As you become more of an avid Spearo and meet up with other divers, or just browse online for new equipment – you’ll notice that Spearfishing floats come in all shapes and sizes. Whether it be a simple Torpedo Float, body board, a more circular buoy type body with a flag in the middle, they are all designed for the same purpose. To keep you safe. To ensure that the surface world can see you whilst you’re in the water. However, each type does have individual advantages that you will want to consider when buying one. With this said, let’s explore the different types of floats commonly used for Spearfishing:

Torpedo Floats:

Torpedo Floats are the bread and butter of Spearfishing Floats. They are simple, effective, and give you the opportunity to create some interesting rigging to suit your needs. These are extremely versatile and can be used for all kinds of dives . Whether you’re diving from the shore to a shallow reef or swimming out to a deeper wreck. Or diving from a boat, the Torpedo Float is perfect. They are also very cost effective, and you can usually pick a good one from £20 – £30. Torpedo Floats are produced by most Spearfishing brands and are easily obtainable from Spearfishing shops, or through sites such as Amazon. Take a look at this standard Cressi Torpedo Float as an example:

Spearfishing Boat Floats:

Boat Floats are a great bit of kit, but aren’t always the best option. They give you much more storage options due to their size and design. And you’ll be able to travel further during your shore dives as you can comfortably mount them and move around. They also allow you travel quicker through the water when travelling from spot to spot. Boat Floats are seen very commonly throughout competitive Spearfishing, as they can be the difference between you and a rival getting to the best fishing spot first.

However, they do also have their drawbacks. They are large so they get effected by winds and swell much more than a torpedo float. It’s very common to feel violent tugs from the surface when there is a big swell. They aren’t as discrete in the water, so they can be difficult to manoeuvre through shallow waters when stealth is needed to sneak up on fish. Due to their size you don’t really want to be taking them on boat dives, as they’ll just constantly get in the way. Not to mention the cost. They can easily cost you between £150 – £300, so they aren’t an option for everyone. Although, over the years cheaper options for under £100 have surfaced on the market. You’ll just usually sacrifice size for cost.

Having said this, I’ve owned one for years and do not regret my purchase. I use the Seyvlor Diver Hunter and it has made competition diving (when you’re in the water for 6 hours) much more comfortable, and has often given me the edge when getting to spots fast. There are many different options on the market today, so take a look at some of these examples below:

Body Boards:

Body Boards for Spearfishing are not something that you can typically purchase, they are adapted by Spearos to suit their needs. I often see a lot of novice Spearos using these and spending a lot of time and energy customising them. Having said this, I don’t recommend or endorse adapting body boards to use as diving floats. Simply because they are too flat and can easily be hidden by ocean swell. They rely heavily on the flag to be noticed, and depending on visibility conditions it’s just too much of a gamble. Floats designed for Spearfishing are always the best choice.