Rigging 600

Building a Re-Rig Kit

Speargun rigging is an important part of being prepared. Even though we frequently try to have as much equipment prepared for a spearfishing trip ahead of time a Re-Rig Kit is still an important bit of gear to assemble.  I have yet to be on a spearfishing trip where someone in the group doesn’t need to have some piece of equipment adjusted or assembled either on the on the way to the first spot on boat or in a hotel room the night before.  An important consideration when building out your kit is to make it work for you, and possibly your dive group, and the condition you are diving.

The Neptonics Tri-Fold Rigging Bag is an extraordinarily useful tool to help keep your Re-Rig Kit organized.  It is a great based on which to build out the rest of your kit.  From there you will want to have a couple other things to make sure your trip goes smoothly. 

Shooting Line

Whatever type of shooting line you have, whether it is spectra, monofilament, or cable, you will want to make sure you have enough to rig another spear shaft.  You will also want any piece or equipment you may need to secure the line to the spear shaft and your other rigging.  For Monofilament and Cable you will need a Crimping Tool as well as crimps.

Bands

You may want to pack a spare set of bands for whatever type of speargun you are using.  If you know how to tie your own bands this may involve bringing some Cinch Knot Cord, as well as an Insertion Tool.  If tying your own bands is not one of your skill sets you will want to bring a pair of pre-made bands with removable loops, if your speargun requires them.  A lighter for burning the ends of any knots or treating the inside of your mask is also helpful.  

Hardware

Other pieces of equipment you may want to bring along are based on your own spearfishing rigs.  If you have a reel on your speargun you may want to have a spare swivel if your reel line gets cut.  If you are using a floatline and break away set up you may want to bring a spare break away in case yours is damaged in addition to spare tuna clip or two for your floatline in case your hardware starts to show signs of rust or stress.  

Tips

If you are hunting Blue Water and using a slip-tip you may want to bring a spare slip-tip, or a cable or spectra replacement kit for if your slip-tip gets damaged or lost.  

Just remember, when building out your Re-Rig Kit you need to keep in mind that your speargun rigging is consistently working in a challenging environment and it deteriorates with time.  Salt rusts or corrodes metal, weakens spectra, and tangles other lines.  Be ready with new gear that will, at a minimum, make your trip a success.

All Spearfishing: 

  • Tri-Fold Rigging Bag
  • Insertion Tool
  • Cinch Knot Cord
  • Wishbones
  • Band Materials
  • Pre-made Bands with Removable Loops
  • Crimping Tool and Crimps
  • Shooting Line

Reef:

  • Snap or Cork-Screw Swivels
  • Extra shaft

Bluewater:

  • Tuna Clips
  • Break-Away Adaptors
  • Slip-Tips
  • Splicing Kit
Sh600

Shark Shields and Powerheads – Risks and Uses

Both Shark Shields and Powerheads are means of deterring large predators. Each method has its limitations and both excel in their own ways. 

Shark Shield

The Ocean Guardian Freedom 7 is more commonly called the “Shark Shield”. It uses an electric pulse that sharks find extremely uncomfortable to deter sharks from approaching within a few yards (meters) of a diver. The Freedom 7 is a great deterrent specifically for sharks, because other large predatory fish don’t have the same electro-magnetic sense that sharks have. There are many divers and surfers that won’t get in sharks waters without one of these.

The Freedom 7 relies on a rechargeable battery. It trails behind the diver like a surf board leash and regularly emits an electric pulse through the water. They are a little expensive, but they are capable of reducing threats you may not even be aware of in the water.You do need to be cognizant of turning the Freedom 7 off before getting out of the water. Once the device is wet it can arc on a boat and shock anyone touching it. Ocean Guardian also makes a unit designed to be installed on a boat.

Powerheads

Powerheads are a more reactive solution to large predators in the water. There are a few kinds of options for different powerheads. With all powerheads you should waterproof the round you are using with colorful nail polish. We recommend colorful nail polish because you can see if the paint is falling off. Once the powder is wet in the round it is useless. Paint around the head (where the primer is) as well as neck of the round (where the projectile is). 

