EPSEALON GREEN FUSION WETSUIT & MINI LED LIGHT
EPSEALON GREEN FUSION WETSUIT & MINI LED LIGHT SOCKS, GLOVES AND SOFTSHELL JACKET
As you know, it’s been several months that the French company EPSEALON has presented its new catalog for the 2017 season and now we have finally had the opportunity to test a selection of the main novelties of which we will present the essential features. The flagship for EPSEALON is undoubtedly the new fusion wetsuit that has successfully met the market expectations as it is the best-selling product of 2017. It is available in two colours red and green that together with the eye-catching graphics represent the basis of its success. By choosing to use such brilliant colors, EPSEALON has once again proved its innovative character. The originality of its wetsuit range which can undoubtedly be considered exceptional cannot even be compared to the one of competitors. But let's see it in detail.
It is made in neoprene Yamamoto 039 (polyester spandex 019 camo outside / open cell inside) and is available in 3mm version (jacket and pants), 5 mm (jacket and pants), 7mm (jacket), which can be purchased separately. Both the legs and the arms are preformed with an ergonomic cut. Wrists, ankles and hoods have SCS finishes, which contribute tremendously to prevent water infiltration. The wetsuit is characterized by an exceptional softness that also makes dressing very comfortable. Closure is with clips and sternum reinforcement is very thick. Abrasion reinforcements are located on the front of the legs, from the ankle to the knee. A very interesting aspect is the arrangement of seams in the part behind the knees. As you can see from the pictures, the particular arrangement prevents abrasions on the skin in the long run.
In regards to the size, consider that these are the measures of the tester: height 185 cm, 85 kg weight and torso 102/90 / 88 cm. With these sizes a sized 4 wetsuit (both pants and jacket) fits like a glove! Gloves and socks are available with the same camouflage outside and jersey Ultrastretch inside, with Powertex anti-shear reinforcements. Anyway, the socks are impressive because the reinforcements are on all the points where they usually get torn, that are, on the fingers, on the heel and under the sole.
Another very interesting product is the mini torch to mount on the mask. This is a very small 570 lumens LED torch made of black anodized aluminum (military quality), which can be fitted (stirrup included) on the mask. The plastic stirrup has a very small volume and weights less than 10g. It allows you to orientate the torch by 365° according to your needs very easily. The torch has actually reduced dimensions: 9.7cm long, 2.6cm in diameter, 65gr weight. It works with just one rechargeable 900mAh LC 14500 AA battery (supplied). It can be used up to a depth of 200 meters and comes with a charger. Three o-rings ensure no water sneaks in.
Finally, even if we are not in the right season to present this product, we were impressed by the quality of the soft shell jacket that we think was really designed for use at sea. It has a good coverage of the neck area and comes with a large hood. You can certainly use it wearing a wetsuit and it has a simple design that makes it adaptable to everyday life.
If these products together with many others that are available on the new Epsealon catalog have aroused your interest, you can buy them online at www.spearo.it, the only Italian official distributor. If you want to touch them with your hand and even try them in the water in July, the above distributor organizes a camper-tour in Apulia and in August in Calabria region. Instead, in fall season he will be in northern Italy.
For info call us or write an email to our site.
PATHOS OPEN CARBON ROLLER 82 CM REVIEW
PATHOS OPEN CARBON ROLLER REVIEW EXTREME LIGHTNESS, EXTRAORDINARY POWER
A few months ago, we wrote a very positive review of the pathos sniper roller, in which we conveyed our full appreciation for this product that we believe to be with no doubts the best industrial speargun we have received for testing in almost 10 years.
The muzzle is very similar to the sniper roller one. It keeps all the essential features such as the slot that keeps the shaft barb locked and the deep grooves that, together with the hooks, make the passage of the line smooth and “tidy”. Of course, the barrel junction shape is different and changes from “cuttlefish bone–shaped” to "cylinder-shaped". Finally, due to the absence of the enclosed track, the header features small triangular protrusions that allow user to arrange the monofilament “bridge” to lock the shaft in its position. Standard comes with a shaft that is 115cm in length and 7mm in diameter (for 82cm model) with a tri-face cut high penetration tip and 4 "shark fin" pins strategically positioned over the entire length. The first one is at 58cm from the tip of the shaft and is primarily intended to facilitate loading. The second is at 92cm while the third and fourth are respectively at 105cm and 110cm from the shaft tip. With these measures it is easy to evaluate how close to user’s chest the latter two pins have been designed to be, especially if you consider that the overall length of the whole speargun is 122cm!
