Help me decide on a new gun: lost cayman90

[scottwilson]

Have you thought about the cressi geronimo pro.

awesome gun!!! I have the 105 version and im looking to buy an 85 as soon as funds allow. its comes with an optional thicker handle grip, adjustable trigger and ships with a reel as standard ( at least mine did )

Spearfishing Spearguns

the stock rubbers have got enough punch in them for long distance shooting

 

[glowworm]

Get yourself a Dessault Quattro in either ali or carbon.Gun has a built in rail and Dessault rubber is some of the best there is.

You will never look back. And don't worry about damaging a carbon gun. Mine has had some rough treatment over the 3 seasons i have had it and it's fine.

 

[tuffstuff]

Don't worry about hurting a decent carbon gun....it will hold up to ALOT of abuse!!! I own a Rabitech Carbon gun and I have used it to prop up rocks, tickling out lobsters, throwing it on concrete docks...oh and wedging it between concrete bridge pilings in a 5knt current.I actually had a LARGE snapper take it away into a coralhead smacking the rocks....gun still shoots flawlessly. I dive around 50-100 days a year in the Keys and it gets used about 90% of that time

 

[strangelove]

Does the "one" have a vinyl cover on the spear guide, or do you still have that painful mechanical "wooooosh" that the ally caymans have?.
.

Vinyl cover is my biggest wish ! The HH muzzle and rope wishbones will improve the noise.

Since I bought a rail for my Friend T-20 (that gave me ideas), perhaps someone could come up with a thin carbon rail for the cayman !

I am so in love with caymans I don't have any other suggestions :inlove

I would look into the RA, Rabitech and mako guns. Must be a hart break loosing a cayman.

 

[Claudio]

I currently use boat striping vinyl tape on my RAs and it works very well, but vinyl covers from the factory sounds like a good idea.

 

[strangelove]

Yes it does !

Where do you get west marine ?

Boa idea !

 

[Mr. X]

lost my omer cayman 90 aluminuimn with reel this weekend. too tired to keep looking and other mistakes. time to move on. I need:

- 90 CM euro bandgun, powerful
- built in guide or rail as they are known, ideally not a pure metal one (as Cayman) to avoid "swwwwooooooshhhh" noise as spear leaves -- maybe a plastic cover over tube/rail as per the dessaults?)
- thinish tube (nothing over 28mm) because of strong cross currents
- easy/cheap reel fitting, or maybe included
- price tops 100E for gun or 140E with reel (will be bashed and used hard so carbon and other niceties are not for me).

As Lazuli already suggested, an Omer Gold XXV has a non-metal rail and meets the subtle requirement too. You'd be hard pushed to find anything lighter or more hydrodynamic (except maybe the unrailed non-gold version with a Dyneema wishbone ). Get it with a real from apnea.co.uk, scubaland.fr (take out a free membership for best price) or from MarkL at Omer.com/USA. I love the 75, others rave about the 90 but I'd be tempted to get an 82 (as Spaghetti used to have and as StuckInSurrey has).

Rabitech(/Makos?) have synthetic rails for stealth. RA carbon would be nice but were much more expensive last time I checked. A railgun with a single 16mm bulk rubber is not brutal but is surprisingly powerful (10cm more rubber in that muzzle if you get the enclosed muzzle).

Surprised you didn't just replace it with another Omer Cayman - why not? How about a Carbon Cayman or an HF2? Beuchat have an interesting looking speargun, I forget the name, not the Mundial (which has a good re.) begins with M though (Marlin perhaps?).

How about one of the new Seatecs (Snake, etc.). Mundial gave some good reviews and posted some real nice pics. It looks v. good. If you can track one down.

 

[Claudio]

Yes it does !

Where do you get west marine ?

Boa idea !

Otimo portugues, Strangelove! Oh, now I remember that post... you went to Brazil last year and tested the HF 110 while there. Hope you enjoyed your stay!

Yes, I think West Marine is the brand I use... the thinner ones fit well on the RA track and do not come out easily.

Cheers,
Claudio

 

[Mr. X]

...Yes, the RA can be set up to be brutes... I use mine with double bands, one 18mm and the other 16mm, for large Striped Bass in New England. Am not sure I it would be my gun of choice for small fish. Then again, I never tried it with a 6.5mm shaft and a single 16mm band.
...

I have Claudio and you are right, my RA came with a 6.6mm spear and single 16mm band (the Sparid configuration) and that is a very good set-up IMHO. Not brutal but still powerful. I've never associated any noise with the RA, perhaps I'm just too focused on other things but I believe the spear runs on a thin layer of water, so there should be no rail noise or no more than a polymer/carbon rail. Perhaps when re-loading?

If synthetic rail is a big issue for you, perhaps an unrailed gun with an Omer stick-on rail might offer some alternative options?

 

[hteas]

I used my RA Saturday. I heard the gun go off several times, but never heard the sound of shaft on on the rail. Just the noise of the 16 mm band discharging.