One of the big risks of powerheads is hitting a solid object accidentally. The force of the explosion from the powerhead hitting a solid object (shipwreck, rock, etc) can launch your spear shaft back at you as if you just pulled the trigger at yourself. Be aware of where you are sending the spear shaft ad the possible repercussions.

Powerheads do not go onto slip-tips.

Disposable Powerheads

The most cost effective powerhead option for recreational divers is the disposable powerhead. Disposable powerheads do not have their own firing pin which makes them a bit safer to use. Disposable powerheads use a spear shaft tip as a firing pin. They are designed for specific spear shaft thicknesses, so be aware of your equipment when making a purchase. 

Reusable  Powerheads 

Most reusable powerheads have their own firing pin built in. These powerheads are usually designed for threaded spear shafts and need to be maintained better than disposable powerheads. Wash and dry reusable powerheads thoroughly after every trip or they will become rusted blocks of metal. They usually have multiple safeties built into them, and for god reason. 

You need to be careful with powerheads that have their own firing pins. I recall an incident where a diver was storing one in the sleeve of their wetsuit. They got back on the boat and took off their suit. The powerhead fell onto the deck of the boat, fired, and went in and out of the divers leg and back into their chest. The diver made a full recovery, but still effectively shot themselves. Be aware of the risks.

Commercial Use

People commercially spearfishing tend to favor reusable powerheads as the cost-benefit eventually makes itself up from the increased cost compared to disposable ones. That being said, Commercial spearfishers have a different intent. Commercial spearfishers aren’t using these to protect themselves. They are using them to harvest as many fish as possible as efficiently as possible as a job. Keep that in mind in your decision making process. Check out this video to see one in action.

Pole 600x600

A Break Down Of Modern Pole Spears

Over the past decade there has been a greater use of pole spears. There are several reasons we can attribute the rise of these devices. The creation of a separate division of world records by the International Underwater Spearfishing Association (IUSA) certainly created an appeal for using pole spears. Increased traveling to the Bahamas probably made some appeal as well. The challenge which forces you to be a better hinter and focus on fundamentals may have increased the use of pole spears. 

History of Pole Spear Use

Pole spears have been around for ages. Odds are they were the true origin of spearfishing in pre-history. Shaping a sharp stick to skewer fish sin the most complicated of tasks, although modern ones are a bit more advanced. In the 20th century if you wanted a pole spear you were mostly looking a a short, fiberglass, pole with a three prog tip. It was a good way to start out as a kid shooting small fish in shallow water, but it was difficult to land anything of size. Later in the 20th century and early in the 21st century a few metal ones started showing. These were not much longer than the fiberglass spears, but could usually break down for easier travel. They also had more force and durability that the small fiberglass spears. It was the start of a new age. 

IUSA World Records

It is hard to narrow down one factor that influenced the modern surge in popularity of pole spears. If there is one factor that pushed the advancement of these tools it has to have been the IUSA creating a separate division for them. Up until this separation all spearfishing world records were grouped together, regardless of how the fish was taken. Pole spears were starting to improve around the same time as this transition, so it is hard to say which situation caused the other. Riffe was early on the creation of quality ones. After the creation of the separate categories there was a notable shift in the quality of pole spears being introduced to the world of spearfishing, for the better. 

The Transition to Modern Pole Spears

There are several qualities of modern pole spears that differentiate them from the past. Probably the biggest difference has to be the the length of modern spears. A Pole spear’s range is pretty much the length of the spear itself. You may be able to reach out slightly further with smaller fish, but if you want to penetrate the fish you have to be pretty close to the target. That is why modern, high quality, pole spears are as long as they are. Most of them are eight or nine feet long. They also tend to be made out of either aluminum, composite, or Carbon Fiber. These three materials have their benefits and problems. With the improved technology, the cost of these tools has gone up. All break down pole spears are perfect travel pole spears. 

Aluminum

Aluminum is one of the first materials to make quality pole spears. They were some of the first improvements from the cheap fiberglass spears. They are denser and heavier than fiberglass. That extra weight makes them move a little slower once you release them, but it means they have more force when you hit the fish. The only issue you have with aluminum pole spears is that aluminum can corrode if you don’t take good care of it. You need to make sure you give everything a good fresh water rinse after every dive trip to keep it is good working condition. There are several manufacturers of aluminum pole spears including Riffe  and Neritic. Because these break down for easy travel, you can easily adjust the length of the spear. You can use the three foot sections to make a 6 foot spear, or add another two or three foot section to make an eight or nine foot pole spear.