This jewel that weighs just 1393gr (complete setting but without reel and line) is actually sold without reel, but we strongly suggest to purchase a vertical model that has a small volume and, above all, a great clutch that really does what it should.
SIGALSUB FISH HOLDER KIT
SIGALSUB FISH HOLDER KIT WHEN COMFORT AND SEMPLICITY MEET EACH OTHER
The new fish holder by sigal is a small accessory that in its simplicity holds the finest wits. The main feature of this item is represented by a case made of nylon glass-filled (30%) which is equipped in the upper part of two cord stoppers that allow to always tighten the cord in the desired location and with the desired tension. The common fish holders often oblige spearos to wrap a portion of the exceeding cord around one of the leads of the belt to keep proper tension and often by doing this we are unable to reinsert the pin in its case, without considering that the whole operation turns out to be cumbersome in rough sea conditions. The new fish holder by sigal instead makes all smoother. the kit consists of 5 elements: case, pin (13cm), carabiner, d-ring and Dyneema cord (1,2mt approximately). You need to connect the dyneema cord from one end to the carabiner (stainless steel) and the latter to the D-ring (also made of stainless steel), which you had previously set on one lead of the belt. Finally, after passing the other end of the cord through the 3mm hole of the pin, there you should make a bulky knot to lock it firmly. Once you fix the case in the desired position then slide in the pin and let the dyneema cord get through the pin hole until it is under tension. let the exceeding portion of cord pass through the cord holder which actually locks it. The presence of the cord holder on both sides allow user to be able to easily fix it on both right and left side of the belt according to his own needs. This product is a tribute to comfort in just 85gr (total weight of the kit) and the way it is manufactured reflects the touch of a creator that is a passionate spearo enhancing the simplicity of operations at sea. Technical data: pin: stainless steel, 13cm in length, 2 holes 3mm, weight 27gr case: 30% glass-filled nylon, 12cm in length, weight 30gr, two cord holders, available in black or military green carabiner: stainless steel, 9gr d-ring: stainless steel, 19gr cord: 2mm Dyneema, about 1.2mt, 5g
SPORASUB SPITFIRE KELP FINS
SPORASUB SPITFIRE KELP FINS 2017 SEMI-TRANSPARENT NOVELTY
For 2017, Sporasub takes the field with some excellent new features including the new spitfire kelp fins. They have interchangeable polypropylene blades characterized by an eye-catching dark green colour and by the fact of being semi-transparent.
In addition blades also have a drop-shaped hole (10cm x 3.5cm) in proximity of the footpocket which actually is a drain valve allowing the leg to avoid fatigue during kicking while maintaining the expected high thrust properties.
The blade is well finished and has grains (4 above and 3 below) that strengthen it while keeping an excellent elastic responsiveness. The end tip is dovetail shaped with two small flaps (one on each side) that are 7cm in length and 1,3cm in height. The latter together with the drop-shaped hole help to avoid fin drifting during kicking.
Another very important aspect of the blade is that the polypropylene it is made of, is enriched with a substance that protects it against UV rays and the manufacturer also ensures that this material has an excellent performance at both low and a high temperatures, such property clearly guarantees a slow deterioration over time.
The blades are 64 cm long from the bend under the footpocket to the tip while the width is 13.2 cm (measured between the water rails) and reaches the maximum value of 21.3 cm towards the tip. The full weight of the fin is slightly greater than one kilo. It 'a product suitable for long surface displacements and ambushes at depths within 15mt.
SEAC JACK FREEDIVING & DIVE COMPUTER WATCH
SEAC JACK FREEDIVING & DIVE COMPUTER WATCH WITH ALGORITHM THAT HELPS PREVENT HEMOPTYSIS AND TARAVANA
At the DEMA show 2016, SEAC presented its main product for next year, the new computer watch for freediving (and scuba) that stands out from all the others already on the market because it has a unique algorithm which helps prevent hemoptysis / pulmonary edema and Taravana with specific settings for both the pure freediver and the spearo.
