Get Clear About the Gear
I get asked freediving gear questions A LOT. Probably more than any other questions around freediving, especially for those looking to enter the underwater world for the first time. In the attempt to streamline any new freediver’s questions around gear, I have done my best to compile a thorough list of the most requested information and general knowledge that we cover in the level 1 class regarding gear. It’s also helpful to have this info before the class so you can prepare. I hope that this will answer any questions you have and the ones you didn’t even know you had.
Necessary Gear
Freediving gear is very specific to the sport. It is different from other water activities, even SCUBA, and every piece of gear is designed with efficiency in mind so that you conserve as much oxygen as possible on your dives. It can be a little tricky to understand why gear is designed the way it is until you start freediving and take a class, but I will do my best to answer the why for each item. If you have a question that isn’t covered in this article, feel free to reach out. I will cover wetsuits, fins, mask, snorkel, weights, belt, gloves and booties. There is also an advanced gear section at the end for those of you looking for dive computers nose clip and lanyard recommendations.
Wetsuit
Freediving wetsuits are not like surf suits. A proper freediving suit generally comes in two pieces, a hooded top and either pants or long-john/jane bottom. Most of the time you will find open cell suits meaning the neoprene is exposed on the inside rather than lined with nylon. This means you will need to lubricate it in order to put it on (more about that in a minute). It sounds like a mess, but it’s much easier to put on than a closed cell (lined with nylon) suit. The benefits of an open cell suit is that it will essentially stick to your skin so it keeps you extra warm. A 3mm open cell suit is about the equivalent to a 4/3 surf suit but is thinner and therefore, you don’t have to wear quite as much weight on your belt which is a good thing. Open cell suits, however, are quite fragile and things like jewelry and fingernails can tear the neoprene so keep that in mind.
The biggest thing that new divers don’t understand is that unlike surfing, you are mostly out in the water relaxing and trying to lower you heart rate. You’re not generating body heat from moving around. Once you begin to shiver, you may be consuming 300% more oxygen from attempting to regulate your temperature. In addition, there is almost always a thermocline just a few meters down which is cold enough to mimic an ice cream headache. For California, most freedivers wear a 5mm open cell year-round and some even 7mm when the water temperature drops in the winter.
Wetsuits range in price from $200 to as much as you want to spend for a custom order, but on average expect to pay about $300 for something of quality. Most dive shops charge a hefty price for their stock so ordering straight from the manufacturer makes it more affordable.
I have worn wetsuits by Mako, Beuchat, and currently wear and recommend BestDive wetsuits. They are by far the most comfortable out of all that I’ve worn, very affordable and have a wide range of colors and stock sizes. Update: Their shipping times have vastly improved and you can now get a 10% discount on your first order through this link or by using the code “Saltwater” at checkout.
Lubricant
Suit lube! As mentioned above, you will need to lubricate your suit in order to put it on. A conditioner-like substance and lots of water (pro-tip, use warm water in the winter) are the two things you will need. As advocates of the ocean, it is imperative that we are mindful of what we put into our suits as that goes into the ocean as well. Avoid anything that isn’t biodegradable or reef safe. I use a biodegradable leave-in conditioner from Stream2Sea by putting it straight onto my skin like lotion, then put water into my suit and swish it around. No need to mix a concoction in a jug as it just wastes a lot of product and ends up in the parking lot. I appreciate Stream2Sea’s products (they have awesome sunscreens as well) because they use sugarcane resin packaging (so less plastic)! The other biodegradable lube that I know of is Shark Snot which is derived from kelp. It does take quite a bit of product to get the same effect, but nothing belongs in the ocean more than kelp!
Bonus: Wetsuit aftercare! To help your suit live a long life, always rinse it well after your dive and dry it inside-out so the open neoprene doesn’t stick together. Once the inside is dry you can flip it right-side out and let the nylon dry. Don’t leave it in the sun or the hot car if you can avoid it.
Fins
Ahh yes, the most asked about of all the pieces of gear. Let me begin by saying that if you are preparing for your first freediving course, snorkeling fins are okay to use. You don’t necessarily need to go out and buy a $200 pair of fins until you know what will suit you the best. Just to prepare you, fins and wetsuit are going to be your big ticket items with fins ranging from the low $100 all the way up to $500+ with the average cost for a decent pair that will last you years is between $200-300.
