Spearfishing Wetsuit Guide.

A spearfishing wetsuit have many advantages. Like it can keep you warm in cold water and offer protection from the elements. These wetsuits are designed to offer you warmth and comfort in deep and open waters.

In this spear fishing wetsuit guide, we will learn about spearfishing wetsuits and cover the benefits, materials, design, and a few other things. Keep reading if you want to know how to choose the best spearfishing wetsuit for your conditions.

 

What Are the Benefits of Wearing a Wetsuit?

When you get the required warmth and comfort, you can fully concentrate on your spearfishing skills and fish. As a result, you aren’t distracted as easy and can improve your catch rate.

It is very easy to get distracted on the bottom of the ocean floor waiting for a curious fish to come in and you are freezing. As well as your concentration levels, you won’t dive as deep or hold your breath as long if you are cold. So a wetsuit is vital for cold waters.

While you do need a weight belt to get natural buoyancy with a wetsuit, to help dive down, the suit also helps improve your swimming ability.

You can float more comfortably and if you do get in trouble, you can ditch your weight belt to give you positive buoyancy and float in rough seas. My diving buddy ditched his weight belt in big waves and a rip tide and it probably saved his life when he was snorkeling.

A smooth skin wetsuit can help you free dive and cut through the water easier. Swimming on the surface is also easier with a quality smooth wetsuit.  A lot of open water swimming wetsuits and triathlon wetsuits are designed to glide through the water.

The main benefit of a wetsuit, as mentioned is its protection from the cold.

Even though it might be hot and sunny on the surface, dive several feet down and the water starts getting cold. The wetsuit provides the warming ability so you will not have to be bothered by the cold water.

Have you ever thought of sunburn while you are snorkeling around on the surface, looking for fish or a spot to dive down? Yes, it is easy to get sunburn if you haven’t got a full length wetsuit on. The wettie can protect you from sunburn.

Also, you can get some protection from marine life with a wetsuit on. Some fish can be dangerous, with their razor sharp gill rakers. Even a hard whack from the tail of a strong pelagic fish can hurt.

By wearing a wetsuit, especially full length you can get protection from stinging jellyfish.

I spearfished one day in waters were there were dozens of stingers about, lucky I had a full length wetsuit on and it protected my legs and arms. However, I did get stung on the lip, gee it hurt and swelled up. I couldn’t talk properly for hours.

Another benefit is that you will get protection from rough fish scales and to some extent the fish’s spines. Although there is nothing worse than spearing a fish, then have the fish thrash about close to your body and you put a hole in your new spearfishing wetsuit from the fish spines. Not to mention the cuts and scratches on the suit from their spines and scales.

A wetsuit also shields yourself from rocks, sand, and coral. I know, I said sand? But have you ever been smashed by waves into a sand bank with bare arms and legs, it can hurt.

You can enjoy your spearfishing adventure more if you know you are protected to a certain degree by marine life and the weather. Your wetsuit will take care of the micro climate around you.

 

What Are the Wetsuit Material Options?

When it comes to materials, you can expect a few different types. These are open cell, closed cell, smoothskin, Lycra suits, and thermal wear.

Open Cell: Open cell wetsuits will work as your second skin. You will find it a bit sticky. You can use some lubricants to make it more comfortable. It comes with premium quality and can be super comfortable when used properly.

Closed Cell: Closed cell wetsuit can be a good option for beginners. It is easy to wear and highly durable. You can get the required protection and warmth under the water.

Smoothskin: Smoothskin combines the best qualities of the above two. It will offer you overall protection. You can easily put it and get wind-chill protection. Also, it can dry up quickly.

Lycra Suits: Although not really a wetsuit as such, if you want spearfishing wetsuits for tropical and balmy water, you can go with this one. It can be great for offering the right protection from sun and potential jelly fish. Also, you can put them under the wetsuit as well and are comfortable and you can wear it without using a wetsuit lubricant.

Thermal Wear: Thermal wear offers extra warmth that you can put on under the wetsuit. You can get the best protection in cold water and enjoy your water activities. These are good for adding a little bit of warmth for colder waters or winter spearfishing. While not a substitute for a thicker wetsuit, they are good option for extra layers. The good brands are very thin and well designed for comfort.

If you have experience, you can go with a closed cell spearfishing wetsuit. It does not compress much, and it is less exposed compared to the open cell.

 

What Thicknesses Should the Wetsuit Be?

