There are plenty of options for freediving in a wetsuit and you should have no problem finding the one which suits you best.
You can dive in a wetsuit. Many freedivers prefer to wear a wetsuit in the water in order to stay warm, protect their skin from sun or underwater hazards, or to make them more hydrodynamic. There are different types and styles of wetsuits to choose from. Those which are thinner, warmer and allow a freer range of diving movements are better suited to freediving.
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If you’re new to freediving, you might be wondering about whether you can freedive in a wetsuit, especially when the water is colder, or your diving session longer. Our article tells you more about wearing a wetsuit for freediving and the main questions and factors you should consider before choosing one.
Can you sink in a wetsuit?
You can sink in a wetsuit but this will require adding more weight and/or more physical effort in order to reach the same depth as without a wetsuit. If you want to remain at the surface, a wetsuit can make this easier to accomplish.
To freedive effectively, you will need to wear a weight belt or similar device to counteract the buoyancy of the wetsuit and your own body. We’ve actually written an entire article detailing how freedivers sink (opens new tab) if you want to know more.
Wetsuits are generally made from neoprene, a warm and smooth but highly buoyant material. If you choose to wear a thick, full-length wetsuit, this will add more buoyancy to your body than a shorter wetsuit of thinner material. When choosing a wetsuit for freediving you need to carefully balance buoyancy, water temperature and ease of movement.
Why do divers wear suits?
There are a number of reasons why freedivers might choose to wear wetsuits. These include:
Maintaining core body temperature
The open waters in which freedivers are diving will generally be below normal human body temperature. This means that there may be a risk of becoming uncomfortably chilled or even hypothermic, especially during longer diving sessions. Some divers will be more sensitive to cold temperatures than others. Wetsuits keep the body warm and can enable longer, deeper and more comfortable diving.
More hydrodynamic movement
A well-fitting wetsuit will be more hydrodynamic and therefore glide more smoothly through the water than a swimming costume, bare skin or land clothing. This reduced drag may mean faster movements, less energy expenditure and more oxygen available for longer, deeper diving.
Skin protection
A wetsuit will cover large areas of the body, protecting the skin both from sun exposure and from injury or irritation in the water (e.g. flora and fauna around a reef area could sting or scratch a diver’s body).
The protection of a long wetsuit could be very valuable if freediving in geographies and/or at times of day when the sun is most intense, or where there are known to be jellyfish colonies etc.. in the water.
Buoyancy
The increased buoyancy from wearing a wetsuit means that descent will require more physical effort from a freediver, but floating at the surface will require less.
A recreational freediver who intends to float at the surface for long periods of time, may be more comfortable wearing a longer, thicker neoprene suit which will keep them warmer. An elite competitive freediver attempting to win an event, is likely to prefer a shorter and less bulky suit or no suit at all.
Personal preferences
While some freedivers feel freer with an absolute minimum of clothing and equipment and therefore don’t wear wetsuits, others might feel more prepared and confident with the protection of a wetsuit. Enjoying the freediving experience is important and you should take your own preferences into account when picking clothing and accessories.
What kind of wetsuit do I need for freediving?
You don’t need a wetsuit for freediving but many freedivers prefer to wear one, at least some of the time. Divers can make their own choice about wetsuit or other clothing for freediving, although there are important factors they should consider (e.g. temperature, sun intensity, local marine life).
The main options for freediving dress are:
No wetsuit: Some freedivers prefer the freedom and low buoyancy of diving without a wetsuit.
One piece vs two piece wetsuit: One piece wetsuits might give a slightly sleeker, more hydrodynamic figure but can be less flexible and restrict movement more than two piece wetsuits. Two piece wetsuits are often favored by freedivers, who don’t want to waste breath and oxygen on additional effort. Two piece wetsuits can give additional warmth through a double layer around the abdomen where top and bottom parts overlap.
Short vs long wetsuit: Short wetsuits add less neoprene and therefore less weight and buoyancy to the body. This makes them popular with freedivers although they do leave arms and legs exposed. Long wetsuits might be favored for dives in very cold water, intense sunlight, or where jellyfish are common.
Freediving vs scuba wetsuit: While both wetsuit types are made from closed-cell neoprene, there are important differences.
Freediving wetsuits are made from thin neoprene layers filled with larger nitrogen bubbles, giving a warm, thin, flexible and less buoyant wetsuit. They usually include a hood. Scuba wetsuits are made from thicker neoprene filled with smaller nitrogen bubbles, giving a cooler, thicker, less flexible and more buoyant suit. Scuba suits do not generally come with a hood.
Made to measure wetsuit: If your body falls outside the standard size range, you may want to consider ordering a made to measure wetsuit. These are more expensive than off-the-shelf wetsuits but often still very affordable and should give a very high level of comfort and ease of movement.
What thickness wetsuit do I need for freediving?
When considering thickness of a wetsuit for freediving, you should balance comfort with weight and buoyancy. Thin freediving wetsuits can be warmer than some thicker scuba diving suits.
What do you wear for freediving?
Freedivers may wear any of the following:
- no wetsuit,
- a one piece wetsuit,
- a two piece wetsuit
- a short wetsuit
- a long wetsuit
- freediving or scuba wetsuit
While freediving, it’s best to avoid wearing anything with excess material or accessories which could create additional drag in the water, and expending unnecessary energy which could limit your dive.
A well-fitting wetsuit will be more hydrodynamic and generate less drag than a swimming costume, ordinary clothing or even the naked human body. Clothing made from normal fabric (e.g. cotton, wool) will add more drag, especially if loose fitting.
As well as a wetsuit, most freedivers will choose to wear a mask and some will also wear a snorkel, dive computer, and fins or a mono-fin.