- + Soft LD blade hardness, as rated by Cressi
- + Modular foot pocket takes other Gara Modular blades
- + Self-adjusting 2 cm instep band, which Cressi says allows 2-4 mm of expansion for a high instep or thick socks
- − Cressi America lists only two sizes (EU 38/39 and EU 46/47) as of October 2026
- − Cressi does not publish a blade length
Overview
The shortest version of a beginner gear list: long-blade freediving fins, a low-volume mask, a simple J-tube snorkel, a wetsuit matched to your water temperature, and a rubber weight belt with lead weights. Everything else comes later. The products below are all Cressi, priced from Cressi's US store in October 2026; prices change.
What Order to Buy In
If budget is a constraint, buy in this priority order:
- 01 —Mask: leaks, fogging and pressure on the face are all mask problems, and fit is personal. Get one that seals on your face first.
- 02 —Fins: long blades move you through the water far more efficiently than short snorkeling fins.
- 03 —Wetsuit: if your water is below about 26 degrees C, a wetsuit keeps you warm. Match thickness to water temperature.
- 04 —Weight belt and lead: needed to offset the buoyancy of a wetsuit.
- 05 —Snorkel: a plain J-tube is enough.
What to Skip for Now
- Dive computer: useful for training, not essential for first sessions.
- Neck weight: once your weighting and trim are established, not before.
- Carbon fiber fins: wait until your kick is consistent. See the Best Freediving Fins for Beginners guide.
- Open-cell wetsuit: needs more care when putting it on; it makes more sense once you dive regularly in colder water.
Water Temperature and Wetsuit Thickness
When in doubt, go one thickness warmer: being cold shortens your sessions and makes relaxing on the surface harder.
Beginner Fins
Fins: Cressi Gara Modular
Cressi
$129.95
- Blade
- High-modulus polypropylene, 4mm to 2mm taper, LD (soft)
- Foot pocket
- Full foot, thermoplastic rubber
- US list price
- $129.95 (Cressi America, Oct 2026)
A full-foot long fin with a high-modulus polypropylene blade that tapers from 4mm to 2mm. Cressi rates the blade hardness LD, which it describes as soft, for long movements and medium-depth diving. The foot pocket belongs to the Gara Modular System, so Cressi sells other blades for it later. US list price $129.95 (Cressi America, October 2026). The fins roundups cover alternatives.
- Soft LD blade hardness, as rated by Cressi
- Modular foot pocket takes other Gara Modular blades
- Self-adjusting 2 cm instep band, which Cressi says allows 2-4 mm of expansion for a high instep or thick socks
- Cressi America lists only two sizes (EU 38/39 and EU 46/47) as of October 2026
- Cressi does not publish a blade length
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Beginner Mask
Mask: Cressi Nano
Cressi
$89.95
- Volume
- 85 cm³ (Cressi)
- Lens
- Two tilted tempered glass lenses
- US list price
- $89.95 clear lens (Cressi America, Oct 2026)
A twin-lens mask that Cressi lists at 85 cm³ of internal volume, with tilted tempered glass lenses and swivel buckles with micrometric adjustment. Cressi designs it for advanced freediving and spearfishing, and less air inside the mask means less air spent equalizing it on the way down. Fit depends on face shape, so check the seal with the no-strap test before you buy. US list price $89.95 with clear lenses (Cressi America, October 2026).
- 85 cm³ internal volume (Cressi)
- Tilted tempered glass lenses close to the face
- Swivel buckles with micrometric adjustment
- Two lenses mean a centre bar between the eyes
- Fit varies by face shape; check the seal before you buy
- Mirrored-lens version lists at $109.95
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Beginner Wetsuit
Wetsuit: Cressi Tokugawa Nylon 3 mm
Cressi
$189.95
- Thickness
- 3mm
- Lining
- Dura Stretch nylon
- Style
- One-piece, sizes S-3XL
- US list price
- $189.95 (Cressi America, Oct 2026)
Cressi's one-piece 3mm freediving and spearfishing suit, based on the pattern of its Apnea suit. Cressi lists a Dura Stretch nylon lining, pre-shaped arms and legs, an extended knee pad with shin reinforcement and a chest loading pad, in sizes S-3XL. Cressi's US store files it under 1-piece Freediving Wetsuits. A 3mm suit suits warm water; colder water calls for a thicker suit, as the temperature table below shows. US list price $189.95 (Cressi America, October 2026).
- One-piece 3mm suit Cressi files under freediving wetsuits
- Dura Stretch nylon lining (Cressi)
- Knee pads with shin reinforcement and a chest loading pad
- 3mm only, so it suits warm water rather than cold
- Camouflage print aimed at spearfishing
- Cressi does not publish a temperature range
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Beginner Weight Belt
Weight Belt: Cressi Premium Marseillaise Rubber Belt
Cressi
$54.95
- Material
- High-stretch rubber
- Buckle
- Marseilles-style stainless steel, quick release
- US list price
- $54.95 (Cressi America, Oct 2026)
A high-stretch rubber belt with a Marseilles-style buckle in corrosion-resistant stainless steel, fixed with stainless rivets and designed for quick release. Cressi says the rubber contracts with your body and wetsuit on the descent and stretches as they expand on the ascent, keeping the weights in position on the hips. It takes hard block or soft pouch weights, sold separately. US list price $54.95 (Cressi America, October 2026).
- High-stretch rubber that follows wetsuit compression (Cressi)
- Marseilles-style stainless steel quick-release buckle
- Takes hard block or soft pouch weights
- Lead weights sold separately
- Cressi does not publish the belt width or length on the US page
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Freediving Snorkel
Snorkel: Cressi Corsica
Cressi
$27.95
- Type
- Open-top J-tube
- Purge valve
- None listed by Cressi
- US list price
- $27.95 (Cressi America, Oct 2026)
An open-top J-tube that Cressi designs for freediving and spearfishing: a soft, bendable large-diameter tube, a molded U-bend for clearing and a hypoallergenic silicone mouthpiece, with no purge valve or dry top listed. You clear it with one sharp exhale on surfacing. US list price $27.95 (Cressi America, October 2026).
- No dry top or purge valve listed
- Silicone mouthpiece
- Folds for storage
- No purge valve: clear it by exhaling sharply or letting it drain on the ascent
- Large bore holds more water to clear than a narrow tube
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What this article is based on
- Cressi Gara Professional Set | Freediving & Spearfishing Gear
- Cressi Gara Modular Fins | Freediving & Spearfishing Long Blades
- Cressi Nano Mask
- Cressi Nano Dark Compact Mask | Scuba & Freediving
- Cressi Tokugawa 3mm Wetsuit | Spearfishing & Freediving Camo Suit
- Two-piece hooded freediving wetsuit 5.0 mm: Cressi 1946
- Premium Marseillaise Rubber Belt
- Rodi Quick-Release Elastic Belt w/ Plastic Buckle
- Corsica
- Cressi Corsica Snorkel