 

[DivingDane]

all rails work exactly the same wahy by supporting the shaft so weather it is a ROB Allan, Rabitech/Mako hunter etc with an extruded barrel you will get spear noise. with a polymer track it becomes quieter and without a track MUCH quieter.

I own all the caymans available and a "ONE" 105

-Cayman standard 90
-cayman carbon 110
-HF 110
-HF 130
-HF2 LE
- ONE 105

amongst other things.

the ONE gun may look the same as the caymans but is a not the same gun, barrel shape is pretty much the same, but the muzzle mechanism handle, spear, rubber and reel are all completely different, the reel is a work of art and brilliant in practise.

for my money i would by the "one" if funds allow you wont look back. but if not then a cayman HF in your prefered size. replace the pridle with dyneema and the noise level drops alot but other than that they are excellent from factory (with the Ergonomic grip added)

very few if any guns come close to the confort and accuracy offered by this gun and it is safe to say that no South african style gun comes close. stick with the OMER family you cant really go wrong.

As for the Beuchat, the Marlin is ok but only nice if in the carbon version the standard aluminium version are pretty average and a HUGE step backwards compared with the standard cayman.

MAYBE Cayman Standard, retro fit the HF muzzle, add Match 50 aluminium reel and ergonomic grip, OMER america 6.75mm tabbed shaft, 18mm rubber with Dyneema bridle, now that would be a weapon and quite affordable too. come to think of it thats would i'll do with mine... hmmm to the SHED!!!!
DD

 

[strangelove]

Dane

I don't want to create controversy here, just put a quater on dive dane machine!) , from one Cayman lover to a another, I love your posts and respect you opinion, here are my arguments. (Since I love talking about the cayman - gun), I want to squeese more input from you since you are beating me by 3 caymans !

I also have HF2, HF and One, the HF2 , the HF and One are 95% the same, IMO the match 50 is a more appropriate reel for the 105 gun then the std reel. Why do I need 90 meters of line on a 105 gun, if it was a 120 or 130 that is a different story.

The 105 muzzle is the best muzzle, but that is the only change from the HF to One (as the gun it self), trigger, barrel the same 5 cm different size, the loading support is better on the HF since one can add the rubber butt.

The one gun will not scratch as easy but still does scratch, the shaft is good the flopper ring works well but I think the gun is more balance with the 7.1 tecnosport shaft.

I have the 6.75 on my HF2LE100, it is a great gun, well balance and very easy to move around (Mr. X) would like this one.

The cost benefit in US the One retails for 666 dollars while the HF can be bought for 420.

I think I would pick an HF for 240 dollars less, how about you ? But I agree with you if the price difference was 50 dolars I would go for One

Claudio my Portuguese is good, is because I am born and raise in Rio, just "forced to work", what employment would do to man ! Terrible thing.

 

[azapa]

Cayman Fan club member #3 here:

I was (sniff sniff) running my omer cayman with fresh 18MM "power" bands and a 6.5mm Omer "america" sharkfin spear. I had removed (cut and ground off) the forward most sharkfin as it just got in the way, especially unloading. That gun would take up to 15kg fish, tough ones too.

Points:
a. I can't help but feel a 7mm spear would be too heavy for a cayman. What size and type of fish needed that spear?
b. In a real world, what diff would the HF give me over the standard Cayman?

I already have a spare omer 50M reel, the cheapest one with the round fat and flat non fold out handle. So buying another ally cayman, doing my open muzzle mod, and putting that reel on and i'm done. 82 Euros done.

Please discuss

 

[spaghetti]

So buying another ally cayman, doing my open muzzle mod, and putting that reel on and i'm done. 82 Euros done.

Please discuss

Sorry for your Cayman loss, Simon, really.
I'm afraid you can't buy a Seatec Gabbiano for 82 Euro, but I still think that it's what you're really looking for.
It's extremely accurate, sweet tracking, bomb proof solid, quiet as can be (28mm allu tube coated with a shaped layer of soft rubbery polyurethane: you can beat it with a hammer and it will make no noise at all).

RE. Budget, thin barrels, surf & current et cetera: I've been hit by this offer of an Omer XXV 90cm for just 74 euro..............BOOM!!!!
Negozio eBay ? DIVING SERVICE: Risultati della ricerca per.

you may click on "compralo subito" for "buy it now" with no bidding game. I haven't done business with this e-bay shop personally, so I'm unable to recommend, but their prices are so.....well....such a bargain!

 

[strangelove]

Spago well come back, we have not hear from you in a while !

Azapa

I am not sure what is the difference from a HF to a regular cayman, open muzzle fancy barrel, I am not sure about the cost benefit, the HF barrel has more volume, so with a 7mm shaft it is very well balance, I like the 7 mm shaft because they don't bend as easy also it carry more energy. The fish I shot is probably no bigger then the ones you shot.

The noise issue still a problem, unless the vinyl tape solves that, I will check, I remember you also were one of the few who notice the noise issue.

If you have already a reel, match 50, I would be leaning really strong for the Cayman, the only major issue is the noise.

