Technique and equipment

[TheFoggyMask]

Since I am now officially a starving college student away from home, money has become an issue. In addition to driving costs, food etc, its not always possible for me to be able to rent a tank. But just down the road is Leleiwi, which is a pretty nice freediving location.

So the question is, what are proper freediving techniques? Any rules of thumb? I was looking at specialized fins last night and found them all to be 185+ in cost. Is this true? I was also considering a different mask since mine leaks and doesn't equalize all that great (mares purevision), anyone have any favorites? On weighting, should I be slightly bouyant at the surface or should I be truely nuetral? Anything I'm not asking that I should be?

Thanks

 

[holdingmybreath]

1st. obvious rule and easiest one to break: dive with a buddy
then some pointers... 1. don't hyperventilate!
2. don't rush to the bottom.. take your time, smooth and efficient movements to get there so you're not out of breath when you do get there
3. get a low volume mask.. the mask becomes one of the 1st depth limiting factors as you have to equalize it on the way down.. find one you don't have to put so much air into.. small volume and soft skirt.. look into a cressi minima or similar.. maybe a mares target or samauri elite (looks cool)
4. be very bouyant at the surface... why waste energy treading water when you could be resting up and getting your breath... try to weight nuetral at -30'.. for me that means in fresh water with a 3mil suit head to toe I don't even wear weights.
5. equalize early and often.. take care of those ears.. they become the true limiting factor the deeper you go.
6.find someone familiar with freediving that knows the safety measures to take.. how to be a spotter, what to do for shallow water blackout, or any black out for that matter, someone who can show you the basics like a good surface dive, good streamlining, good finning, etc. etc.
You can find good fins for less.. check out http://www.scubastore.com/subfamili...RICA&idioma=eng&id_familia=3&id_subfamilia=18 there's some fins there for less $$ then you quoted.

 

[5ata]

Problem with Scubastore is the shipping usually is as much if not more than the cost of the item. LP would be a good source for freedive fins Cressi's are pretty much standard unless you have wide feet - then I would opt for Omer or Picasso.

 

[CrazyScuba]

We can get you any of the Mares fins that are great for freediving, and our shipping should be a lot less. Check out their products online at www.mares.com. We ship a lot to Hawaii and the West Coast. Let me know if we can help you.

Britt :fish:
:fish:

 

[5ata]

I just posted in for sale section an OMER mask that might work for ya - take a look - it's an OMER Aries 45 mask and it is swee. I dive with Cressi Minimas hence my getting rid of it.

Mares freediving fins - I recently saw them at an LDS - they look cheaply made. Definitely go with Cressi if $$$ is an issue. Cressi made their name with freediving sponsoring divers like Umberto Pelizzari, Deborah Andollo and Martin Stepanek. The only disadvantage to them is the foot pocket isn't replaceable. For that I would go Sporasub, Picasso or OMER.