Spearfishing backpack recommendation?

[Mr. X]

I have an old Karrimor Alpiniste climbing pack, which can expand to unbelievable capacity but, although much used, I still value it too highly to risk leaving it on shore - it is irreplaceable to me.

My son noticed people snooping round my bag when I used to leave it on shore - possibly well intentioned but you know what they say about good intentions* - and that was a very cheap, £1 or £2, kids school swim bag with only my festering old crocs inside. So the idea of a bag which becomes your float and so comes with you is quite appealing. I currently clip and bungee everything to my float but it's a bit cluttered with just: a water bottle, crocs, a whistle and a torch.

*'The road to hell is paved with good intentions.'

 

[Gab]

Do you think you're going to get that Decathlon bag?

 

[Mr. X]

Do you think you're going to get that Decathlon bag?

Not at the current price but if they deep discount it at some point I might be tempted.

 

[Gab]

I currently clip and bungee everything to my float but it's a bit cluttered with just: a water bottle, crocs, a whistle and a torch.

It is a bit bigger to carry, but I use one of those floats that look like a little boat, it allows me to carry everything with me including water and a power bar. I can also use it to rest if I need to. It is a bit of a base camp which I fix to a nice spot using a little anchor. I use clips on the end of bungees to attach things that can dangle un the water when not moving (extra spear gun, fish net, etc) for easy access. I hunt around this spot a while and then I move on.

 

[Mr. X]

@Gab This is likely the Omer float-bag I mentioned earlier. At closer to £36 than the £140 of other one. The Subea float-bag looks much nicer/more substantial but it is almost 4x the price. And it looks like the Omer promises "Breathless Emotions" too

https://www.scubastore.com/f/13591/135919505_2/omer-buoy-bag.jpg

Omer Bag signaling buoy Orange | Diveinn

Get Omer Bag - Orange. Buoys from Accessories for dive for only 0 $. Fast and reliable delivery at Diveinn!

www.scubastore.com

 

[Mr. X]

Back to the "Subea Watertight surface marker buoy spearfishing backpack SPF 900":

I notice that it claims to have a 40-Litre carrying a capacity. I think that is a great size for a "day pack" - although rather large for a non-bluewater spearing float (7-20L-ish being perhaps more normal). I used a small Black Diamond "Bullet pack", (maybe 16L) for many years as small climbing pack but found it too small other tasks. So I bought a Black Diamond 27L pack, with a clever external pocket for crampons or waterbottle which I've used a lot but, again it was often just a bit too small. So, more recently, I've used a Blue Ice Warthog 36L pack, supposedly "designed by Chamonix mountain guides", it was overpriced and is "stripped down" with very few features but so far that has proved to be big enough for all my day pack needs and with room to spare.

However, I don't normally use a rucksack for carrying my spearing gear, so not sure if that translates to spearing. I often walk in wearing my wetsuit, weight-vest, weightbelt and crocs, so a simple, cheap child's swim bag is enough to carry mask, snorkel, stringer, floatline, waterbottle, torch. For a long walk-in, my single bladder Seatec float fits easily in the swim bag too, although more recently I usually carry my Picasso "plank" float, inflated, on my back, sometimes with a speargun or two strapped onto it. Carrying my, big, heavy fins is probably the most awkward thing -- so the fin pocket and strap are an appealing feature - but it is not bad when my speargun(s) are strapped to the float. What looks to be a waterbottle pocket on the side is a good idea too.

I almost got cooked walking in at the recent Bank Holiday, walking in in my wetsuit. Sometimes it would be nice to be able to walk in wearing shorts and T-shirt instead, with my wetsuit and other bits and pieces in the bag/float (taking care not to forget booties or both gloves!) - - and then maybe put shorts, T-shirt, towel, crocs and car-keys, into the bag/float for the duration of the dive? I suppose I'd still need to wear the weightbelt and possibly weight vest to spare the bag/float but fins and spearguns could presumably be strapped to the float(?).

Nice website with more images, video, etc. on the above product here: https://www.behance.net/gallery/86739307/SUBEA-BAG-BUOY-SPF900

 

[Mr. X]

In French:


Perhaps they'd lend us one for review?? Bit risky I suppose, the design might prove to be flawed.

 

[Gab]

@Gab This is likely the Omer float-bag I mentioned earlier. At closer to £36 than the £140 of other one. The Subea float-bag looks much nicer/more substantial but it is almost 4x the price. And it looks like the Omer promises "Breathless Emotions" too

https://www.scubastore.com/f/13591/135919505_2/omer-buoy-bag.jpg

Omer Bag signaling buoy Orange | Diveinn

Get Omer Bag - Orange. Buoys from Accessories for dive for only 0 $. Fast and reliable delivery at Diveinn!

www.scubastore.com

No, it is the Best Hunter Okipa II Float, I reviewed it here.