 

[DivingDane]

Hey strangelove no contrversy alway happy to talk guns when it comes to these and what ever else when i feel like it.

forgetting the standard cayman and the HF2 limited (really dont think it was worth the money) i'll focus my comments onthe HF110 and the "One"105

- Barrel same bar the camo of course.
- muzzles completly different and your right the "ONE" muzzle is much nicer
- handles are similar but NOT the same, aluminium casing with mech and handle mounted in it. Stainless steel EYE for rigline (the only real weak point on the cayman) different loading pad and shape of handle in general.
- both handle and muzzle are chemically Welded to the barrel so ain effect one piece (hence the name)
- i generally find the fish we shoot here require the extra regidity and mass to penatrate these fish without destroying the shaft.

as for the loading pad i have never seen a "rubber" pad for the cayman and in trooth my HF110 doesnt even have a loading pad i removed it a long time ago.

itis clear the "one" gun is an evolution of the cayman but it is noticably different.

as for the reel argument weight until you plug a large mackeral, Wahoo or Giant trevally and then tell me 80m isnt required! i had a Barracuda of about 18kg strip my Cayman 130HF clean of line in no time at all. ok so i shouldnt have been shooting barracuda (burley) but if it was a big mackeral or Wahoo the same thing would have happened. regardless of size you can always fit the smaller One 50 reel from the 95 if you feel the the factory one is too large, the "one" 50 reel is VERY compact and the vertical mounting i prefer over the horizontal type popular on most european guns.

your right that if money was a major factor you wouldnt buy this gun youd go for a cayman, but the entire Sporasub range was designed a no compromise apex product where price doesnt really have a say over features. similar to cars if we all just wanted a logical car we would all be driving Toyota camry's or VW passats, but some people want the look and the added performance and are willing to pay for it, Ferrari, Porche, Mclaren, Bugatti etc.

i think we also have to realise that different markets require different things, a 105 gun in europe is quite large and often is used to shoot large fish in deep water, with more and more divers shooting fish at greater depths in caves we need to account for this with reel size. a 50m reel will not work well in 45+m of water.

you'll have to excuse this post for being all over the place trying to do too many things at once sorry.

DD

 

[strangelove]

DD

great I love talking about guns too !

I will look my one gun with different eyes now, but I don't agree with comparing the one with ferrari and the HF with camry. I think a better way putting would be the HF is the camry and one would be a lexus.

The one muzzle is better then the HF but the HH muzzle is better then the one muzzle (that is what I have in my cayman). I've got my camry and add some low profile allow wheels !

I think the large reel set off the gun balance, the gun is more handle heavy then the HF that is perfect balance, sync horizontaly.

Thanks again for all the feed back and eye on the detail I did not notice all that stuff on the one (BTW - my one already broke - the reel support).

 

[DivingDane]

hmmm busted reel support! warranty!!!! but go for the smaller "one" 50m i think you'll really like it and it should improve the balance.

fair call on the Camry thing even that is probably a bit harsh.

Omer cayman Standard= Camry
Cayman Carbon= Camry Sportivo (bodykit, rims, exhaust suspension)
Cayman HF= Toyota chaser ( turbo rear wheel drive rocket ship)
ONE = Lexus ISF! Looks pretty normal but look a little deeper and find the beast within!

Hahahahaha

sorry get side tracked with cars a bit (rev head at heart)

DD

 

[strangelove]

The reel is just the support, 6 dolar part, already on the mail.

I was hopping the one gun would resolve the three issues I have with my HF, it did resolve one, the muzzle is better, but the shot is really loud and I wish the line release had little more angle back. It can be tricky to rig the gun with a 5 mm glove.

Besides that, I love all the caymans, the accuracy is fantastic, I still miss shot but those I my fault, sometimes I shot like morrow !


Thanks for sharing your findings, how is the 130 ? They must be a fantastic blue water gun.

 

[DivingDane]

noise is my only real issue as well mind you i cant say i've ever had a fish "dodge" my shot because of the sound they are long gone by the time they here my gun!

and in some ways its actually good ass a lot of time the sound of the gun will attract other fish!

never had a probelm with the HF muzzle (dont like the HF2/XXV muzzle).

line release never had a problem with, but then again we never use gloves that thick ideal glove for here would be 1mm. the new Sporasub gloves are proving perfect for the job so far.

the 130 is brilliant and due to the clear water we have here i use it for almost everything. i spent basically a week on a reef liveaboard spearing trip where we chased everything from Big eye sea bream (very flighty) to Coral Trout, Yellowtail kingfish, Spanish mackeral, tuskfish (street fighters) and Mangrove jack, Jobfish etc. and the gun worked faultlessly in every situation. of course in dirtier water (less than 15m vis) i use the 105 now (was 110HF).

the 130 comes factory with the heavier 7.1mm tabbed America shaft but even that bent finally when a shot a 18kg Goldspot cod head on! he wasnt happy and simply torqued his body and turned my shaft into a pretzel. but... i got my own back when he went on the BBQ!

DD