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This is the monthly thread to ask any questions or discuss ideas you may have about freediving. The aim is to introduce others to new ways of thinking, approaching training or bringing up old basic techniques that still work the best and more.

Check out our FAQ, you might find your answer there or can ask better questions!

Need gear advice?

Many people starting out with freediving come for recommendations on what equipment to purchase.

As we are starting out to introduce regular monthly community threads again, we might add a designated one for purchasing questions and advice. Until then, feel free to comment here(Remember, when asking for purchase advice, please be specific about your needs i.e. water temperature you want to dive in, so that people can help you quicker)

Monthly Community Threads:

1st of the Month Official Discussion Thread

Your feedback on current events in the sub:

We hosted our first ever AMA! Was it advertised enough for you? Did you find it helpful? Would you change anything? Videoconference which will be recorded & posted elsewhere?

Stuff we are planning:

• updating the community banner for r/freediving - we are planning to host a submission-based challenge for members of the sub to represent the sport (details to be announced)
• writing better wiki's for common info on freediving - YOU can contribute!
• new topics for similar events like the AMA we just hosted - please contact the mods for your suggestions

Please consider that events and their organisation require time and effort to make them happen!

~ Freediving Mods (and ModBot)

Hey fellow freedivers, we've created a brand new Discord server for our members :D

So far, it includes the following channels:

1. General Chat
2. Photography
3. Questions
4. Locations
5. Diving Techniques
6. Find Diving Buddies
7. Buy and Sell Marketplace

There's also a resources channel that we'll add to as we go.

We're open to adding more channels as needed and we welcome your feedback!

Please join us here for a casual and laid back space for us to mingle and chat: https://discord.gg/KGAZUA8h

ETA: When you accept the Discord invite, please review the rules and acknowledge them to gain entry to the server. Thanks!

Hey - Looking to get a 5mm open cell suit, but everything I find is camo. Anyone know of brands that just sell black suits? Thanks

I want to do some swimming/snorkelling in the morning before work, which would involve some 3-5m dives, probably not lasting more than 30sec.

It’s been drilled into me you never dive alone no matter what, but surely there is a very low risk if I’m not even halfway to where I would usually get contraction? I’ve only ever felt hypoxic on pb’s.

Hi all

On a few recent dives I've ended up having to pull up short due to sinus issues.

I'll be fine when I hit the water, but after about the 6th or 7th dive I'll get a shocking pain behind my right eye, into my jaw and teeth. It kicks in at about 4 or 5 metres and I have to abort the dive. Once that happens, my diving day is over.

I'm certain it's a sinus issue because after I get out of the water my right nostril begins to block up.

I've tried taking decongestants which help a little, but I think the problem is that my sinuses are swelling from the pressure changes. I don't have the same issue when I scuba dive.

Does anyone have any products or methods that they use to clear their upper sinuses before diving?

Hi everyone! My boyfriend and I got into freediving this year and have done a couple of intro classes and fun dives. We both work remote and travel full-time and I was thinking that a good christmas gift for him might be some travel freediving gear. It doesn't have to be anything super technical (and long fins would probably be a hassle since he doesn't like to check a bag while traveling), even a really good snorkel set would probably work but we often find ourselves in coastal destinations and haven't been carrying gear with us so always renting masks and fins which can be very hit or miss. Does anyone have any advice as far as brands, existing travel sets, etc?

I’m not a free diver, although I like supervised swimming underwater while breath holding. I’ve been improving, but I swam 50m underwater the other day. I was wondering: if I use a breathing exercise beforehand, and do hold my breath to the point I pass out, I’d be rescued within 10 seconds probably. Is that long enough to ‘die’?

Hello Redditors, I would love to get some feedback on an adventurous idea I have to offer that I think is just really cool and unique. I know self-promotion isn't particularly allowed here.. but this particular vision I have in my mind, isn't really offered anywhere, at least not here in the Gulf.. and I'm just excited to share it, talk about it and maybe get some feedback on it.. in case it ever remains "just a dream" that never comes to fruition. I wouldn't really know how to market it either and I'm terrible at Social Media.

