The Complete Guide to Free Diving
The honest beginner's handbook: what free diving really costs, the gear you actually need, how to learn safely, and whether it's the right hobby for you before you spend a dollar.
by Alumigogo Books
non-fiction
Everything you need to know before your first breath-hold: real costs, real gear, real expectations — no hype.
About this book
You've seen the videos — a diver gliding silently over a reef, one fin kick at a time, no bubbles, no scuba tank, just a person moving through blue water like they belong there. It looks effortless. It looks expensive. And honestly? It looks a little terrifying. If you've ever wondered what it would actually take to try free diving, this is the book for you.
No one here will tell you to "follow your passion" or that "anyone can do it." Instead, you'll get the genuine economics of the sport: what a starter mask and fins actually cost (under $200 if you're smart), what lessons run, what club memberships and open-water trips add up to, and where you can cut corners safely versus where you absolutely shouldn't. You'll learn what a real first session looks like — including the parts that feel awkward and frustrating — so you're not caught off guard when your first attempt doesn't match the YouTube highlight reel.
You'll also get a brutally honest self-assessment: the traits, fitness levels, and comfort-in-the-water backgrounds that predict you'll love this, and the signs that it might not be for you right now. By the final page, you'll know whether free diving is worth your time and money — or whether it's a beautiful sport that's better to admire from a distance. Either way, you'll know the truth, and that's worth more than another pretty video.
Reader Reviews
Amy Hill
★★★★★I was honestly on the fence about whether I could even do this — I'm 42, not a great swimmer, and I assumed I'd need a thousand dollars of gear just to try. The chapter on starter kits was worth the price alone: I got set up for under $200 and my first pool session was way less intimidating than I expected. It's honest without being discouraging. I appreciated that it didn't pretend I'd be diving 100 feet next week, but it definitely made me feel like this is actually doable.
Andrew King
★★★★★Decent overview, but I wanted more technical detail on breathing techniques and safety procedures. The cost breakdown was useful, and the chapter on what a session feels like was well-written, but I felt like some of the 'how-to' sections were a bit light. It's a fine starting point, but I found myself needing to supplement with YouTube videos and forum posts anyway. Not bad, just not the complete manual the title suggests.
Daniel Carter
★★★★★I appreciate that this didn't try to sell me anything. The self-assessment checklist in chapter two was actually kind of a gut check — it made me realize I'm not comfortable enough in open water yet, and I should probably do a few seasons of regular swimming first. The book suggested exactly that, so it saved me from wasting money on lessons I wasn't ready for. A little dry in places, but I trust the advice more because of it.
Ryan Perez
★★★★★The chapter on what a typical session actually looks like was the most helpful part for me — I had this romanticized image in my head, and the reality is both more mundane and more appealing. The equalization struggles described were exactly what I hit on my first try. I docked a star because I wish there were more photos or diagrams, and the FAQ section felt a little brief. But the honest cost breakdown convinced me to actually try it rather than just watching videos.
John Garcia
★★★★★As someone who lives inland and was worried this hobby would be impossible to access, the chapter on costs and learning paths was exactly what I needed. I had no idea clubs existed that organize weekend trips to the coast, and that I could do pool training locally. The gear table saved me from buying a ridiculously expensive wetsuit that a salesman would have pushed on me. The writing is encouraging without being cheesy. I've already booked a 'discover free diving' class for next month.