I'll let you check it out at pallooza or prior to that if we get together for a dive after I get it.
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Wisconsin Spearo Equipment List
- Thread starterILDiver
- Start date
Thread Status: Hello
, There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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Just a few questions pertaining to equipment. First, how much do I really need to spend on a suit? I have looked at both the $360 suits and the $160 suits and I don't really know what is important. Second, what makes a good pair of fins? Then I was wondering about a float and down flag, cost, style, etc.
Thanks,
Chris
Thanks,
Chris
Come to the Palooza - one of the 3 days. You will learn a ton! Otherwise, I can assist in answering your questions.
A Custom fit suit will fit the best and probably keep you warmest. BUT not necessary. I would say that "I" have a normal shape body (meaning I'm not too fat or too skinny) - so a OFF THE SHELF Suit would fit me fine. If you are super skinny - a custom fit suit would be more ideal - but they cost much more. The suit I've been wearing for the last 5 years is a custom Elios - and has been awesome. But this is the last year, I will be wearing it as it's starting to break down. I've seen $160 suits and they seem to work just fine. The main ingredients you need are OPEN CELL INTERIOR. And since you spearfish mainly - make sure it has a CHEST LOADING PAD.
Get Freediving Fins. They are longer and depending on which one you go with are more efficient. This will make more sense later down the road when you've tried different fins. Yes, Scuba Fins work just fine, but someone with scuba fins is going to use twice the O2 to get to the bottom as compared to someone using freedivng fins. Cressi makes some decent plastic fins for around $100. If you ever go CARBON Fin - it's Amazing the difference.
The state regulations say your flag must be 15"x12" - Tass and I have upgraded our flags to 2' x 3'. The blow up board style seem to be really nice, they can hold all your gear and are Light. I've heard of several people making floats out of 'Boogie Boards' You could use a 1/4" fiberglass pole and buy a large flag relatively cheap ($12) online. You can pick up float lines from just about any dive site/shop. I have a Riffe Torpedo style float (see pic below), I really like it, it works well in the waves/wind. I'm able to bring all the things I need using carabiners. I also have a hard plastic SHARDANA, It's a BEAST! I could hold all my gear and your mothers on it - but if they are waves......... forget about it. You will be getting an extreme workout. It's virtually indestructible. Did I also mention It's for Sale?
$50. Attachments
If you are only using a Pole Spear - then NO. I also forgot to add. CAMO really doesn't play a huge role in your success of spearing fish. It's more on technique and spearfishing skills including breath holds. Granted if you were to wear a bright pink/yellow suit - you may have a better chance at shooting fish, as they would be laughing........hard.
I'd go with something like this: http://www.waterwayfins.com/index.p...&category_id=6&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=4
Fiberglass/carbon fiber fins don't change flex as the water gets colder- a serious issue when diving with plastic fins in Wisconsin. I was always amazed at how soft my Picasso Black Team fins were down in the Caribbean, but stiff as hell when freediving under the ice- or anywhere else during the winter.
Jon
Fiberglass/carbon fiber fins don't change flex as the water gets colder- a serious issue when diving with plastic fins in Wisconsin. I was always amazed at how soft my Picasso Black Team fins were down in the Caribbean, but stiff as hell when freediving under the ice- or anywhere else during the winter.
Jon
5mm was the thickest most of us wore. 55 degree water and we would stay in for 7 - 8 hours. When we did our ice dives we stayed in for about 2 hours in 5mm suits. The nylon exterior suits are more durable, but the smooth skin exterior suits are warmer once out of the water. The nylon holds the water and the wind cools that water. The smooth skin, the water sheds off and the wind has less effect.
Enjoy the water!
Enjoy the water!
Everything Chris (IlDiver) said is spot on.
A 5mm suit is normally more than enough for the dives we do. I've owned both a 7mm suit and a 5mm and suit ended up just using the 5mm suit because even though the other suit is thicker, it couldn't keep my fingers and toes warm enough to stay in the water any longer.
For my hands I've tried mitts, dry gloves, and 5-finger gloves all with about the same success. 3-finger mitts seem to be about the best compromise in terms of dexterity and warmth.
For my feet Ive used any number of different socks. Some with nylon lining and others with open-cell/painted cell inner linings. The open-cell inner linings are by far the warmest option with a 5mm socks being about the best bet. Be very careful when lubing up an open-cell socks as your feet can slide around so much it makes it difficult to walk. I usually never lube up my socks and just count on any reside from my wetsuit legs as being enough to slide them on. Fin footpockets can also make a huge difference. My current favorite footpockets are C-4 Mustang pockets. Prior to that the best pockets for winter diving were Esclapez. I didn't like the Esclapez pockets much for deep diving, but they were hard to beat for winter diving.
