Wetsuit & Weight System
The freediving wetsuit keeps long sessions possible; the weight belt makes the suit's buoyancy workable - and getting the weighting honest (light) is one of the biggest safety decisions you'll make.
A spearfishing session is hours of surface swimming punctuated by dives, and cold ends it faster than anything - so the open-cell freediving wetsuit, warm and flexible beyond any surf suit, is core equipment. But neoprene floats, so the suit brings its counterpart: the rubber weight belt. Here is the safety crux of the whole sport: overweighting is a leading factor in shallow-water blackout deaths, because a diver weighted to sink at the surface has no buoyancy reserve when consciousness gets marginal. Weight yourself to be positively buoyant at the surface and neutral around 10 m - and keep every gram instantly ditchable.
⚠️ Spearfishing is freediving - and freediving has real risks. Shallow-water blackout can strike experienced divers without warning: never dive alone (one diver up watching, one down - always), never hyperventilate before a dive, and get formal freediving training before pushing depth. Tow a float with a diver-down flag - it's legally required in many waters and it's what keeps boats off you. Load a speargun only in the water, never point it at anyone, and know your local rules: spearfishing is prohibited in fresh water and in many marine areas, and species, size and season limits apply. We describe gear and technique for education only - we don't give legal or medical advice; check your local regulations and train with qualified instructors.
What it is
A two-piece open-cell neoprene suit (high-waist pants + hooded jacket, typically 3-7 mm by water temperature) plus a silicone/rubber weight belt worn on the hips with a quick-release buckle - some divers add a neck weight.
Where it shines
Every session longer than a token swim: warmth is endurance, and correct weighting is both diving efficiency and your buoyancy reserve when things go wrong.
How to use it
Lubricate to don open-cell (soapy water), wear the belt on the hips so it doesn't squeeze your breathing, and verify weighting: with lungs full at the surface you should float; exhaled, you should sink slowly. Re-check when you change suit thickness or add layers.
Choosing & sizing
Suit thickness by water: ~3 mm tropical, 5 mm temperate, 7 mm cold. Fit matters more than brand - open-cell seals at the skin. Rubber belts stay put on the hips; distribute small weights rather than one block.
Strengths & weaknesses
Warmth extends sessions and judgment; hip belts keep breathing free - the entire risk is in the numbers: too much lead is the classic, quiet, fatal shortcut to easier descents.
Common mistakes
Overweighting to make the drop easy (the single most dangerous habit in freediving), a belt that can't be ditched one-handed, wearing it on the waist where it splints the diaphragm, and tearing open-cell by donning it dry.