Before choosing a wetsuit for spearfishing, you must remember that it is a protective equipment for any person. In order to feel comfortable and not expose the body to possible undercooling under water, especially in the cold season, the hunter needs to pay attention to the quality of the material of the suit, its cut, and also try to make it ideally sized.
General information on protective functions and types of wetsuits
To begin with, wetsuits are used by many athletes and hunters for a number of reasons. First of all, they are able to protect people from possible damage under water and play the role of heat insulators. Largely due to their use, the "fish" season is automatically extended, because in a high-quality wetsuit you can hunt under water for a long time until a significant cooling.
Perhaps the very first thing you need to pay attention to when choosing a particular wetsuit model is its level of water resistance. For this reason, diving suits, depending on their specific purpose, can be of several types.
Not sure how to choose a wetsuit for swimming and diving? Choose your so-called wet suit. They got this name due to the fact that water seeps in through “weak” places (for example, in the neck, cuff and zipper), then after a short time it takes the temperature of the human body. At the same time, very weak heat transfer is observed, therefore, a person is comfortable for a long time even in cool water. It is recommended to use wet suits at a water temperature of + 5º.
Semi-dry workwear is a protective equipment that differs from wet suits in a slightly improved degree of sealing and thermal insulation qualities. In such models, there are bilateral cuffs on the open parts (sleeves), as well as waterproof zippers.
It is easy to guess that through dry suits water does not leak at all, so the product remains dry from the inside, and it is always warm for a person. They are used if there is an underwater dive at a temperature below + 5º. Moreover, the operation of such overalls involves the injection of air into the suit through special hoses. In general, dry wetsuits should be used if you already have experience in diving and scuba diving. Considering options on how to choose a wetsuit for wakeboard and other surface types of extreme sports, you can immediately exclude a dry suit. In addition, it can not be used for spearfishing.
Design features of wetsuits
Depending on the destination, diving suits have various design features. One-piece wetsuits are designed to protect the entire human body. They are completely adjacent to it, have long sleeves and trousers, and some of them can be equipped with neoprene helmets and hoods.
If you do not know how to choose a wetsuit for a wakeboard or for shallow dives in warm water, pay attention to the short options for such clothes. They differ from solid models in that they do not have a helmet, their legs are always shortened above their knees, and the sleeves can be either long or cut to the elbow.
A separate suit consists of a jumpsuit and a jacket with a zipper, and combined models can include all kinds of variations of this type of workwear. Special attention should be paid to lightning, because it is through it that the largest amount of water gets into the suit. Therefore, when choosing a wetsuit, the zipper and its design should be examined with special care.
Be sure to check the quality of the seams, especially if you purchase a wetsuit for cold water. How to choose workwear so that water does not leak through the seams? It is very simple: for this it is necessary to give preference to those suits in which the seams are completely glued and strengthened inside and out, which makes the product completely airtight.
A bit about the material from which overalls for spearfishing are made
Continuing to consider the question of how to choose a wetsuit for spearfishing, you should study the material from which it is made. Basically, neoprene is used for this purpose, which has a porous structure and has a smooth surface. In addition, it is rubber, which is considered an excellent insulator, which allows even in very cold water to use a wetsuit for spearfishing. How to choose a neoprene wetsuit of the right thickness? It is quite simple, you just need to determine the climatic conditions in which the use of overalls is expected, and use the table below.
| h (mm) suit thickness | t (º) of water at immersion |
| 7-9 | 4-12 |
| 6-7 | 12-18 |
| 5-6 | 18-21 |
| 2-3.5 | 21-28 |
| 2 | 28+ |
Choose a wetsuit of the right size
Having decided on the thickness of the material, you can begin to choose a wetsuit for spearfishing. How to choose the size of overalls so that it fits the person perfectly? First of all, you need to know your own growth, the exact volume of the chest, abdominal circumference, girth in the pelvic area, as well as biceps and hips. The table of standard sizes will tell you how to choose the wetsuit.
| Wetsuit Sizes | Height, cm | Chest circumference, cm | Pelvic girth, cm | Hips, cm |
| S-46 | 164-170 | 92-96 | 80-84 | 96-99 |
| M-48 | 170-176 | 96-100 | 84-88 | 100-103 |
| ML-50 | 176-182 | 100-104 | 88-92 | 104-107 |
| L-52 | 178-182 | 104-108 | 92-96 | 107-110 |
| Lx-54 | 182-188 | 108-112 | 96-100 | 111-114 |
| XL-56 | 182-188 | 112-116 | 100-104 | 114-117 |
| XXL-58 | 188-192 | 116-120 | 104-108 | 117-120 |
| Xxxl-60 | 188-192 | 120-124 | 108-112 | 120-123 |
For fitting, it is recommended to use shampoo, since it’s very difficult to put on rubber clothes “dry”. Moreover, this should be done very carefully so as not to tear the product material. Wearing a wetsuit should be comfortable, besides it is necessary that he fit snugly against the body. Try to bend in a suit and see how many and what size folds have formed on the abdomen and in the folds.
Remember that each fold on the suit is a potential reservoir for water, so the smaller they are, the more ideal the wetsuit will be selected in size. Otherwise, this can lead to the fact that a person simply freezes, being under water. Suits for diving are also called open pores or stick-suits, because they stick tightly to the skin of a person, while almost completely eliminating the circulation of air inside. It will be useful to know to everyone who is interested in how to choose a diving suit.
