There are several modalities where the use of neoprene spearfishing wetsuits is common, therefore each discipline will have its specific suit. Normally for free diving, one-piece suits are used. That is, the suit would be long-sleeved and ankle-length legs. If you want to practice underwater fishing, as a general rule, 2-piece suits are used for greater mobility. Composed of ankle-length trousers, sometimes in the form of a “jumpsuit” and a long-sleeved jacket with a hood, this suit model provides greater warmth with double protection in the middle of the body as well as greater flexibility. Most spearfishing wetsuits are two-piece and come with an added loading pad on the chest for loading large spearguns.
This article will help you to choose the spearfishing wetsuit that best suits you, taking into account the environment, activity, color, density, size, etc. Although sometimes diving suits are not necessary for all marine environments, it is a fundamental part if you want to be well equipped on your fishing or diving days. Spearfishing wetsuits provide warmth in cold waters, and more importantly, they provide us with protection from the general environment.
Spearfishing wetsuits also protect us against jellyfish stings, rocks, vegetation, coral reefs, etc. They are useful to protect us against the sun’s rays on your backs when we dive a few meters deep. And last but not least, most of the special suits for spearfishing come equipped with an additional padded area on the chest that will be very important to be able to load speargun with greater strength and comfort. We will discuss different types of spearfishing wetsuits that we can find on the market in terms of materials, use, and types.
Characteristics and types of wetsuits for diving
There are several modes where the use of neoprene suits is common, therefore each discipline will have its specific suit. Normally for free diving, one-piece suits are used. That is, the suit would be long-sleeved and ankle-length legs. If you want to practice underwater fishing, as a general rule, 2-piece spearfishing wetsuits are used for greater mobility. Composed of ankle-length trousers, sometimes in the form of a “jumpsuit” and a long-sleeved jacket with a hood, this suit model provides greater warmth with double protection in the middle of the body as well as greater flexibility. Most spearfishing-specific suits are two-piece and come with an added loading pad on the chest for loading large spearguns.
Best materials for spearfishing wetsuit
Neoprene is used to manufacture spearfishing wetsuits. It is an elastic and waterproof material. Wetsuits can be of 3 types, closed cell, open cell neoprene, and Lycra. Wetsuits generally have a nylon outer layer, but the most efficient types have a smooth rubber layer that is commonly known as “Chicle”.
Closed Cell Neoprene: The most common of the three mentioned, these spearfishing wetsuits are easily identifiable by their rigid rubber nature. They are less expensive and longer-lasting suits than open cell suits, but they have several disadvantages. Closed cell suits are much more difficult to don and doff, are less efficient at insulation, and can be slightly abrasive during long diving or spearfishing sessions.
Open cell neoprene: Better than the previous option and of higher quality, these suits are much softer and more flexible than closed cell spearfishing wetsuits. The softness and stretch properties of open cell suits allow them to adhere to the diver’s body providing greater insulation efficiency, having minimal skin abrasion, and containing an excellent range of motion. Open cell suits require soapy water to put on, but this makes wearing them much less effortful. The downsides of open cell spearfishing wetsuits would be their cost and delicacy. They are more expensive than closed cells and their softness makes them much more susceptible to damage from sharp or abrasive surfaces.
Lycra: These spearfishing wetsuits are commonly known as “Skins” and are only useful in warm waters. They provide a very thin layer of protection that protects from the sun and stinging organisms, although they do not provide any type of thermal insulation. These wetsuits do not usually come equipped with load-bearing pads for chest protection when loading a speargun and are mostly used for snorkeling, surfing, windsurfing, etc.
Thickness of the spearfishing wetsuit
There are three main categories for thickness based on water temperature:
Neoprene suits for hot waters: Thickness from 1 mm to 1.5 mm
Neoprene suits for moderate waters: Thickness from 3 mm to 5 mm
Neoprene wetsuits for cold waters: Thickness from 7 mm onwards
As expected, the thicker the wetsuit, the greater the insulating capacity. The disadvantage is decreased mobility. There are suits that use a mixture of various thicknesses to increase the insulation capacity with a minimum impact on your mobility in the water. An example might be a suit labeled 7-5mm. A suit like this can be 7mm thick in the torso or jacket and 5mm thick in the pants.
Colors of spearfishing suits
There are many different colors in the design of spearfishing wetsuits, where the manufacturer tries to satisfy all tastes and meet the demand that exists in the current market and that is growing every day. A very common question that beginners ask is if the camouflage has any impact or if are they useful for spearfishing. The answer to this question is a resounding yes, but it is only when the fisherman is experienced and minimizes movement underwater that the camouflage suit takes on a greater meaning and a greater effect of mimicry. The effectiveness of camouflage is highly dependent on the diver’s ability to minimize their movement underwater. As for camouflage colors, these varieties are more for the color of the water and its background. There are blue waters, green waters, and brown waters. So, choose the colors that best suit the environments where you dive or fish.
Sizes
The size of the spearfishing wetsuit and its dimensions vary from one manufacturer to another. Generally, European sizing tends to be smaller than US sizes, with the exception of Beuchat, which is similar to US sizes. European manufacturers refer to sizes with numbers. The most important purpose of a wetsuit is comfort. You need a suit that is flexible enough to be comfortable, but not so flexible that it allows water to easily enter and circulate through the suit eliminating the suit’s ability to isolate us from the environment.
density
One more aspect to take into account when choosing our neoprene spearfishing wetsuit is the density of the suit, the density of the neoprene is given by the number of bubbles that it has, a high density means that your suit has fewer bubbles and a higher percentage rubber. Therefore, less buoyancy and barely compresses when we descend. A low-density spearfishing wetsuit means that your suit has a higher percentage of bubbles and therefore greater buoyancy, it would not be ideal for fishermen or deep divers, this suit has the characteristic that it compresses a lot the greater the depth of diving.
