding never hurt. What is totally inadequate are the knee pads. When I climb out onto my swim step it feels like I have no padding at all. It really isn't a pad- its just another layer of hard rubber to protect the suit.

 

[Mr. X]

Yes, the "knee pads" on my Mares wetsuit are just thin, shiny black plastic stuck on, rather than pads. Probably just intended to reduce abrasion/rip damage at a vulnerable spot.

I haven't found knee pads necessary for my shore diving, my Elios wetsuit has no knee pads, just a nylon outer, and has lasted vey well. However, I recall some boat divers consider knee pads important. Some boat divers also prefer fast drying smooth skin wet suits, which have no protective nylon outer. While fast drying is a desirable feature for all, for shore diving around rough rocks, as I often do, I think the protective nylon outer is a more important feature.

 

[Sysbuster]

Alright, thank you! I just ordered my suit with both the internal and external chest reinforcement. Now i have to wait 5 weeks

 

[Bill McIntyre]

Alright, thank you! I just ordered my suit with both the internal and external chest reinforcement. Now i have to wait 5 weeks

This is a bit late, but here is a photo of my Polusub external loading pad on my 3.5 mm suit. And for what its worth, I wore it yesterday in 21° c water and was comfortable.

 

[Brochman]

My wife very kindly bought me a 7.5mm Polosub jacket for winter diving. On arrival it did not have a chest loading pad and I did not like to say anything to her as it was a kind present so I got an Omer loading pad which for £10 works well in comparison to other loading pads that I have had on wetsuits in the past.
Good video on how to fit it also

Omer chest pad reinforcement | Spearfishing UK

The Omer chest pad reinforcement increases the protection for when loading a speargun fitted with rubber bands. The chest pad is very simple and fast to apply. Watch the video below to see how easy it is!

www.spearfishing.co.uk

 

[Mr. X]

That looks like a good pad. In the video, it looked like the guy glued the new pad over an existing lesser pad/patch.

I think my loading pads are too soft/thin. I end with bruises on my sternum when I spear several days in a row, unless I wear a supplementary pad under my wetsuit. And I glued thick pads to the loading butts on 2 of spearguns.

The very brief instructions that came with my Omer XXV spearguns suggests loading them against your belt buckle! I just can't bring myself to do that. It feels unstable and ... A bit too close to "the old home town" as Dave Letterman would say!

 

[Brochman]

That looks like a good pad. In the video, it looked like the guy glued the new pad over an existing lesser pad/patch.

I think my loading pads are too soft/thin. I end with bruises on my sternum when I spear several days in a row, unless I wear a supplementary pad under my wetsuit. And I glued thick pads to the loading butts on 2 of spearguns.

The very brief instructions that came with my Omer XXV spearguns suggests loading them against your belt buckle! I just can't bring myself to do that. It feels unstable and ... A bit too close to "the old home town" as Dave Letterman would say!

I have seen about loading a speargun by placing the butt on one of the dive weights on your weight belt (hip loading) but as you say like with loading on the belt buckle it seems a unstable place to load with the possibility of the speargun slipping. Some sort of non slip method would be safer and what first comes to mind would be a something that the speargun butt could fit into which is fitted on to a weight belt via the belt itself. I have a pair of foot pockets that I cut off an old done for pair of fins so I will cut some grooves on the left and the right side of the for pocket with a Stanley knife for the belt to thread through and see if it works by stopping the butt of the speargun slipping or moving left or right.

Will let you know how it works out as the weather looks calm for this Saturday and there are some nice White Bream around that I want for the freezer.