Composite 

Composite pole spears are several levels above the classic fiberglass spears. Headhunter has revolutionized this type of pole spear. With improved durability, and solid construction they have made these spears capable of landing some truly gigantic fish. There have been Tunas landed that are well over 200 pounds with the Headhunter Nomad. These are fast and still manage to hit hard. The composite construction is extremely durable. This essential when you are targeting large fish. Because these break down for easy travel, you can easily adjust the length of the spear. You can use the three foot sections to make a 6 footer , or add another two or three foot section to make an eight or nine foot spear.

Carbon Fiber

Carbon Fiber is an amazing tool that is getting used more and more in spearfishing. It is a very strong material. The down side to carbon fiber is that it is more brittle than aluminum and composite material. It is very fast, but is not a dense as composite or aluminum. Because of this, they can have a little less power when it comes to penetrating fish. Riffe makes a great carbon fiber spear at a fair price. Because these break down for easy travel, you can easily adjust the length of it. You can use the three foot sections to make a 6 foot pole spear, or add another two or three foot section to make an eight or nine foot pole spear.

Roller Pole Spears

Most manufacturers now offer roller pole spears to complete their traditional models. Rollers have the benefit of increasing the band pull distance to aid in acceleration. With that being said, the rollers accelerate slower than a traditional models initially but accelerate faster towards the end. One of the benefits is they transport more easily because the band doesn’t act like a giant loop on the back end of the spear.  Whether you believe in them or not they have landed quite a few big fish. When it comes down to it, if you believe it helps you then in a way it does. 

Pole Spears and Hawaiian Slings

Pole 600

Pole Spears and Hawaiian Slings

There is some debate over what constitutes a Pole Spear or a Hawaiian Sling.  I cannot say who is right or who is wrong, but I will clarify what I will be describing for each item.  A Pole Spear is a long spear that can be made out of a variety of different materials.  It is propelled through the water by a long band which is looped through the back end of the spear.  The energy of a pole spear is stored by the diver by stretching the band toward the front of the pole spear and grasping the spear with the same hand that is holding the band.  A Hawaiian Sling is a tube with a band connected to the tube with a notch in the back of the band that holds a spear designed to slide through the tube. 

Generally, it comes down to preference on one compared to the other. There are countless varieties in design and quality of both types of devices.  Regardless of quality, design, or innovations, they all tend to face similar challenges, benefits, and are used in similar manners for both types of devices, which is one of the reasons they are frequently clumped together.

 

Pole Spears

Polespears have made some of the largest technological jumps in the past decade. This is especially true for their quality. The materials, precision, and quality have allowed pole spears to land some fish species that no one would have dreamed of landing with a pole spear in the past.  That being said the challenges of the equipment have resulted in some die-hard users.  One of the biggest challenges are range.  Even the longest pole spears only have the lethal range of about a 45’ or 100 cm speargun.  That being said, in that range they tend to hit the fish and penetrate it better than a speargun of that length at those ranges.  So range is the major limitation for Polespears and Hawaiian slings.  

 

Becoming a Better Spearfishermen

The benefits of using a Polespear or Hawaiian sling is that you are forced to become a better hunter.  You are required to get better at stalking your prey and close the distance more.  If nothing else, it adds even more challenge to an already challenging sport.  Another benefit is that they are simple.  It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure any of these things out.  Its simplicity is one of the reasons it is frequently a child’s first introduction to spearfishing.  

 

Pole Spears and Hawaiian Slings – Legal Limitations

One of the biggest reasons to use these is that some places only allow the use of them to spearfish.  The Bahamas and Bermuda have chosen to protect their fisheries from spearfishing by limiting spearfishing equipment to just pole spears and Hawaiian slings.  These countries, and other like them have certainly helped to create a culture of using Polespears and Hawaiian slings and have resulted in a large number of people that prefer pole spear to spearguns.  