A friend of mine bought one like the 2nd picture you posted but in the end the says the design is bad, it keeps flipping over with a bit of wind so you can't really put anything on it. He also said having the spearguns on it looks cool but as soon as you take one off the weight of the other makes it flip. He also said they are so close to the water's edge that several times a wave made them ram him, once the cork he uses to cover the point had been lost and he got hurt. He no longer uses it.

 

[Gab]

Back to the "Subea Watertight surface marker buoy spearfishing backpack SPF 900":

I notice that it claims to have a 40-Litre carrying a capacity. I think that is a great size for a "day pack" - although rather large for a non-bluewater spearing float (7-20L-ish being perhaps more normal). I used a small Black Diamond "Bullet pack", (maybe 16L) for many years as small climbing pack but found it too small other tasks. So I bought a Black Diamond 27L pack, with a clever external pocket for crampons or waterbottle which I've used a lot but, again it was often just a bit too small. So, more recently, I've used a Blue Ice Warthog 36L pack, supposedly "designed by Chamonix mountain guides", it was overpriced and is "stripped down" with very few features but so far that has proved to be big enough for all my day pack needs and with room to spare.

However, I don't normally use a rucksack for carrying my spearing gear, so not sure if that translates to spearing. I often walk in wearing my wetsuit, weight-vest, weightbelt and crocs, so a simple, cheap child's swim bag is enough to carry mask, snorkel, stringer, floatline, waterbottle, torch. For a long walk-in, my single bladder Seatec float fits easily in the swim bag too, although more recently I usually carry my Picasso "plank" float, inflated, on my back, sometimes with a speargun or two strapped onto it. Carrying my, big, heavy fins is probably the most awkward thing -- so the fin pocket and strap are an appealing feature - but it is not bad when my speargun(s) are strapped to the float. What looks to be a waterbottle pocket on the side is a good idea too.

I almost got cooked walking in at the recent Bank Holiday, walking in in my wetsuit. Sometimes it would be nice to be able to walk in wearing shorts and T-shirt instead, with my wetsuit and other bits and pieces in the bag/float (taking care not to forget booties or both gloves!) - - and then maybe put shorts, T-shirt, towel, crocs and car-keys, into the bag/float for the duration of the dive? I suppose I'd still need to wear the weightbelt and possibly weight vest to spare the bag/float but fins and spearguns could presumably be strapped to the float(?).

Nice website with more images, video, etc. on the above product here: https://www.behance.net/gallery/86739307/SUBEA-BAG-BUOY-SPF900

I see, I usually have more to walk and in 35°C I'd rather not do it wearing my wetsuit. Often the paths we take are not wetsuit friendly . We go in shorts and t-shirt with just our weight belts on. We put all the gear in my bag, inflate the Opika float, strap on the spearguns. One of us carries that like a backpack and the other carries the gear backpack.

 

[Mr. X]

No, it is the Best Hunter Okipa II Float, I reviewed it here.

A friend of mine bought one like the 2nd picture you posted but in the end the says the design is bad, it keeps flipping over with a bit of wind so you can't really put anything on it. He also said having the spearguns on it looks cool but as soon as you take one off the weight of the other makes it flip. He also said they are so close to the water's edge that several times a wave made them ram him, once the cork he uses to cover the point had been lost and he got hurt. He no longer uses it.

I wasn't replying to your post but rather to my own earlier post - but I am finally coming around to seeing the appeal of the "mini-dingy" floats.

Ballast:
Re. Your friend's float, it is usually necessary to add lead to floats to ballast them to stay upright and keep the dive flag up, so that may not be a design defect - unless it cannot be weighted? The shape does look like it might be unstable but read on....

On my single skin torpedo float, I used multiple automobile wheel balance weights. On my Picasso plance/"plank" style float, I cut out a large, flat, weight from lead sheet. One clever and cheap torpedo dive float includes a bottom chamber that can be filled with water. I think another had a chamber full of sand.

My solid 11 litre RA float with flag, which I haven't used for years, has a built in lead weight, although RA used to sell an external lead weight that could be added to their unballasted solid floats. I once saw the late, great Peter Crawford (13 times British champion) coming into the carpark at the end of a competition; he had a very large but fairly common double bladder float, possibly Beuchat?, and I notice he used a large ballast weight, a fairly slim SCUBA-style belt lead weight, strapped to the bottom - that might work for your friend's float.

