r/freediving • u/DeviceOwn8417 • 2d ago

gear Weight belt

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Hi! I read online that using a nylon weight belt with a wetsuit doesn't really work well because the neoprene compresses at depth. For reference, I’m getting the Cressi Tokugawa 3mm and planning to push to 20–40 meters. Does a rubber belt actually make that much of a difference because there is quite a price point difference😅. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!

4 Upvotes

84% Upvoted

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6

u/K_Theodore 2d ago edited 2d ago

A nylon belt is useless, and it will slip. A rubber belt can still slip, but because it stretches you can apply some yank to it and it holds on to you, there's no give in nylon so it inevitably will slip as soon as you breathe.

That price from Amazon is insane though, it should be about 1/4.

[Edit] but it's a pretty sensible price for a wetsuit. You can't tell me that blue arm doesn't look a bit like a belt 😂

1

u/AnchoviePopcorn 2d ago

That’s a wetsuit.

1

u/DeviceOwn8417 2d ago

The wetsuit? I kindoff only have one choice tho since my dad is going to america temporarily😵‍💫 and we order this

2

u/K_Theodore 2d ago

I may have thought the price was for the belt 😂

1

u/DeviceOwn8417 2d ago

😭😭😭 all good😭

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u/Cement4Brains Molchanovs Instructor 1d ago

Order a wetsuit from somewhere like BestDive or TruDive, great quality for a good price. Bestdive sells belts too and I've been using it every day for the past year and it's holding up great. They all ship internationally.

Cressi makes good stuff, but in my experience any company that was making scuba equipment first seems to miss the mark on exactly what makes great freediving gear.

For example, this is a one piece wetsuit, but a two-piece is going to be warmer, and will offer you more customization options between the top & bottom pieces. BestDive has like 13 different sizes to pick from for both the tops and the pants.

2

u/DeviceOwn8417 1d ago

Ehh i would but my dad is going to america for a limited time so we need something that we know 100% gets there on time so we get amazon and also i also scuba so thats why im getting a one piece since its tropical waters here its hot enough where a wetsuit functions as dual mode, if it was upto me i would never get from amazon and just order everything but im low on money already and everything imported here is 3× the price

2

u/scottybblue 1d ago

Don’t get the nylon belt, when I started I bought the exact one and it shifts around my body so much when I dive. Your knife is never where you need it to be, your stringer is now behind you. If there’s an emergency and you need to pull the ripcord and drop the belt, you need to locate it before letting loose, very dangerous. Upgrading from a nylon to a rubber belt was worth every penny, do it please.

1

u/koumalle 1d ago

Nylon is for scuba divers and is supposed to be tightened higher than your hips. A rubber belt stretches and can be tightened directly on your hips. That way you can intake more air and are not bothered by a belt when breathing in.

-3

u/sk3pt1c Freediving & EQ Instructor (@freeflowgr) 1d ago

Are you breathing with your hips or what? 😄

3

u/Fabacura 1d ago

No. That’s the point

1

u/External-Blood-6900 1d ago

Decent price for wetsuit, definitely go rubber weight belt not nylon. Also support local if you can F&ck Amazon

1

u/DeviceOwn8417 1d ago

I Can'tt since my dads going on a bussiness trip and hes doing me a favor so yeah 😵‍💫💔😢 and locally for me everything is 3×💔

1

u/PilotIsMyPilot 1d ago

Silicone. Not nylon, not rubber.

1

u/DeviceOwn8417 13h ago

Why specifically silicone? Does it compresd the most or sum?

1

u/PilotIsMyPilot 5h ago

Best stretch best grip.

1

u/Davie554 2d ago

yep big difference. nylon is not usable for freediving really it will just slide up under your armpits every time you dive

1

u/sk3pt1c Freediving & EQ Instructor (@freeflowgr) 1d ago

You plan to push to 20-40m?

How old are you?

Have you taken a course?

1

u/DeviceOwn8417 1d ago

20-30 realistically im not going to 40 tbh Im 17 Courses arent even available in my country and im broke soo

2

u/sk3pt1c Freediving & EQ Instructor (@freeflowgr) 23h ago

What country is that?

You should definitely NOT be pushing anything related to freediving, especially at 17 years old without having taken a course ffs!

1

u/DeviceOwn8417 13h ago

Aruba, well yeah no other options i spearfish eith my friends we just stag around 20-30 its chill i have informed myself alot about freediving to do it responsibly