So if you are planning a trip out of the country, remember to check their regulations. Especially  on method of take and get some practice in. Alternatively, if you want to challenge yourself to become a better spearo pick one up. Force yourself to close the distance a bit more.  After you get good with a pole spear or sling a speargun will almost feel like cheating.

Lobster 600

Picking The Right Lobster Gear For Your Trip

Lobstering is a time honored tradition all over the world. These marine crustaceans have been a food source for humanity from the beginning. The technology and equipment used have dramatically improved over the past century and having the right gear can give you the edge you need to catch lobsters (or crayfish if you are from Australia). 

Lobster Bags

A lobster bag is an often overlooked piece of equipment that may be one of the most important elements to catching lobster. A good lobster bag is how you keep the lobster once you catch it. Rather than returning to the boat after getting your hands on every lobster, just use a solid bag to hold them. There are a couple different lobster bag options. There are Heavy Duty Lobster bags that have one way entries to make sure you can put your entire limit in without any lobster escaping. These are one of the best pieces of lobster gear out there.

Traditional Catch Bags

Traditional catch bags are also a good option. The benefit to the traditional catch bag is that it can be used for more than just lobster. Traditional catch bags are great if you can get both lobster and fish on the same dive. These catch bugs can be great for other activities, like catching scallops, or picking up trash on dives. Catch bags are even great for transporting smaller amounts of dive gear. 

Mutiny Lobster Bag

Another option is the Mutiny Lobster Bag, that acts as a belt with a quick release. You can easily stuff lobsters in a net-like apron that is around your waist. The quick release is easy to use in case the net gets caught up on the reef. 

Lobster Snares

Grabbing lobsters by hand is hard. The best way to catch lobster while freediving is with a lobster snare. There are several types of lobster snares on the market. There are lobster snares that act like lassos the you manually pull shut which work great. They are sturdy, and easy to use. There are also spring loaded lobster snares that automatically shut. These are also very popular. Both are good options for pulling lobsters out of holes. They both work on the same principle of getting the loop behind the lobster and getting the lobster to walk back into the loop. Once that has happened the lobster is easily puled out of the rocks. 

Gloves

Gloves are easily the most important piece of equipment for lobstering. It is difficult to express how important a sturdy set of gloves are for lobstering. Lobster are sharp and do everything they can to slip away. Lobster also tend to be in rocks and around coral. A good pair of gloves is important to keeping your hands intact. 

Flashlight and Gauges

Lobster hide under ledges and in holes. That makes a quality flashlight important to finding these critters in their environment. Some divers prefer a streamline and bright light to easily maneuver around under the ledges. Other divers prefer a larger light. It all comes down to personal preference. A great addition to a quality dive light to help with lobstering is to add a Mutiny Lobster Gauge to the light. With the adjustable hose clamp these lobster gauges are easily put onto any light head from one inch diameter to a five inch diameter. 

Nets and Tickle Sticks

The classic method is to getting lobster is with a tickle stick and net. The basic strategy is similar to the lobster snares. But with a few extra moving parts. The idea of using a net and tickle stick is to get the net behind the lobster and to use the tickle stick to get the lobster to try and swim away. The way lobsters swim away is to propel themselves back ways with their tails. If you have your net behind them they effectively launch themselves into a trap. Then you just need to bring the net down to the bottom and you can control the lobster. 

Neptonics Plastic Finssm 1

Getting Into Freediving For Cheap

Freediving can be a very expensive hobby. With that being said, there are plenty of high quality, low budget options to get you started. Here are some easy ways to stay within you budget for a new hobby. Additionally, we have some recommendations for gear and training you shouldn’t compromise on. This is a simple guide on getting into freediving for cheap while staying safe. 

Mask and Snorkel

Masks are an important piece of equipment you should prioritize. That does not mean it has to be super expensive. Your mask needs to fit well and be comfortable. Comfort should be your number one priority. There are few feelings that will make you want to call your dive day early than your mask pushing in on your forehead in an uncomfortable way. Make sure to try out your mask in a shop. Try to push it into your face and see where it will put pressure on your face as you go deeper underwater. Snorkels, on the other hand, can be on the cheeper side. There are nicer snorkels on the market, and they can be worth the money, but overall a simple snorkel works well. 

