April is never an easy month. The water is still cold, around 15°C (59°F), fish are scarce and often inactive, and the sea can be difficult to read. Offshore winds, a lightly rippled surface, and slightly murky water are typical conditions. These are the outings where you don't enter the water expecting a full catch, but rather to regain confidence after winter, observe the environment, and reconnect with the sensations of being back at sea.

Yet hope is always there. Early spring can still bring unexpected encounters: fish moving back into the area, approaching the shallows to feed. It’s uncommon, but enough to keep you in the water.

It was precisely in this setting that I decided to test the Pathos Ultra Camu wetsuit. In some ways, it was a forced choice, considering that we are talking about a 5 mm suit designed for different conditions. But that was exactly what made it useful for understanding how far such a lightweight suit can be pushed during this time of year.

I dived among light-colored rocks and Posidonia seagrass beds, working both shallow and mid-depth areas, although overall fish activity was very limited.

First Impressions

Wearing it outside its typical season immediately feels unusual. If you're accustomed to thicker suits, you initially feel almost exposed. However, as soon as you put it on, you notice how soft and highly elastic the neoprene is. It fits comfortably and never feels restrictive. The suit is lightweight and almost unnoticeable once worn.

As a commercially sized wetsuit, with standard sizing rather than a custom fit, it doesn't perfectly conform in some areas—particularly around the knees, elbows, and head—but overall comfort remains excellent.

Once in the water, the first contact with 15°C temperatures is certainly noticeable. Fortunately, the sensation doesn't last long. As soon as you start moving, your body warms up and everything becomes much more manageable.

That is exactly how I approached the session: constantly moving, alternating between searching the bottom, short ambushes, and occasional inspections of holes and crevices, while avoiding static waiting techniques almost entirely in order to prevent cooling down.

Construction and Details

The more you use the suit, rather than simply looking at it, the more its details stand out.

The chest features a non-slip loading pad that provides solid support while loading the speargun without causing discomfort. Small reinforcements on the elbows and knees prove useful when working close to rocks or resting on the seabed, without making the suit feel stiff.

Smooth-skin seals at the wrists and ankles help reduce water entry, while the hood features lined ear panels that eliminate the suction-cup effect during descents, making equalization feel more natural from the very first dives.

The Camouflage Pattern

The camouflage is not designed to make the diver disappear completely, but rather to break up the human silhouette—and in that respect, it works very well.

It does not create strong visual contrasts but instead interacts effectively with light and reflections, particularly over shallow, light-colored rocky bottoms where a diver wearing a black or solid-colored suit would be far more visible.

During movements, I consistently had the impression of being less noticeable, although it is important to acknowledge that many factors contribute to this perception: cold water, inactive fish, and visibility conditions all play a role.

Nevertheless, the camouflage integrates naturally with the environment and never appears visually intrusive. Even among Posidonia meadows, reviewing the photographs afterward showed that the pattern can be remarkably effective.

In the Water

Diving in April with a 5 mm wetsuit is definitely pushing the limits—you need to stay active.

This is precisely where the suit's advantages become apparent. During swims and movements while approaching fish, everything feels smoother and more fluid compared to a 7 mm or 8 mm wetsuit. There is no stiffness and no sense of restriction.

Naturally, I avoided prolonged static ambush dives because of the cold. Nevertheless, while moving between dives and scanning the surroundings for signs of fish activity, I spotted a school of barracudas holding position slightly against the light.

By approaching carefully and using several rocks as cover, I managed to position myself directly above them and execute a reasonably quiet duck dive. Although they had probably already noticed me, they remained curious and gradually approached, allowing me to bring one within range with a short ambush.

Throughout the day, I alternated between active searching, stalking, and occasional hole hunting, remaining in constant motion. This is exactly the type of fishing where this wetsuit performs particularly well, even during this period of the year.

Comfort and Real-World Use

The dominant sensation is freedom.

You never feel restricted, breathing remains natural, and movement is fluid and effortless. Out of the water, the suit also dries quickly, which is especially useful on cooler days between dives.

Of course, this is ultimately a wetsuit designed for warmer, clearer waters and a dynamic style of spearfishing.

Final Thoughts

Testing the Ultra Camu in April highlighted its characteristics particularly well.

It is an exceptionally comfortable wetsuit, well constructed, and featuring a camouflage pattern that is both distinctive and genuinely effective.

Technical Specifications

Thickness: 5 mm

Material: Elastic Lycra exterior

Camouflage: Image-disruption pattern

Chest loading pad: Non-slip rubber; additional reinforcements on elbows and knees

Smooth-skin seals: Wrists and ankles

Hood: Lined ear panels with anti-suction design