hey eks,
i will share some of my own experience regarding equipment.
fins - regarding model
- it really depends upon what you want to do with the fins (eg. the type of diving and environments). the stiffness of the fins is another aspect to consider and will often depend upon your size/strength and type of diving. there are lots of personal reviews of all the major types of fins here on db.
- from what i have read, the gara's LD are highly rated by their owners here on db. they are all one peice (the blade cannot be removed from the footpocket) and highly durable, which makes them great if you are doing any shore diving near rocks. these fins are designed to be reasonably soft as i believe the "LD" stands for "long distance" and works well for longer diving sessions vs very stiff fins, which are for specifically competitive style dives (and relatively short dive sessions - your legs will be cramping after a longer session).
- one last thing is that overall it seems to be recommended by most divers to buy softer fins for your first pair (unless of course you are a large person and/or very strong).
fins - size -
- ideally, if you know any freedivers, you want to try out fins of different sizes first. you will want to make sure you can comfortably fit socks. also check out this fin sizing thread
http://forums.deeperblue.net/freedi...l-fin-sizing-thread-please-add-your-info.html
- when i bought my fins, i was unable to first do some try-outs so i did a lot of reading here on db and found divers with similar sized feet. i also ordered a few different thicknesses of socks to aid with adjusting the fit including 3, 5, and 7mm socks---the best fit is with the 5mm but in very cold i can wear the 7mm and in the summer i often end up wearing just the 3mm.
-omer make excellent 3 and 5mm socks that have open cell on the upper parts that creates a tight seal with your suit.
wetsuit
- the most important aspect of a wetsuit to keep you warm is the fit. make sure that the sizing dimensions of the wetsuit will conform to your body. many divers will have perfectly fitting suits from the listed sizes. personally however, i am quite tall but slim build and none of the manufacturers make a wetsuit that fits me----the ones that are tall enough are all too big in the upper body and end up loose-fitting (cold water flushing). i ended up getting a custom-made wetsuit from elios (eliossub.com) and it fits me like a second skin and i stay very warm. do a few searches for elios suits and you will find tons of info.
you will also need a weight belt and weights. make sure to get a rubber weight belt so that it stays snug at depth even as your suit compresses. the amount of weight will vary based on the thickness of wetsuit, your body, your style of diving. generally, with a full wetsuit you will need between 14-24 pounds depending on the above factors.
finally, i would get in touch with some swedish divers and find out what they wear. especially divers who dive in the same waters as you are planning. for example, you may only need to get a 6mm suit? there are tons of swedes here on db. just keep in mind the type of diving these divers are doing---it may differ from what you would like to do thus the equipment demands will also differ (don't just get exactly what they have if it doesn't match with your diving goals).
Fridykning
check out that link to a swedish site - you should be able to get in touch will other divers.
Freediving - articles, courses, news, stories, equipment, inspiration
there are some excellent articles -- including one about ordering eliossub.
cheers and good luck,
sean
vancouver, canada
ps. try contacting cebaztian - who is from sweden....link to his bio
Sebastian