When we talk about freediving fins, usually we are refering to bi-fins as two fins - one for each foot. We also have a monofin used in freediving, though you’ll tend to see this mostly in the competitive world. Bi-fins have two major components: the blades and the foot pockets. Freediving fins have a closed foot pocket, unlike SCUBA and bodysurfing fins which have an open heel. The reason for this is to maximize the transition of energy. The foot pocket should fit snugly yet comfortably with a sock (see booties below). If the fit is too small your feet will tend to cramp, but if they’re a little too big you can pair them with a set of fin keepers so it’s best to size up if you’re between sizes. When trying them on you’ll want to point your foot as if you’re kicking. There should be a little room, but not much at the top of the ankle.
Blades come in varying stiffness and material, but generally you’ll want a soft blade. Plastic blades are the least expensive and are durable, but they will be more tough on your legs and ankles in particular. The next step up is fiberglass which has much more flexibility (therefore efficiency) as well as durability. Carbon blades are where you’re going to spend the most money (which is definitely worth it if you’re going to be doing a lot of diving) and have become much more durable as well, though they are still fragile so treat them with care.
Many blades come fixed to the foot pocket, generally plastic fins, but if you see a pair of screws on the bottom, your blades can be changed out. This is optimal so that your broken in foot pocket can stay with you as you transition from plastic to fiberglass or carbon. If a blade breaks or cracks you can simply replace the blade. Not all pockets pair with every brand of blade so double check the compatibility before you get a replacement.
Yes, freediving fins are long (and strangers will comment on this all of the time). The standard blade length, not including the foot pocket, is about 80cm. Again, we are all about efficiency and the fins do most of the work for you so they are quite long. I highly recommend Leaderfins as they are great quality, affordable and they have a ton of color and design options to choose from. Their shipping is also super quick, and I’ve had great experiences with them.
Mask
The best mask is one that fits well. When trying on masks, hold it up to your face and inhale through your nose. It should more or less stick to your face if it’s a good seal. From there press in and check for contact points especially between the eyebrows and sides of the nose piece. When you dive the air in your mask will compress and after a few dives you might start to feel these points of contact which can become uncomfortable.
In general, we want a low volume mask, something with a small air space. You will need to equalize a low volume mask less than a snorkeling/SCUBA mask with a large volume. Avoid masks with mirrored or tinted lenses as this becomes a safety issue when your buddy can’t see you eyes.
You will need to treat a new mask as there is a coating on the inside of the glass from the manufacturing process. Some people burn the inside with a lighter, but a more conservative approach is to use a bit of toothpaste and rub it around really well for a few minutes. We’re talking old school Colgate paste, nothing fancy. You’ll still need to use an antifog treatment before your dive each time.
Snorkel
Believe it or not, snorkels are even freediving specific. You will often see snorkels with purge valves or little doodads and accordion mouth pieces, but for freediving you want a simple “J” style snorkel. The extra pieces tend to break and flood the snorkel and all of the extra air space within the components is possibly stagnant air filled with CO2 that we don’t want to breathe before a dive. In addition, since we never dive with a snorkel in our mouth, once you’re diving with a snorkel flapping around in your face you’ll see why less is more when it comes to snorkels.
I would advise something flexible like silicone rather than hard plastic. Plastic snorkel keepers that come with the snorkel or mask like to let go of snorkels on a dive, especially if you have a more slippery snorkel rather than a grippy silicone style. Most dive shops will have the figure eight silicone snorkel keeper that will work much better than the plastic piece.
One of the most important aspects of the snorkel isn’t so much the snorkel itself, but where you attach it to your mask. You will be spending a lot of time on the surface relaxing, looking down and a snorkel that is attached to the side of the mask will have a tendency to sit in the water which is bad. Attaching your snorkel to the back of your mask strap will ensure you are able to breathe air and not take in water while you’re enjoying your relaxation phase of your dive. Personally, I do not use a snorkel keeper at all, but tuck it into one of the back straps of my mask. I haven’t lost one yet.
Weight Belt & Weights
First let’s talk about the weight belt. You want a rubber belt, the stretchier the better. As you dive, your body will be compressed so you want your belt to compress and expand with you. Nylon belts used in SCUBA do not stretch and it will constantly be up in your armpits. You will find the metal buckle closure like a regular belt as well as the plastic tab closure. The better option of the two is the metal buckle for a couple of reasons. The plastic tabs have a tendency to quick release a little too easily and have been known to be lost to the depths of the ocean. Secondly, there is a game-changing attachment that you can get (especially for the ladies) to keep your belt from riding up called a crotch strap. You will need a buckle closure to use one with you belt.