The big subea float above would likely need ballast added too, esp. with that tall flag. The lead sheet ballast I used for my planche float might work best.

 

[Fishstab]

I’m in the process now of creating a float board out of a body board and now it’s almost finished I think it’s pretty much going to replace my cressi dry bag.

will be able to stash all my gear on in under a bungee net including wetsuit if needed, will have backpack straps as I’m often doing long walk ins. If I want to take my dry clothes with me onto the water (I don’t usually) I can pop at shirt and shorts into a small dry bag and clip it on.

I’ve got a Picasso hydro float which is ‘ok’ but it feels like a hinderance sometimes especially if I’ve got a lot of fish on a stringer and it’s there’s a bit of swell getting out, with this board I’ll be able to strap my gun to the board, swim in close take my fins off then walk out, with any fish in abet bag under the bungee so I’m not dragging it in the water.

Im often doing long swims to get to marks as well so hopefully using a body board will substantially speed it up.

A biased opinion obviously (because I’m making one) but I feel like body boards are a better option than gear bags and inflatable floats and can replace both of them! Plus I just love diy kit

 

[stefpix]

I wasn't replying to your post but rather to my own earlier post - but I am finally coming around to seeing the appeal of the "mini-dingy" floats.

Ballast:
Re. Your friend's float, it is usually necessary to add lead to floats to ballast them to stay upright and keep the dive flag up, so that may not be a design defect - unless it cannot be weighted? The shape does look like it might be unstable but read on....

I just switched to a dinghy style float and bungee line with dyneema core, the Seac Seamate. Such a game changer. I had purchased a Cressi Spyder, which is like the Omer Atoll, but I like the Seac Seamate a lot better. It does not need any weight ballast, i can clip it to my backpack as it is very lightweight. It could have more D rings like the Opera/Palantic/Eskwad but I like the flag in the front and the strong Polyester does not soak water or looks darker when wet like Nylon. It is way more visible than a Atoll style raft. The Oner Atoll and Cressi Spyder are low above the water line, the flag stands out, but the mini dinghy is really a lot more visible and can store so much more stuff in it. With the bungee line with dyneema I stopped feeling drag or a pull on my speargun while at the bottom.
As a backpack I am using the Mako Spearguns. It looks almost the same as backpacks sold by Beuchat and Cressi. It is extremely strong and I can put my weight belt in it. I wish it wasn't black, especially the interior (i think the Cressi version has a grey interior). I have usually to walk 1.2 km to my dive site and backpack straps are a necessity (i tried to use duffels without true backpack straps on my back, but it is really uncomfortable).
I bring camera/gopro gear also and the Mako backpack is a little tight for extra stuff, but I can use a lightweight small foldable daypack on my chest or a sling.

Spearfishing Longfins Freediving Backpack

This is the must have Freediving/Spearfishing backpack for shore dives as well as boat dives that functions as a backpack, gear bag, speargun holder and insulated fish bag

makospearguns.com

Here is the Seac Seamate in action, I put a bigger flag from the Cressi Spyder. I ran a bungee loop inside the flag mast and clipped it wit a carabiner to the float itself, so the flag is secured. This thing neve capsized. And I am often in strong currents.

 

[Mr. X]

...

I’ve got a Picasso hydro float which is ‘ok’ but it feels like a hinderance sometimes especially if I’ve got a lot of fish on a stringer and it’s there’s a bit of swell getting out, with this board I’ll be able to strap my gun to the board, swim in close take my fins off then walk out, with any fish in abet bag under the bungee so I’m not dragging it in the water.
...

Yes using boogie board as spearfishing floats is quite a popular option. I bought an old one in a charity shop for £2 or £5 but later realised it is better made than the relatively new board I use to surf, so now I use it to surf instead . Kind of bulky but shoulder straps etc would probably help with that.

A couple of benefits of keeping fish on a stringer ( in non- sharky waters) is that it keeps the fish cool and moist. They can also act as a fish attractor, a 'fish magnet'.

 

[Mr. X]

@stefpix That seac float looks a good size - some RIB-style floats look too big and heavy to me.

 

[stefpix]

@stefpix That seac float looks a good size - some RIB-style floats look too big and heavy to me.

It weighs about 1kg and it is strong. Since it requires no lead ballast it is lighter than many smaller floats. I leave it inflated., it is not too big. Very handy. I though5 about board floats, but at the end this is cheaper and more visible.