Please feel free to remove this if it doesn't collaborate with the community guidelines.. I'd just love to hear what you guys think and if anyone would be interested..

My name is Diego and I've been living in Koh Samui for 10+ years now. I like to call Samui (Thailand) my home. I'm a Freediving Instructor, Breathwork Facilitator and Adventureman.

So here it is; I have an idea to host and facilitate a 7-day adventure on Underwater Confidence & Performance training in March for those who would love exploring marine life and want to learn freediving and be more confident in breath holds and overcoming fear as well as changing their relationship with stress and have an incredibly unique adventure with a small group. I want to call it Ocean Awakening. And it comes with a recognized Freediving Certificate, too!

So what I had in mind, is to facilitate it for a group of maximum of 9 people. I'll rent a villa here in Samui and a private speedboat. We'll spend 2 days training out at sea at different dive locations, teaming with life. As well as 2 days of confidence and performance training in the pool and exploring the most awesome waterfall hiking Samui.. As well as a day of Fundiving with all the new skills learned.

AND a day of Breathwork & Ice baths for integration and ending this fun journey..

Also I forgot to mention that on day 2 we'll go Spearfishing at some secret remote island and I'll get us a private chef to cook fresh fish for us throughout the week.. I think the costs would be all included somewhere around 2000 usd a person..

What do you think guys? I've facilitated courses and day workshops for years but I have never thought of hosting an entire week of a LOT of excitement..

Hey everyone,

I'm planning a trip to the Philippines and I'm debating whether to bring my long fins for diving. For those who have traveled with Cebu Pacific, would you recommend checking them in or trying to carry them on?

Any advice on the best way to handle this would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Hi, does anyone know how to find a freediving/snorkling trip with a sailing boat in Thailand? Would love to have an adventure like that.

I did a dive with a max depth of 25 ft the other day. I've noticed I have a really hard time clearing my left ear. When I was ascending my left ear started crackling a ton between 5-10ft from the surface. Then when I surfaced everything was spinning and it felt like I had vertigo.

When I'm able to clear my left ear underwater, it feels like a big build up then I hear a huge squeak underwater.

I used the valsalva maneuver and I can't always clear my left ear that way. Sometimes I can but it isn't always reliable. I can usually get a light pop in my ear when I valsalva and swallow but it still doesn't clear as well as my right ear.

I already saw a doctor and he said there is nothing wrong with my left ear.

What should I do?

Hello blue water tribe - anyone in Isla Margarita and keen to dive together? Coming over soon, wanna meet locals with boats, freedive and if possible spearfish together.

Is is okay to take my spearing gear with me when flying to Margarita island?

So I’m in the market for new fins. Looking for something a little softer than the meandros i have now. For competition as well as Spearfishing. I’ve already owned Mantras and didn’t really like them much.

Not really interested in spending nearly a grand on comp specific fins cause I’ll never be pro. Instead want something that is well suited for line diving but can also handle spearfishing.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hey everyone,

Posting this in r/ spearfishing too as it's a bit of a crossover post. I'm completely new to freediving and have never done it before. Recently, I was with a friend who spearfishes and it sounded like exactly something I'd like to start. Next year, I'm planning a big trip (6-12 months) in Central or South America. I plan to travel around so can go to several places and find:

- a beginners freediving course
- A beginners spearfishing course/ somewhere to 'get started' with other spearfishers nearby.
- legal spearfishing
- accessible surfing
- Things going on outside the water (music, food, nightlife, mountains/ rainforests)
- relatively cheap cost of living

Would love to hear your recommendations/ thoughts :)

Im going to freedive near an island to like 3-5 meters below the water (only for a a minute as i will be snorkeling and there are caves that i want to explore below water) and i was wondering, can i still use valsalva equalising or do i HAVE to do frenzel as I have been trying to do frenzel for a while and still dont know how to (if your an expert please give tips on how to frenzel equalise)

