Molchanovs Enters Spearfishing World with Wetsuits Built for the Hunt

Developed over three years alongside experienced spearos, the new Molchanovs Spearfishing Wetsuits combine freediving-level mobility with the protection and practical features demanded by spearfishing.

By Zowie Palliaer

Every part of the wetsuit has been considered with a clear purpose and the realities of spearfishing in mind. Photo credit © @rudycouvrexphotographe @akimapnea.

Spearfishing demands a different kind of performance from a wetsuit. A spearo may spend long periods tracking fish and waiting in stillness, then need to reposition, load a speargun, or accelerate after a shot in an instant. Throughout the dive, their equipment needs to withstand repeated contact with rocks, reefs, boats, and gear.

The new Molchanovs Spearfishing Wetsuits were created for exactly these realities.

Marking Molchanovs’ entry into spearfishing, the collection is the result of three years of development alongside experienced spearos. Their practical knowledge and feedback shaped everything from the flexibility of the neoprene and placement of reinforcements to the thermal construction, fastening system, fit, and visibility details.

The result is a new range of men’s and women’s spearfishing wetsuits designed around the way spearos actually move, wait, hunt, and work in the water.

A clean, versatile design made for the changing pace and varied environments of spearfishing. Photo credit © @salvo_la_vigna @elisasalvato_ @angelohx.

A Natural Extension of the Molchanovs Ecosystem

Spearfishing is already part of life in the Molchanovs community. Many Molchanovs students and instructors also spearfish, but until now, the brand didn’t offer wetsuits developed specifically for spearfishing. Entering this market was a natural next step.

Many spearfishing wetsuits prioritize durability but can feel stiff and restrictive. Highly flexible wetsuits, meanwhile, may lack sufficient protection in the areas exposed to the greatest wear. Molchanovs set out to bridge that gap by combining the mobility and comfort associated with freediving wetsuits with the reinforcement and practical features spearfishing requires.

Developed Alongside Real Spearos

From the beginning, the goal was not simply to adapt an existing freediving wetsuit for another use. It was to understand what spearfishers genuinely need from their equipment and build the collection around those demands.

Experienced spearos contributed practical insight throughout the development process, identifying the movements, pressure points, and areas of wear that matter most during a hunt. Their input influenced the flexible neoprene, anatomical chest loading pad, reinforced elbows and knees, durable beavertail fastening, and separate sizing for jackets and pants.

Every element serves a practical purpose: keeping movement unrestricted, protecting the wetsuit in high-wear areas, supporting secure speargun loading, and ensuring the jacket remains in place during intensive movement.

The result is a clean, focused design without unnecessary elements, allowing spearos to concentrate on the hunt rather than their equipment.

Three years of testing and input from experienced spearos shaped a wetsuit that meets their practical needs. Photo credit © @rudycouvrexphotographe @akimapnea.

Freedom to Move When It Counts

Both wetsuit constructions use elastic, limestone-based CR JAKO neoprene engineered to move with the body. The material offers strong elasticity and thermal insulation while carrying a lower environmental impact than conventional petroleum-based neoprene.

Whether a spearo is settling into position, drawing back a band, turning toward a target, or kicking hard after a shot, the neoprene flexes with ease.

The 2mm Spearfishing Wetsuit Double-Lined pairs JAKO neoprene with ultra-stretch JY fabric on both the interior and exterior. Its soft, velvety lining sits comfortably against the skin and allows the wetsuit to be put on dry, without water or lubricant—making it a practical choice for warm-water sessions and repeated use.

The 5mm Spearfishing Wetsuit Outside-Lined combines an elastic JY fabric exterior with a warm open-cell interior. Reduced-thickness 3mm inserts around the hood, armpits, and core preserve mobility in key areas while maintaining the insulation needed for cooler conditions.

Two Constructions for Different Waters

The collection introduces four configurations: men’s and women’s versions of the 2mm Double-Lined wetsuit, and men’s and women’s versions of the 5mm Outside-Lined wetsuit.