Hemoptysis and Taravana function
The Taravana ( "madness" in Polynesian) is instead a disease whose prevention is increasingly considered both by freedivers and fishermen. The symptoms of this syndrome are comparable to severe MDD (decompression sickness) during SCUBA diving and involves disorders in speech, walking, and in severe cases seizure disorders up to coma. Hyperbaric medicine is not unanimous in identifying the underlying causes of the syndrome, however the recognized factors that increase the risk of Taravana are:
On the market there are no other computers with similar functions, in most cases the other computers include the simple multiplication of the time of the dive (set manually by the user, eg. Time of dive multiplied by 1.5 times by 2.5 times, etc. ) or a manual timer, see comparison chart. According to medical and scientific literature there are multiple theories about the possible causes of Taravana and the factors that contribute to increase the risk, therefore, the algorithm of which is provided is based on the mathematical merging of three factors: 1.Nitrogen saturation, 2.Dehydratation and 3. hypoxy.
alarm function
TEST: PATHOS SNIPER ROLLER 105 SPEARGUN
PATHOS SNIPER R 105 SPEARGUN HYBRID PROPULSION
We had the pleasure to test what we believe is one of the best commercial spearguns that have been in our hands: the pathos sniper R 105.
Next to the reel it is installed (permanently, with no chance to be moved to another position) a polypropylene cuttlefish shaped float which performs the dual function of buoyancy compensator (provides a thrust of 20gr) and support for the roller band hooks. In the lower part in fact there are 3 robust hooks and each of them is 13cm distant from the other. The presence of the float therefore helps to increase the above-mentioned width of the barrel, bringing it up to 7cm for almost all its length (35cm).
SHAFT first fin 136cm from the tip second fin 130cm from the tip third fin 117cm from the tip fourth fin 70cm from the tip The fourth has exclusively the function to facilitate the loading operation of the roller band but clearly the most important one is the first which is so close to the chest to be welded next to the shank enabling you to exploit precious space. It is also important to note that the third pin has a hole for the connection of the monofilament.
MUZZLE
HANDLE
BANDS
CONSIDERATIONS
Rubber bands are highly performing and with the traditional one hooked at the first pin and the roller one hooked at the second pin (hooked at the first lower slot - the closest one to the muzzle) they develop such an high shaft speed that following the trajectory with the eyes becomes difficult.
The classic procedure to load the speargun would be stretching the roller band up to the fourth pin (the closest to the muzzle), then hooking the roller band to the desired lower slot and in the end stretching the band to the second pin. Finally you just need to hook the traditional band to the first pin. I decided to install a cord “handle” in the roisub style so that you can skip the passages mentioned above and load the speargun with just 2 “stretches”. The only negative point we noticed is related to the chest support. On the latter is applied a rubber cover that tends to detach / tear easily. To solve this problem you just need to simply wrap it tight with electrical tape. In conclusion this is an excellent speargun that if you are lucky enough to buy, will permanently go in your personal arsenal as you will no longer live without!
INTOVA MARINE GRADE X2 UNDERWATER ACTION CAM
INTOVA MARINE GRADE X2 THE NEW UNDERWATER ACTION CAM
Let’s go through then all the features in detail!
This camera is waterproof up to 100mt (330ft) and can take both pictures and videos. As previous models from intova it can also take pictures while recording videos (picture in video setting). The highest resolution for videos is 1080p 60fps (but there is plenty of other settings to choose from) while the highest resolutions for stills is 16MP(and also in this case there are many other settings). It is equipped with a 2.3” CMOS sensor and a 2” TFT LCD monitor with a 960x240 resolution, the whole camera weights 197gr (7oz) and it is characterized by a very compact design 8 cm x 7 cm x 5 cm (3.15″ x 2.76″ x 1.97″).
As we mentioned above, the top feature of the Marine Grade X2 is its built-in photoflash and 150 lumen video light. It can in fact be used, by activating the proper option in the menu, to record videos or take pictures in low-light environments like underwater caves, for example.
As it can be inferred by its name, the marine grade was born specifically for underwater use so besides the built in light it has other incredible features that make it the best choice for diving. Through its straightforward and stress free menu you can set the camera according to the depth of use. The camera will actually add a different grade of red to recording, according to the depth set (check the video test) in order to get always the most realistic colours. You can choose -10, -20, -30, over -30.
It has 170° wide angle lens but thanks to another great setting (FOV in the video menu) the field of view can be narrowed (check the video test). The marine grade X” is not equipped with a remote control but thanks to the a free download app it can be fully controlled through our smartphone/iphone (check the video test). In opposition to what happens with other cameras from other manufacturers, the smartphone/iphone app really allows to control all features. User can in fact change mode and settings of each mode. He can also choose the files to playback or delete. It is the best choice to share videos/stills on socials.