Now for weights. If you are wearing a 5mm open cell suit, the average amount of weight worn on the belt is 12 pounds. Do not go get 3 4lbs weights and call it a day. You will want small increments of weights so that you can evenly distribute them around your belt. It’s also helpful when traveling or switching the amount of neoprene you wear so that you can adjust your weight properly and easily.
The other thing you will notice is weights come in coated and uncoated lead weights. The nice thing about coated weights is that they won’t damage pool or boat decks if you happen to drop one. They also prevent leeching lead into the water (which is something I recently learned) so again, as ocean advocates it’s probably best to find coated weights. Keep in mind that if your belt is extra thick, then opening of the weights might be too tight to loop them on so make sure to try them on your belt before you buy them.
Gloves & Booties
During most of the year, we can get away without using gloves. You will most definitely want them during the cold winter/spring temperatures because you will lose sensation in your hands. There are a lot of gloves out there and it comes down to personal preference so I would just go try some on and see what fits you well.
Booties (socks) are not the hard-sole bottom boots that we see in SCUBA. They are soft and malleable to form with your foot. The Argos 4mm booties are pretty standard in the California community and they last a long time. There is a lot of walking to and from the dive site and I can say that they hold up really well.
Advanced Gear
These are some pieces of gear you might be interested in as you progress as a freediver. Generally, you will not need these items until you are at a level 2 or 3 (AIDA3 & 4) or if you are regularly line diving on your own. I tried to keep this shorter because at this level you should have a better idea of this gear from seeing it around and talking about it within the freediving community.
Dive computer
If you are about to take your level 1 course, do not wear one if you have one. You will be focusing on relaxation and technique rather than numbers. Most new students get too distracted with a dive watch and it takes away from the learning experience. However, you will eventually find a need for a device that will tell you your depth and more importantly, your surface time. Dive computers will enhance your training by giving you feedback on your rate of descent and ascent. You can also set alarms which might serve you in different ways, but I have 2 alarms set: one for when I should begin freefall and one for when I will take my mouthfill. Some divers like to know when they’re about 5m to their target depth, but I don’t generally find that helpful.
There are quite a few options on the market, one of the newer ones being the Atmos Mission series. It was affordable (as dive computers go) when it first came out (I bought mine in 2020 and it was less than $500) and it’s made for freediving but also has SCUBA capabilities if you do both. It looks nice, but it is still a wee bit bulky for my taste. I have since gotten the Garmin Descent G1, a new freediving watch that came out early 2022. It was about the same price as the Mission 1 but has a wider range of capabilities for land activities like any other Garmin. I like its wearability much more as well. It’s a good looking piece of equipment and it’s on my wrist every day. The only downside I have come to find in this one is that it does not calculate your surface intervals like the Mission 1. As a reminder, on a dive above 30m your surface interval is twice your dive time. Below 30m it is the depth/5 turned into minutes. The Descent G1 just lets you know when you have been on the surface for 2 minutes. Honestly, this was my favorite thing about the MIssion 1 and I’m hoping Garmin will have an update for surface intervals one of these days.
Nose Clip
Using a nose clip is really something, especially when doing CNF so that you don’t need to continue to bring your hand to your face to equalize. You will not be wearing a mask, but there’s not much to see anyways. Benefits of the nose clip is as mentioned, not needing a hand to equalize, and also not needing to equalize a mask. You also induce the MDR to a higher degree with your entire face being exposed to water and have a significantly different experience.
Nose clips come in different materials and shapes, and as with most pieces of gear, comes down to a personal preference and fit. I do not find the Octopus original round clips to get a good seal, but the carbon nose clip (elongated shape) fits my face much better. The more you can try out, the better.
Lanyard
When line diving at depth beyond level 1 (20m), in poor visibility or a moderate current, you will be utilizing the lanyard. It is worn on your wrist for CWT, ankle for FIM and a specific belt lanyard and attachment at the waist for CNF. Their purpose is to keep you safely oriented with the line at all times and they all have a quick release in the event it gets stuck. Really the only thing to note here is that some clips sink (metal) and some float (plastic). It comes down to a personal preference of what you prefer.
Final Notes
This was my as honest-as-I-can-be advice based on option with my personal experience and secondhand experience from other freedivers. I am in no way endorsed by any of the mentioned companies and do not receive compensation for mentioning them, but I do use and enjoy their products.
If there is anything I have left out or if you have questions that were not answered by this article, please let me know so I can add to it. Chances are if you have a particular question, someone else probably does as well. I look forward to seeing you out in the water in the best fitting gear for you!
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