What must be present in a wetsuit for hunting
Professionals do not need to explain all the intricacies of the choice of models of overalls for spearfishing. But if a novice diver is interested in the question of how to choose a wetsuit for hunting, then he needs to know a few subtleties that are inherent only to this product.
So, even if the seller in the store assures that this is the “same” wetsuit for hunting, do not rush to try on it. To begin, look carefully at the chest area in the front of it: without fail there must be a non-slip hard pad, which is designed to reload a crossbow or shotguns with rubber combat.
Bend points are considered the most vulnerable and rubbing parts of the suit, so they must be equipped with special overlays made of a variety of difficult to wash materials. It can be polymer, rubber, supratex or Kevlar elements.
About additional functionality
When buying a wetsuit for spearfishing (we already know how to choose the right product), do not forget to purchase such protective equipment as knee pads, as, as practice shows, the knee area is one of the most vulnerable.
It may seem that the presence of a large number of pockets can be useful for folding a variety of objects in them. However, one should purchase models with the smallest number of various compartments and external tanks. Do not forget that any solid object in your pocket is potentially dangerous, as it can tear the material of the suit at any moment, thereby violating its tightness.
I would like to note such a nuance when choosing, which is associated with the location of the lightning. You need to know that if she is in the suit from the back, then it is better to keep warm, since the collar of the product is higher in this case. It will be useful to ensure that the lightning is hidden under the rubber, since in this case the leakage is minimized. Zippers on the legs and sleeves that make it easy to put the costume on the body must also be hidden.
How to protect your palms and feet
It is known that for spearfishing, fins are used that help to move in water. To avoid rubbing your legs, damaging them and freezing, it is recommended to wear special socks, as well as light and very durable bots. Socks can reach 3 mm in thickness, and rubber bots - about 5 mm. At the same time, they are equipped with a durable and thick sole, which protects the feet from punctures and injuries.
When deciding which wetsuit to choose for spearfishing, do not forget about protecting your own hands. For these purposes, various mittens and tight gloves are provided that protect hands from frostbite. This is especially true in late autumn or winter. Gloves of 7 mm thickness are available for very cold water. They perfectly keep the warmth of the hands under water, however, it should be remembered that the thicker the product, the more difficult it is for hands to perform various movements. Gloves with a thickness of up to 5 mm are mainly very popular.
Diving suit for spearfishing from the Beuchat company
Equipe Mundial ─ high quality wetsuit for spearfishing. How to choose additional equipment for him? The costume contains in its design everything necessary for diving under water. The inner surface of this model is made according to the type of open pore, and it refers to a separate type of protective clothing. The set consists of long overalls, as well as a jacket. It has no zippers and is equipped with a neoprene helmet.
The suit fits tightly to the body, and the constraint of movements on land and under water is minimized, since the model has a ready-made shape, taking into account all the anatomical features and folds. The jacket is made of neoprene, the thickness of which is 7 mm, and the jumpsuit is 5 mm. This wetsuit will be available to almost every lover of spearfishing, since its cost is 14 thousand rubles.
Looking for an ultra-elastic and very soft wetsuit? Which company to choose such a product at an affordable price? Check out the Beuchat Marlin Prestige. The basis of its manufacture is the use of elaskin material, which is a very soft neoprene, due to which practically unlimited movements of the hunter under water are provided. All suits have anti-friction linings. The cost of this product is 18 thousand rubles.
Wetsuits Sporasub and OMER
Considering the question of how to choose a wetsuit for swimming and spearfishing, it is necessary to highlight the products of the world famous brands OMER and Sporasub.
Diving suit for spearfishing (we already know how to choose the right one) Baltik is a special development of Italian specialists of Sporasub company for comfortable finding a person in cold waters of water bodies. The outer coating has a nylon layer and camouflage color, which makes the hunter inconspicuous against the background of the bottom of the reservoir and under water. The thickness of the neoprene is 7 mm, and the jacket has an elastic helmet with a special valve that is able to bleed off excess air. The suit is a separate set of clothes from pants and a jacket, and its cost is 14.5 thousand rubles.
A similar camouflage wetsuit model Camu can be purchased by the Italian company OMER. This lightweight version of spearfishing, designed for use in warm bodies of water (3 mm thick) costs 13 thousand rubles. The camouflage coating of these products makes hunters practically invisible, which is especially valuable for prolonged waiting for prey.
How to use the wetsuit and store it
We have already said that the wetsuit should sit tightly on a person, but there should not be too much pressure or weakening. A correctly selected product will provide you with comfort and the opportunity to enjoy scuba diving and hunting for many years.
Particular attention should be paid to the operation of costumes in the salty waters of the seas and lakes. The fact is that when the water dries, layers of salt remain on the surface of the workwear, which can very quickly corrode neoprene. Therefore, after the suit has been used, it must be thoroughly rinsed with fresh or running water, which can be filled in the canister and taken with you to the reservoir, which will always bring the workwear in proper condition. It is also recommended to ensure that the wetsuit does not dry completely, in order to avoid cracking and possible depressurization. Therefore, even for long-term storage, the wetsuit must be laid clean and wet.
As for drying the suit, it can not be carried out in the open sun. Kinks of the product are also not allowed, as this can increase its volume and elongated places will quickly fill with water. In addition, kinks can lead to rapid cracking of neoprene. Therefore, the wetsuit must be dried in the shade in a suspended state, which is guaranteed to extend its life.