Designed for warmer waters, the 2mm Double-Lined model is recommended for temperatures of 25–28°C (77–82°F). Its interior and exterior fabric linings provide a balance of comfort, stretch, UV protection, and resistance to everyday damage. The pants feature a standard waist height for a lightweight, streamlined fit.

Folded finishes at the wrists and ankles give the 2mm wetsuit a closer, more comfortable seal. By reducing water circulation through the sleeves and legs, these cuffs help limit flushing and retain warmth. The construction also reinforces two heavily stressed edges, helping them resist stretching and maintain their shape longer than standard raw-cut cuffs.

The hood opening intentionally does not use this folded finish, avoiding additional compression around the face.

The easy-wearing 2mm Double-Lined model is built for warmer conditions, while the open-cell 5mm Outside-Lined model provides added insulation in cooler water. Photo credit © @salvo_la_vigna @angelohx.

For cooler waters, the 5mm Outside-Lined model is recommended for temperatures of 21–25°C (70–77°F). Its open-cell interior sits closely against the skin to reduce water circulation and preserve body heat during longer sessions. High-waist pants reach farther up the torso, adding insulation across the core and helping prevent cold water from entering beneath the jacket.

Because the thicker open-cell neoprene already provides a reliable seal, the 5mm wetsuit doesn’t require folded edges. As with all open-cell wetsuits, it must be put on in water or with lubricant.

Protection Where Spearos Need It Most

Spearfishing wetsuits face constant friction and contact, particularly around the elbows and knees. To withstand this wear, dense nylon-based Supertex reinforces these high-impact areas while allowing the neoprene beneath to remain flexible.

These panels help protect the softer material from rocks, the seabed, boats, and equipment, reducing premature wear and extending the functional life of the wetsuit.

An anatomically shaped 5mm chest pad creates a secure, slip-resistant surface for repeated speargun loading. Its shape and placement provide dedicated protection while helping stabilize the gun during a critical part of the hunt.

An anatomically shaped chest loading pad and abrasion-resistant Supertex at the elbows and knees protect the areas that work—and wear—the hardest. Photo credit © @salvo_la_vigna @angelohx.

The jacket is secured with a wide Velcro beavertail closure reinforced by box-X stitching. This construction distributes stress across the fastening area rather than concentrating it at a single point. Reinforced edge finishing helps prevent the neoprene from stretching, while the broad contact area keeps the jacket securely positioned during swimming and diving.

Together, these details create a wetsuit intended not only to perform in the beginning, but to withstand season after season of demanding use.

Designed for Open Water—and for Dive Buddies

Rather than being developed exclusively for reef or blue-water spearfishing, the collection uses a versatile, all-around design suited to different open-water environments.

Its distinctive Teal Camo appearance–thoughtfully developed in-house– is paired with contrasting markings that serve more than an aesthetic purpose. Feedback from spearos highlighted the importance of being able to identify and follow a buddy during a dive. White stripes across the back and a visible logo on the rear leg create a considered balance between a clean design and improved visibility in the water.

Embroidered and stamped branding details complete a purposeful look that feels technical, modern, and unmistakably Molchanovs.

White lines beneath the back of the hood and Molchanovs branding at the rear ankle create recognizable markers that help buddies follow one another in the water. Photo credit © @salvo_la_vigna @elisasalvato_.

Uncharted Waters for Molchanovs

For Molchanovs, entering spearfishing is a natural expansion of decades spent understanding movement, comfort, and performance in the water. But this collection was not created from freediving expertise alone. It was shaped through collaboration with the people who know spearfishing firsthand.

Across three years of development, feedback from experienced spearos was translated into practical decisions: flexible neoprene for unpredictable movement, warmth for long periods of waiting, reinforcement for demanding environments, visibility details for buddy awareness, and interchangeable sizing for a better individual fit.

The result is more than a new wetsuit collection. It’s Molchanovs’ first step into spearfishing – developed alongside real spearos, shaped by the realities of the hunt, and built to perform.

The new Molchanovs Spearfishing Wetsuits are now available to purchase. Subscribe to the Magazine for the latest articles, gear releases, stories and competition reporting.