Now that we have been through the main features of the action cam, let’s see how efficiently they can be used while spearfishing. First of all, being the wide angle 170°, it is not really the best for spearo as fishes will look very distant but fortunately the FOV setting solve the problem and make this camera useful for both our underwater adventures and our everyday life.
The video effect that applies a red filter is something you can do without but it will work properly only when you reach the bottom at each dive, in fact when surfacing right before to dive the video will result deep red. Obviously such a setting was aimed to tanks divers.
The only negative point is represented by the duration of the battery. As it is stated in the manual it lasts up to 2h and obviously if we keep the led light in use when we record videos the battery life will be even shorter. This implies we need to consider a back-up plan because we won’t have an operating camera up to the end of our spearfishing adventure so we need to activate all those energy saving settings available in the menu as the screen switch off timer.
Today spearos are very “social” so having a camera that through an app allows user to instantly share pictures and videos is very useful. The camera has many other features that make it very useful for spearfishing like the video rotation. If for any reason we need to mount it upside down on our speargun it will rotate 180° the shooting so that the video will always have the right orientation.
It has both the photo burst and self capture options that can be customized and allow the spearo to take the usual selfies with the prey just caught. As we mentioned above it has many resolution settings for videos and it can record up to 120 fps, that is very useful to test new spearguns and see the trajectory of the shaft. The camera itself doesn’t float, so fix it properly on the stirrup. The rubber armor coating really makes its job in preserving the case from scratches. The buttons are all easy to operate and provide full controls of menu.
The overall opinion about the camera performance and how it fits to spearfishing practice is excellent. The great quality of the images is undeniable, what a pity that the battery doesn’t last any longer, however in comparison to other action cameras (that have a screen) the duration is in the same range.
BEUCHAT MARLIN EVIL 100 SPEARGUN
MARLIN EVIL 100 THE NEW SPEARGUN BY BEAUCHAT
Beuchat, the historic French manufacturer is ready for the distribution of the new speargun presented during the Dema show 2015. It's the new Marlin Evil.
It is a speargun with a very basic configuration that does not include special innovative characteristics but that remains however a very well made product with high quality standards.
It has an aluminum barrel with a 28mm diameter round section characterized by an integrated spear guide also made of aluminum. The handle is the one from the well-known marlin series with stainless steel release mechanism. The muzzle instead is closed with a very simple and basic profile. Even the overall configuration does not include particular accessories. The speargun is in fact provided with a pair of 16mm bands (for a 100cm barrel) with articulated wishbone while the shaft (6.5mm diameter for a 100cm barrel) has only two notches away from each other 10cm.
It was designed for newbies spearos looking for a reliable and efficient product. The closed muzzle, the slings with articulated wishbone and shaft with only 2 notches make it unfortunately unappealing to the most experienced spearos who may still choose it, in the shorter versions, for cave fishing.
OMER SUB DRY BAG & SPORASUB BLUE WATER FLOATS
OMER SUB DRY BAG FLOAT & SPORASUB BLUE WATER FLOAT
The DRY BAG FLOAT is a product of extreme simplicity and easy to use, designed to be practical and comfortable in the exercise of our favorite activity, spearfishing. Many components of our equipment must be mounted, assembled, balanced and regulated and in most cases these operations must be repeated at each dive. We also need to cope with a series of objects that are not part of the equipment but we have to take with us anyway as keys, phone, documents, etc. As a consequence we use waterproof cases that we fix to the buoy at best, often in a way that is not really comfortable and reliable.
The DRY BAG FLOAT simplifies our lives and saves us from the stress of these alternative cases. It is a buoy so exclusive as to have received the innovation award at the Nantes spearfishing show 2016.
Let's see it then in detail. It is a red / orange buoy covered with anti-abrasion material and consists essentially of two large independent air chambers, one above and one below. It measures 55cm in length and 30cm in width and 55cm in height (including the flag). It weights only 1,15kg (including two lead plates, 100gr each, that have their housing in two pockets located in the lower part of the buoy) and is equipped with two solid handles on the top, 4 velcro rings at the bottom and a solid ring for traction in the front part.
