Euro Speargun Comparisons by Brand
Euro Speargun Comparisons by Brand
Euro style spearguns tend to have a more streamlined profile compared to American style spearguns. These spearguns tend to be accurate, but lack an enclosed track. They usually use smaller spear shafts and are designed for lighter monofilament. In general, these spearguns are designed for shooting smaller fish. A lot of European guns were designed for spearfishing in the Mediterranean, where you have to dive over 100 feet (30 meters) to shoot a 10 inch (25cm) fish. With that being said, there are several Euro style spearguns made all over the world that have been redesigned to be extremely effective at targeting larger species of fish.
Salvimar Metal
The Salvimar metal spearguns are inexpensive and make for a great starter speargun. They come with a reel and compete on price compared to JBL Reapers and Rob Allen Spearguns which do not come rigged with a reel. That being said, they may lack some of the durability of other brands. They are more durable than many European companies' cheaper spearguns, but they are less durable than most American or South African brands. The weakest point of the Salvimar metal speargun is that the line release can have a little more play than some spearos like, which leads to the shooting line jumping off the line release at random moments.
JBL Reaper
The JBL Reaper is an American made version of the Rob Allen Speargun. It does have some key differences that differentiate it, but they are markedly similar products. The JBL Reaper uses 17-4 steel compared to the more traditional spring steel used in most Euro Style spearguns. They also come with a loading pad, which the Rob Allen lacks. The loading pad is still compact, so it doesn’t distribute the force over that large of an area, but it does help the speargun grip on your wetsuit's loading pad better while loading and is far better than nothing. The JBL Reaper handle has a built in universal reel adaptor just ahead of the line release, which accepts several reel options from different brands to the speargun. As Euro spearguns go, this is a solid and sturdy option. These spearguns are comparably priced with Rob Allen Spearguns.
Mares
Mares are inexpensive spearguns. The entire speargun is made of plastic. The spearguns work, but they are prone to failure and breakages.
Cressi
Cressi especially falls victim to the problem of Euro spearguns being designed for deep diving and small fish in the Mediterranean. This makes the design's focus on being streamlined and accurate, but the equipment tends to struggle on larger fish. Cressi guns also feature an all-metal trigger mechanism, which tends to improve the durability of any given speargun. Cressi spearguns have a wide price range, going from $100 all the way up to the $400 and $500 dollar range.
Aimrite
Aimrite spearguns make a quality Euro speargun. Both their metal and carbon fiber spearguns are durable and constructed with quality and care. The only design issue some divers have is that the guns come with a safety mechanism which essentially requires you to pull two triggers when shooting any fish. The safety is incorporated into the grip itself, so you need to depress the safety trigger in order to activate the actual speargun trigger to fire the speargun. This could be a selling point for some divers, but other divers may want as little as possible preventing them from shooting a fish that swims by quickly. The safety can also make reloading a challenge. When the safety is engaged, it can be challenging to get the shaft to engage in the trigger mechanism. Aimrites are on the more expensive side of Euro style spearguns, starting at around $350 and going up past $1000.
Hammerhead
Hammerhead Spearguns is a company based out of Hawaii which has a wide range of quality and price options for their spearguns. They have metal as well as carbon fiber options and have even come out with a few wooden speargun options. Their guns (especially their lower-priced ones) are a popular choice for those getting their first speargun.
Rob Allen
Rob Allen Spearguns are the gold standard for Euro style spearguns. They are durable and accurate rail guns at an affordable price. The only issue has been in their supply chain. It has been challenging to get ahold of these spearguns ever since the pandemic supply chain shocks. Because of that, these spearguns have suffered a declining popularity in the United States as a result of not being able to get spare parts or the guns themselves.
Omer
Omer is a quality euro speargun that is widely available and works well, however the challenge with buying them is that the company made their guns so that they would only work with Omer accessories. For example, the only reel that would work with an Omer speargun was an Omer reel because of the way they designed the mounting bracket. Even the bands can't just be tied at a regular dive shop, and the right ones have to be ordered from Omer or a shop that carries their bands. This is still the case with many Italian brands, but Omer is the biggest offender.
C4
C4 Spearguns are made of carbon fiber. They are designed to look and feel modern, and some of their guns look like they came from the future. They are durable, light weight, and designed to track well in the water. However, C4s are some of the more expensive traditional style Euro spearguns on the market. They tend to start around $800 and move up from there. It also takes a long time to get replacement parts for them, but they are a little better in terms of compatibility with other brands than Omer.
BleuTec Spearguns
The BleuTec speargun line is the exception to so many rules for Euro style spearguns. They tend to be a little larger than most Euro spearguns, but they still maintain a streamline profile. The added mass helps with any recoil. They are still open track, so overpowering the speargun for extended range or power in bluewater applications will still result in inaccuracy. They also have a sturdier trigger mechanism with a firmer line release than most mainland European designed spearguns. The biggest downside to the spearguns is that they are very expensive. They start at around $500, but the bigger nicer ones can run you well over $1000.
Pathos
Pathos spearguns are a popular variety of euro style spearguns that are streamlined, well-functioning, and light. There are a wide range of quality options in the pathos brand, including metal and carbon options as well as roller and traditional options. The main drawback to Pathos is that they make the gun so that their brand's reel be the only one compatible with it. Other than that, however, pathos guns are a good high-end bang for your buck (mostly around $600) that will last you a long time.