Best Gun/Wetsuit for SD winter season

[ihark]

Hey all, I'm currently in college on the East Coast but will be returning to San Diego for about a month during winter break during which I really hope to get some decent spearfishing in. I started with a polespear this summer, it was a ton of fun but I'm ready to graduate to a gun, problem is my surf wetsuit is not going to be sufficient for the winter season so I'll have to pick up a wetsuit (probably 5mm) in addition to a gun. Being a poor college kid I'm really trying to keep it around $300-$400

I'll be going out primarily in the kelp around La Jolla, looking for calico, sheephead, and smaller kelp fish in that neighborhood. I'd really love to take a WSB but I imagine with a gun in my price range pulling the trigger on a WSB would be a bad idea (not to mention they might be hard to find in January). Here are a few of the guns I'm looking at, stop me if any of them are horrible/let me know if any are great. I've been looking at the 90-100cm region, what do you guys think about that?

http://www.makospearguns.com/Predato...n-p/mpp3gr.htm

http://www.spearamerica.com/aluminum...-speargun.html

http://www.spearamerica.com/aluminum...-speargun.html

http://www.spearamerica.com/aluminum...-speargun.html

https://www.speardeals.com/JBL_Super_Carbine_p/138.htm

As for wetsuits I'm thinking 5mm is probably the way to go with winter temperatures in La Jolla (but correct me if that's way off). I've struggled to find cheap wetsuits, and the few that I have found concern me with how cheap they are. Here's the frontrunner right not, should I be concerned about how cheap this is?

http://www.spearamerica.com/freedivi...epia-camo.html

Also if anyone has any recommendations for beginner freedive fins that would be very much appreciated.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this wall of text, love this website!

[Pfish]

that is a nice deal for the XDive suit. Just wish they had XXXL.....

[theburb]

buy a used gun...

[SpearOfDestiny1]

Im in the same boat.was considering a 7mm but gonna go with a 5mm so I can useit year round..im diving nights in san diego with a cheap 3mm surf suit.it works but id rather get a 5mm open cell...

Im not really concentrating in fish due to cold conditions but focusing on BUGS

[pierreyaldo]

buy a 120-130 pipe gun with a reel? you shouldn't have a problem popping a seabass with that

[Zbass]

Check out the Rob Allens on Neptonics, http://www.neptonicsystems.com/rob-allen-spearguns.php, might be a bit over your price range with all your other stuff included but I know they are good guns.

[darian]

Like Pierre said, 120-130 RA or Pathos with a reel and you'll be good. Maybe get a Carter float?

I have some SEAC plastic fins size 9 that I can sell cheap if they fit you.

[slodiver]

I assume you have family or friends you are coming back to. Keep an eye on craigslist and have someone pick a gun up for you. Could do the same for a wetsuit, if you are spending as little as possible you should be most concerned about fit. If you have never owned an open cell you will be satisfied with even the cheapest as long as it fits comfortably.

[DeepBlueSilence]

Gun is definitely the way to go, and winter hunting is a little different than the summer, I kind of enjoy it more in some aspects. Most of the shops in the area have decent intro fins as well if you're looking to move up in gear but have to go back east in spring. Say, I spearfished with a buddy this summer who has a lot in common, a coworker at a local kayak shop who's attending Georgetown...