The main feature that makes it special is the capacity of being a waterproof bag and a dive buoy at the same time. Through the opening on the back you can introduce all those objects you want to keep dry. Once inserted, you just need to fold the edges of the rear opening and close it with the clips. At this point you can proceed to inflate the air chambers (I suggest you to inflate them a little at the time instead of fully inflate one first and then the other). The pressure exerted by these inner tubes will keep the objects safe from the water and firmly in the chosen position. The inner air chambers are equipped with double valves (one contained in the other) through which you can inflate and deflate them quickly.
It is, as said earlier, a product very simple and practical, but that appears to be both solid and resistant. The seals, the lining material and the flag locking system (for sure you are not going to lose the flag at sea) express strength and solidity that instill confidence about the reliability and duration of this buoy.
Another spearfishing buoy, designed by sporasub, is the BLUE WATER FLOAT. It is a originally designed for a different type of fishing, the one in the ocean to great size preys, however it well performs in our seas. It has a more tapered silhouette than the previous model, measuring 107cm in length, 38 in width and 81.5cm in height. The weight is 1,150kg (this buoy is also available in a mini version). Also this buoy is built in anti-abrasion material and is characterized by a plasticized orange band which entirely surrounds the central part and which has a lead pocket (in the bottom) for stabilization and a hole (at the top) for flag support housing.
In fact, as shown in the photos, when the buoy is not inflated, we need to put a rubber cylindrical support through the aforementioned hole and then place the flagstick in it. Once the buoy is inflated, the air pressure will hold both the support and the flag tight. However being the flagstick composed of two parts which fit one into each other we should secure them with tape or glue in order to avoid that the part with the flag falls off into the sea. The flag of this buoy, however, has the advantage of having the flag fixed on a support which allows it to rotate 360 degrees following the wind direction. In other words, the flag is fixed to a cylinder that can rotate around the flagstick. The buoy is equipped with one air chamber which can be inflated through the straw valve located at the edge of the orange band. The operation is very simple, just unscrew a washer which allows the upper part to slide down opening the valve. At this point it is sufficient to blow into the straw which has a retention system through which when we stop inflating the air does not come out.
The system is great but when you want to deflate the buoy it makes the operation slower than with the DRY BAG FLOAT.
It is equipped with two solid handles for transportation and a ring for traction in the front, however, it has not snap hooks, rings or hooks of another type for the transport of our equipment. However the presence of a robust central band in the lower part allow us to customize it.
Thanks to its tapered silhouette this buoy could be customized also to be more visible and functional. If the buoy would remain perpendicularly on the water surface with the aid of a simple lead belt connected at the tip and the its flagstick could rotate thanks to a mounting system with a tilting base which includes fasteners (clips), this mark would be very visible because the flagstick (97cm) height and the buoy length (107cm) would merge. In short 2m above the surface!
SEAC MOTUS KAMA FINS
SEAC MOTUS KAMA FINS NEW BY SEAC SUB
The fins that we look at today represent the natural evolution of a product already present in previous catalog of SEAC: the Motus fins. From this year they are also available in camouflage version under the name MOTUS KAMA. It is mimetic fin with techno-polymer interchangeable blades that hold in their design some small tricks that make them different from the others on the market as they increase comfort and improve the performance.
The most important details lie in the design of the foot pocket. Two different thermoplastic rubber hardnesses were employed in order to ensure the best compromise between comfort and performance. The side ribs, the sole and a portion of the upper part (towards the fingers) are made with a greater hardness to avoid the dispersion of the force generated by the kick while the other parts are made of softer thermoplastic rubber to be comfortable and to avoid the occurrence of abrasions and blisters after prolonged use. The foot pocket finally, is designed with an inclination of 22° which optimizes the use of energy.
The blade as said earlier is now available with a very nice camouflage that shows the typical Mediterranean sea bottom made of rock and weeds (predominantly brown in colour). Through the use of an innovative technique (WFT) the seabed is embossed directly into the plastic of the blade and therefore being not printed on a film applied to the surface, the resistance to abrasion is exponentially greater. Towards its end the blade has two small flaps which channel the water and improve the grip of the fin.
Overall it is a very soft and comfortable fin that we frankly recommend for fishing trips involving long surface swimming. Especially in the horizontal swimming they allow to increase the amplitude of the fin kick and do not tire the ankles. They are best if used within 15mt depth where also their camouflage can play a decisive role on the success of the fishing action. The foot pocket comfort, ultimately, is so important to suggest (if you do not find at your ease with the techno-polymer blades) to take it into account for mounting your carbon blades.
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