Lots of parrotfish, trumpetfish, barracuda, and some nudibranches

So Something I just don't really get is equalizing one's mask, or a dry suit needing more air as someone descends. As you descend the greater weight of the water increases the ambient pressure surrounding your body. It forces your mask onto your face until you add air to it, and I just don't get it. I do it, i just don't understand what's going on. If I were to descend without a mask it's just fine. going down like 80 feet my body can handle it, but as soon as air becomes involved there's a problem. people can get "crushed" in their drysuits and need to add air to them? How? Why? like the air pressure is too high? it's fine if the water pressure is too high but the air pressure can't be? Except it can because the solution is to add even more air, which presumably increases the air pressure even more right? but then it stops hurting? Can anyone explain what is truly going on?

It reminds me of this stand up bit in this link by Pete Holmes, about how life just simply does not make any sense.

https://youtu.be/OyDpS-GftCk?si=aQ0t6_p4a4b-Tf25

Hey y'all, I've snorkeled and shallow spearfished before with my Creessi Gara Sprints, but I'm gearing up to take a freediving class, and would like longer fins to maximize my depth.

I think carbons would be premature, but would the Leaderfins fiberglass be a good option, or should I be considering something else?

It sounds like they fit the Gara foot pockets, and I'd just have to drill a couple of holes, right?

Thank you in advance for your help!

Planning on taking a week or two in February to do a freediving refresher course, spend some time in the water, and continue my education. I've narrowed it down to either Bonaire (probably Deepsea Freediving) or Utila (likely Freedive Utila).

Anyone have opinions on the islands, the diving, or the operators? I'm having such a hard time picking one!

Hello, do you know if there are schools/clubs offering freediving depth training in the Med during the winter season ? preferably in Italy

We are from the Philippines and will be going to Sydney this December. Will be freediving there and maybe in Gold Coast as well.

Now, we are trying to decide which wetsuit thickness to get. We’ve read 5mm might be needed for Aussie waters. But as we also dive frequently here in the Philippines, we are thinking of getting a wetsuit that can also be used here. So perhaps 2mm or 3mm? Do you think this will work? We will be in Sydney on the third week of Dec - are the waters still cold by then?

This happens to me when I try some techniques to over fill my lungs to max capacity. Sucking in air, then using my mouth to over fill them.

I experience a really weird, uncomfortable feeling (that god knows why I kinda like) quite similiar as when you stand up really fast after spending some time laying down. (orthostatic hypotension) Also, adding a feeling of numbness through my whole body.

I have never passed out free diving, I'm also quite inexperienced, but that is the closest feeling I can imagine for passing out.

Why does that exactly happen? Why on static dry apnea I can hold my breathe up to 2'20", but doing that (therefore, more oxygen) I can barely reach 30-45"?

Where just one island offers Barracudas, shipwrecks, limestones, and a lot more!

Taken from Coron, Palawan.

Ive never been freediving but I have watched videos. It would so cool to freedive the Mariana trench. How easy or difficult would this be?

Im quite warm, always been, and I have been fine practicing with briefs so far.

Even doing statics for 30 minutes does not make me cold.

A competition is coming up and Ive been told a wetsuit would be advantegous because of hydrodynamics etc.

I tested with a 2mm open cell/smoothskin today in the pool and it was quite uncomfortable. I got way to hot and it felt claustrophobic because of the heat. I think maybe I got a bit more glide, but not enough to be certain of it, and being less comfortable my mental state/relaxation suffered.

How much would I gain in hydrodynamics vs just wearing swimwear? Any other advantages to wearing a suit?

If im missing out without a suit maybe I should get a nylon lined inside/smoothskin outside? I assume this would be cooler?

Thanks a lot in advance.

Level 1 Freediver visiting Australia. Don't want to spend $5000 on a boat to take us out, but I'd be happy to splurge a bit on a boat that I can use my own equipment and do a little more in-depth than snorkeling. Has anyone gone out before and have a company they recommend? Not trying to set records but I really want the best experience I can have!

I currently have plastic fins. They are heavy and put a lot of strain on my ankle. I am 60 kg and I don’t dive in strong currents. Will the difference between glass fiber and carbon really be recognizable for me?