The wetsuit itself is best if it's some type of open-cell/painted cell on the inside. Nylon outer certainly lasts longer, but a smooth-skin outer suit just sheds water once you crawl out of the hole (when ice diving) and it dry within minutes. It will keep you warmer when the really cold stuff comes along, but they are much more fragile.
you could buy a 7mm suit if you found one on sale, but the extra weight you need makes them more of a pain in the butt than a 5mm suit. As I said previously, I just have never been able to keep my hands and feet warm enough to justify the extra bulk of the 7mm suit- and I've owned more than a couple of them.
My favorite suits are made by Elios, but I've also owned great suits from Cressi-sub and Picasso. I had a half way decent Esclapez suit that worked for a long time and a newer Esclapez suit that was built decent enough, but I just became allergic to the open-cell inner lining and had to sell it. I now use a couple of Elios suits with black shadow inner lining for much of my diving, as well as a Picasso suit with a gold lining for spearfishing. None of these suits are over 5mm thick.
A few other ways to keep warm include flushing your suit with warm water either before you dive, or halfway through your day. This works well if you're diving off of a boat or through the ice and have a place to keep the jug of hot water that you're using. I always keep a jug of it in my car to flush my suit with after a mid-winter's dive. Sometimes when it's really cold (air temps of -40F) I'll get back to my car and just stick my hands into the water to warm up my fingers enough to work the locks and take off the rest of my gear. If it's a short drive home I'll just throw a towel down on my deat and drive home in my wetsuit. This way I can peel out of my suit in a warm shower at home. IF I'm diving with a group of people I'll just flush the suit and change on the spot because we usually go out for lunch (and beers!:friday) afterwords and walking around in a wetsuit is frowned upon- even in a freewheeling place like Madison.
Jon
A 5mm suit is normally more than enough for the dives we do. I've owned both a 7mm suit and a 5mm and suit ended up just using the 5mm suit because even though the other suit is thicker, it couldn't keep my fingers and toes warm enough to stay in the water any longer.
For my hands I've tried mitts, dry gloves, and 5-finger gloves all with about the same success. 3-finger mitts seem to be about the best compromise in terms of dexterity and warmth.
For my feet Ive used any number of different socks. Some with nylon lining and others with open-cell/painted cell inner linings. The open-cell inner linings are by far the warmest option with a 5mm socks being about the best bet. Be very careful when lubing up an open-cell socks as your feet can slide around so much it makes it difficult to walk. I usually never lube up my socks and just count on any reside from my wetsuit legs as being enough to slide them on. Fin footpockets can also make a huge difference. My current favorite footpockets are C-4 Mustang pockets. Prior to that the best pockets for winter diving were Esclapez. I didn't like the Esclapez pockets much for deep diving, but they were hard to beat for winter diving.
The wetsuit itself is best if it's some type of open-cell/painted cell on the inside. Nylon outer certainly lasts longer, but a smooth-skin outer suit just sheds water once you crawl out of the hole (when ice diving) and it dry within minutes. It will keep you warmer when the really cold stuff comes along, but they are much more fragile.
you could buy a 7mm suit if you found one on sale, but the extra weight you need makes them more of a pain in the butt than a 5mm suit. As I said previously, I just have never been able to keep my hands and feet warm enough to justify the extra bulk of the 7mm suit- and I've owned more than a couple of them.
My favorite suits are made by Elios, but I've also owned great suits from Cressi-sub and Picasso. I had a half way decent Esclapez suit that worked for a long time and a newer Esclapez suit that was built decent enough, but I just became allergic to the open-cell inner lining and had to sell it. I now use a couple of Elios suits with black shadow inner lining for much of my diving, as well as a Picasso suit with a gold lining for spearfishing. None of these suits are over 5mm thick.
A few other ways to keep warm include flushing your suit with warm water either before you dive, or halfway through your day. This works well if you're diving off of a boat or through the ice and have a place to keep the jug of hot water that you're using. I always keep a jug of it in my car to flush my suit with after a mid-winter's dive. Sometimes when it's really cold (air temps of -40F) I'll get back to my car and just stick my hands into the water to warm up my fingers enough to work the locks and take off the rest of my gear. If it's a short drive home I'll just throw a towel down on my deat and drive home in my wetsuit. This way I can peel out of my suit in a warm shower at home. IF I'm diving with a group of people I'll just flush the suit and change on the spot because we usually go out for lunch (and beers!:friday) afterwords and walking around in a wetsuit is frowned upon- even in a freewheeling place like Madison.
Jon
Hi Jon! Thanks for the info on cold water diving - I did not know. I do plan on diving this winter in the Adriatic - I had a 5mm but folks were saying I may need 7. Now I know to just plan on getting out after 2 hours... and to bring some hot water.