Freedive Fins

Fins are the only piece of freedive gear the you can spend more money on that increases performance. Plastic fins are the least expensive fins on the market. They are the lowest performing fins, but they are the most durable. If you are just starting out  plastic fins are a great option for getting into the sport. If you find that freediving is your favorite hobby you will eventually upgrade to carbon fiber fins. You can re-use some foot pockets with other blades. 

Weight Belt and Lead

The difference between high quality and a cheeper weight belts comes down to the stretchiness of the rubber or silicone. Stretchiness doesn’t sound that important until you start diving deeper. A higher quality belt will conform to your body as you dive deeper and your lungs compress. Nylon weight belts will stay the same size and can fall up around your ribcage as you dive down. 

Wetsuits

Wetsuits can be a big investment when you are first getting into freediving. There are some great, top of the line wetsuits on the market. With that comes a bigger price tag. There are other, less expensive wetsuits available as well. These suits tend to be of a lower quality, but still do the job. If you buy a high quality wetsuit you are buying a suit that will keep you warmer for longer. They also tend to be stretchier and have better durability.

The biggest factor on buying a wetsuit should probably be the amount of time you spend diving. If you are in the water a few times a week you may want to spring for the better wetsuit. If you are only diving a few times a year you can probably deal with less comfort for the time you are in the water and buy a less expensive wetsuit. 

Freedive Training

It is easily one of the biggest expenses in getting into freediving. Training is also one of the most important investments you can make. An introductory freediving class will certainly help you learn the basics of freediving, but the real benefit comes form the safety techniques and strategies you learn in the class. There has been a massive increase in freedive instructors over the past few years as the sport has grown. There are good instructors and bad instructors. Do your research, make sure they are working through and accredited and insured training agency. Part of that increases the cost of your instruction, but it also insures they are teaching to a standard. 

Getting Into Freediving For Cheap – A Review

Some of the big takeaways from this post are that you should find a comfortable mask rather than a cheap or expensive mask. You can keep your snorkel simple rather than expensive. Fins can improve your performance, but starting out plastic fins work fine. A freediving weight belt is important, but you don’t need to break the bank on a weight belt starting out. Wetsuits can be expensive, but can be worth it depending on how much time you are spending in the water. And last, but certainly not least, freedive training is very important and you should invest your time and money in quality instruction through a certifying agency.

Stay safe out there and have fun!

Metal Speargun 600 Large Canvas

Getting Into Spearfishing for Cheap

Once you have the basic freediving equipment you may be wondering about the best way to get into spearfishing. There are countless options on the market with a wide range of price points. Every diver has different goals, and those goals should help determine your priorities. Spearfishing adds a new element to freediving, and the minimum required equipment does not have to break your bank account. 

Spearguns For Getting Into Spearfishing

The most popular method of harvesting fish is by using a speargun. There are countless options of different spearguns on the market. The trick is to find the right speargun for you. Once you have figured out the type of speargun that suits your needs it comes down to finding the right speargun for the value. If you are new to the sport and want to figure out if you will enjoy the sport you may want to look a Euro style rail spearguns. They tend to be less expensive, but some brands are less durable. If you know that spearfishing is your sport you may want to spring for a more durable speargun. Going a little more expensive can save you from buying more spearguns than you need. It comes down to the ‘Buy Once, Cry Once’ idea when making important purchases. 

Pole Spears

Pole spears used to be the cheap way of getting into the sport and getting better at hunting. Now there are several high quality pole spears on the market that are more expensive than some spearguns. These pole spears have similar range and more power than some smaller spearguns. You can still find a few inexpensive pole spears on the market for starting out, but you will quickly outgrow them. The cheap pole spears are still great options for people still getting comfortable in the water, or kids just getting into spearfishing. 

Accessories

There are some accessories in spearfishing you can save some money on. For example, you don’t need a super expensive dive light. The nice thing about not using a dive light is that you won’t even see the fish you are missing in holes and under ledges. If you are not great at picking up at satirical wording, I am saying you probably want a dive light if you hunt reef fish. Other than safety equipment like knives and gloves, most accessories are designed to just make your life easier. So if you life your life to be a little more comfortable there are tons of accessories on the market for you. If you want to spearfish with the minimum equipment you better be tough. Just remember to maintain all of your safety equipment at a minimum. Being frugal is one thing, but your safety should always your top priority. 