The thickness will decide the warmth level of your wetsuits. The thickness of wetsuits ranges from 2mm to 7mm. You can even get 8mm thick spearfishing wetsuits for the very cold.

While choosing the thickness level, you will have to understand your diving conditions. The thickness is divided into three main categories. There are the following.

• 1–2 or 2.5mm Wetsuit: You can consider this thickness level for warmer waters such as twenty-four to twenty-eight degrees Celsius. (75.2 – 82.4 Fahrenheit.)

 

• 3-5 mm Wetsuit: This level can be ideal for cooler water such as twelve to twenty-three degrees Celsius. (53.6 – 73.4 Fahrenheit.) A 5mm spearfishing wetsuit is popular for cold waters.

 

• 5mm – 7mm Wetsuit: It can be a perfect choice for much cold water such as six degrees (42.8 Fahrenheit) and also if you stay a very long time spearfishing or deep down.

One drawback for very thick wetsuits is you need a heavier weight belt to achieve natural buoyancy.

The above will depend also on how you operate in the cold. Some people just get cold quickly, others can free dive in a thin wettie and not get cold.

Experience can play apart as well in what thickness wetsuit you need.

For a new diver, they may be apprehensive in the water and use a lot more energy and become colder quicker. A experienced spearfisherman, or should say spearfisherman / woman may be a lot calmer in the water and preserve their energy and warmth more efficiently.

 

What Designs and Features of a Spearfishing Wetsuit Are There?

There are more than hundreds of spearfishing wetsuits in the current market.

Design and features will vary depending on the brand. We can take the example of wetsuits with a hood and without a hood. The benefit of hood attached wetsuits is that they will come with face seals. Therefore, you can expect the best protection for your head. It will keep your body core warmer as well as less water runs in around the neck area of the wettie.

Wetsuits are available with and without long sleeves. Some other features are wrist and ankle seals, chest padding, and farmers’ John bottoms.

There are also anti-wear reinforcements at the wetsuit’s knees and elbows. These features will protect you from corals, rocks, and other hard surfaces. You can consider the one with nylon lining. If you choose a nylon lining, you can wear your suit comfortably even without any lubricant. Padded, abrasive, and slip-resistant padding features can protect you from unfavorable conditions.

A lot of spearfishing wetsuits have chest padding. This is for ease of loading where you place the speargun for loading and can make it more convenient as well.

 

What Spearfishing Brands of Wetsuits Are There?

Many leading wetsuit brands and also spearfishing gear manufactures, also manufacturing spearfishing wetsuits.

The most popular names are Salvimar, Huntmaster, Free Divers, Ocean Hunter, Mares, Cressi, Omar, Adreno, Torelli, Riffe and Picasso.

You can expect some specific features from all these brands. You can go through the features to find the most suitable one depending on your diving conditions.

 

What Colors Do Spearfishing Wetsuits Come In?

I remember the old days, you could get a surfing wetsuit, scuba wetsuit and snorkeling wetsuit in any color you want… as long as it was black, black or black!

Thankfully today, you will find a wide range of colors. You can choose any of your favorite colors or camouflage patterns and design.

Check out the different camo color patterns. For example, you can go with the light brown or green blend camo for ocean diving.

If you love to explore midwater, you can choose blue camo.

If you like to enjoy the rocky terrain, you can go with browns. Divers on the reef can choose a multi-colored suit. These are the preferences. You can certainly go with the one that you find the most suitable.

Some people ask, does a camouflage wetsuit make any difference? For me I think it does as some fish are very visual. But of course staying completely still on the bottom and relaxing is still key for some types of fish.

 

How to Take Care of  Your Spearfishing Wetsuit.

You should maintain your spearfishing wetsuit to boost its durability and performance. Spearfishing wetsuits can easily collect smells and bacteria, so it should clean it after your water adventure. You can simply rinse it off and air it out. Once in a while, you will have to use a wetsuit shampoo to wash your wetsuit.

Make sure that it is completely dry before storing it. Otherwise, the damps wetsuit can get smelly and take a lot of washing to get the smell out.

Visit, How To Wash A Wetsuit for more information on care and maintenance of the wetsuit.

 

Conclusion

The level of the warmth will depend on the material, thickness, and style of your spearfishing wetsuit.

A spearfishing wetsuit can give you a bit more confidence when you are in the water, like buoyancy.

In addition to the above, wetsuits for spearfishing can help protect you from the harsh environment like from reef, coral, and rocks. You also get protection from some marine life and even from the sun.