Picking the Right Speargun Track

Open Vs Closed Track

Picking the Right Speargun Track

Enclosed Track VS Open Track Spearguns

Spearguns can be divided into an endless collection of categories. One of these splits is enclosed track and open track spearguns. Divers need to pick which style speargun track they prefer.  Divers can have strong opinions on what they prefer and why. We will be breaking these down and looking at the benefits and problems with each. Both have their place and value. Choosing one compared to the other can have big impacts on how the speargun shoots, and how a dive has to aim. 

Enclosed Track Spearguns Benefits

Enclosed tracks are more accurate than open track spearguns. This is the result of shaft whip. Shaft whip is the result of the back of the spear shaft trying to catch up with the front of the spear shaft as soon as the trigger is pulled. With an enclosed track the shaft has nowhere to flex. All of the energy is force to where the speargun is pointed. These benefits are increased as more power/ bands are added to the gun. So, once you have three or more bands it becomes very important to have an enclosed track. That is why most bluewater guns have enclosed tracks.

Problems with Enclosed Tracks

There are only a few problems with enclosed tracks. One of the biggest complaints is that they are harder to load than open track spearguns. This really only applies to starting the loading process. Once the spear shaft is in the track it slides directly into the trigger mechanism. The other issue can be an actual issue with the function of the speargun. If you are using an enclosed track speargun in confined spaces you need to make sure the spear shaft clears the entire track when you pull the trigger. If the spear shaft is still in the track and inside a fish the track can get busted apart by a struggling fish. 

Benefits of Open Track Spearguns

The main benefit to open track spearguns is that you don’t have to worry about shooting a fish at close range and the fish damaging your gun. Open track spearguns can be easier to load than enclosed track spearguns. With that being said most loading challenges are easily overcome by being familiar with your own equipment. Newer divers will take longer on any type of equipment they are reloading, where experienced divers will be quicker, especially with their own equipment. 

Open Track Problems

Spear shafts flex on open track spearguns. This is called “shaft whip”, and is similar to archery in its mechanics. Basic concept is that as soon as the trigger is pulled, the back of the spear shaft toys to catch up to the from of the spear shaft before the spear starts to accelerate forward. As it straightens the shaft can be pointed in a different direction than where you initially aimed the spear shaft. This issue gets compounded on more powerful spearguns, meaning spearguns with more bands. Shaft whip is why larger spearguns, with more than two bands need an enclosed track. The exception to this is spearguns that take extremely thick spear shafts. Some spearguns take 3/8” spear shafts, or even 10mm spear shafts. At that point the rigidity of the spear makes shaft whip less of an issue.

Koah Speargun Comparison

Koah Blog 600

Koah Speargun Comparison 

Koah has become an established brand for spearguns over the past decade. They are widely used throughout Florida, and have been gradually expanding their influence throughout the United States and the world. Koah builds high quality teak spearguns with enclosed tracks. The epoxy coating sets these spearguns apart from other teak spearguns. The epoxy coating gives these spearguns a refined and finished look that makes these spearguns last, and look good on the boat and even on the wall of your home. All of the different Koah Spearguns have a wide range of different length options based on the model. To get an idea of the right length speargun for you check out this blog post. 

The Battle Axe

The Koah Battle Axe Speargun is the flagship speargun in Koah’s line of guns. The Battle Axe is the best scuba spearfishing speargun on the market. There are several purists out there that would say spearfishing on scuba is cheating compared to freediving. That is an opinion you are entitled to, but if you choose to spearfish on scuba this speargun is designed for you. It comes stock with a spare shaft and spare shaft holder. The Battle Axe is designed to be a hip loading speargun.

The biggest challenge with spearguns designed to be shot freeshafting is how difficult it is to put a line on the spear should you need a line. The Koah Battle Axe solves this problem with a quick and easy to use slide ring. The line and slide ring are retained in a streamline way on the underside of the speargun. If you need a line shaft you can quickly put the slide ring over the tip of the spear shaft. This becomes very important shooting cobra or amberjacks.

Koah Euro Spearguns

Koah’s Euro Spearguns are designed around freediving. The Koah Euro still uses American shafts with shark fin tabs and has an enclosed track. The speargun is streamline for easy tracking through the water. The Euro design comes down to the spearguns trigger being set so far back on the speargun. That makes this speargun have as much range as possible for the length of the speargun.

Koah Bluewater Speargun

The Koah Bluewater Speargun is a beast of a speargun. It has the mass needed to compensate for the power of all the bands it holds. Powered by four bands this speargun has the power and range to take down most bluewater water species. The Bluewater Standard series has more wood behind the trigger to make hip loading easier on such a large speargun. The Bluewater Mid-Plus has a pushrod that sets the trigger further back, to make use of the full length of the bluewater speargun.

Roller Speargun Series

The Koah Roller Speargun, or the Reef Roller Speargun, is Koah’s design for a roller speargun. This speargun comes standard with a single roller band to extend the range of the speargun. The roller band has a multi-stage load making the actual roller band to load initially, then you flip the speargun and tighten the band on slots on the underside of the speargun. The kicker band helps initially propel the spear keeping the spear accelerating quickly on the trigger pull. In a pinch you can just use the kicker band if you need to reload the speargun quickly. 

Koah Fatback Speargun

The Koah Fatback has become a very popular Koah speargun model. It functions a bit in between the Euro and the Battle Axe.  The Speargun is narrow and maneuverable in the front, but a bit more bulky in the back to deal with recoil. It has the standard option, which has the trigger further forward for hip loading. Alternatively, the Mid-Plus has a push rod and puts the trigger further back for more range. You need to chest load the Mid-Plus. It does not come with spare shafts or shaft holder like the Battle Axe.

Wood Vs Raill 600

Rail VS Wood Spearguns

There are hundreds of different spearguns on the market, and each has its own quality that makes it different than the others.  That being said, there are two very broad categories of speargun styles.  There is the Rail speargun, also known as the pipe gun, or Euro style speargun.  The other is the wood speargun, or more generally, the American style speargun.  Both have their benefits and their detractions.

Rail/Euro Style Spearguns

Rail spearguns are simple.  Their design is generally an aluminum or carbon fiber tube, with an open track to guide the shaft.  The tube is sealed off with plugs and the ends have the handle and trigger mechanism on one end and the muzzle, which holds the bands, on the other.  Rail spearguns are streamlined in the water, which allows for quick tracking of fish and makes them easier to dive with.  The other major benefit is they tend to be less expensive than their wooden counterparts.

Rail guns do have some challenges. Because they are so light weight they become inaccurate with too many bands on them.  Two bands are pretty much the limit for most rail spearguns.  Any more power than that and the muzzle will jump and cause inaccuracy.  Another drawback to rail guns is that there are only a few modifications that can be done to them.  Muzzles can be changed, ballast can be added externally, and reels can be added to some spearguns.  Other than that they tend to be factory stock spearguns.

Wooden/American Style Spearguns

Wooden spearguns tend to be bulkier and shoot larger diameter shafts. Wood guns vary dramatically in design and style from size and track style.  Some wood spearguns are small and simple with an open track and one or two bands, others can look like a rounded-off 4X4with six bands or more and an enclosed track. The variations in styles is one of the qualities people love about wood spearguns.  Another benefit is the ability to modify the speargun.  Because it doesn’t rely on a plugged tube for its buoyancy it is able to be adjusted and screwed into if the owner wants to.

The down side to wood spearguns is that they tend to be more expensive.  A large number of them tend to be hand crafted by individual speargun builders, so every gun is a little different.  Another big risk is that they are made out of wood, and while wood spearguns are treated to prevent water intrusion, it can still happen.  When water comes in contact with wood the wood runs the risk of warping or rotting.  It’s not a guarantee it will happen, but proper care and maintenance certainly help prevent this from happening.  

The best thing to do is to try out a couple different options and determine what works best for you. Over time, as you get further in the sport you will inevitably end up with a few and you will use them in many different applications.