Been meaning to share this review I composed about the Sporasub/One line. It sounds like an article because I wrote it for some magazines.
MYSTIC/BREEZE
The Mystic is one of the nicer masks to have been released lately, for which freedivers were certainly in mind. Its internal volume of 130mL definitely qualifies it as a low-volume mask. As mask volume is decreased, peripheral vision tends to suffer---not so with the Mystic. By keeping the lenses extremely close to the eyes peripheral vision is maintained, or perhaps even increased over that of conventional masks. Connecting the strap to the mask are rotating buckles, a feature enhancing fit and comfort which is not found on many masks. Both the mask frame and skirt have a non-reflective satin finish, to minimize distracting light around the periphery of vision.
Further attention to detail is represented in the Breeze. The tube is actually composed of materials of two different densities, stiffer in the lower section to minimize vibration on ascent, and softer in the upper section to allow bending in case you're in a tight spot. The contact areas of both the Mystic and Breeze are constructed in comfortable silicon, and fit well.
GREEN MIMETIC
Sporasub's camouflage lined wetsuit is the best suit I've ever used, and this is coming from someone who has used all of OMER's recent releases and even some Elios custom suits. The secret seems to be in the tightness of the cuffs, which completely restricts any intrusion of water. I get cold very easily, so I usually have to wear at least a 5mm top, even in Hawai'i''s "balmy" water. I couldn't believe that I could stay perfectly warm in the 3mm Green Mimetic. The extra tightness of the cuffs becomes apparent when you try to take the suit off---it's not easy to get the ankle cuffs around the feet, but this is a small price to pay for the supremely effective thermal quality of the suit.
It is also worth mentioning that the suit is extremely well constructed. The nylon lining on the outside of the suit is a unique material I have never seen, which seems much more durable than the typical nylon lining found on most suits. It also seems to be less stretchy, which I suspect also plays a role in the suit's impenetrability to water; the material seems strong enough that it is actually providing some compression. In spite of the material's seemingly reduced stretchiness, the overall flexibility of the suit is fantastic; I have no problem extending my arms overhead and I could even see using the suit for competitive freediving.
REVOLUTION
Sporasub's innovative new fin featuring a foot pocket resembling a cycling shoe has been perhaps the most highly anticipated item of the line. The idea of creating a unique foot pocket that grips the feet as tightly and comfortably as possible takes aim at perhaps the most important characteristic to consider in a freediving fin. If this was the goal, there was 100% success in my case. The shoe design with three velcro straps provides a very snug fit, though still very comfortable, even without socks! The rigid composite sole of the shoe completely eliminates the drawback of flexing in conventional rubber foot pockets, minimizing loss of power transfer from the leg to the fin. There has been concern that some of the materials comprising the shoe may retain water and allow stagnation. Sporasub claims that all of these materials are water-repellent, and there are drain holes in the soles of the shoe to facilitate drying. I have yet to notice any sort of funky odor from mine.
If there was one thing not to reward with the maximum number of stars in Sporasub's entire new line, it's the blades that are attached to the otherwise fantastic platform of the shoes. Having been spoiled by OMER's ultimate Rekord III carbon blades for the last few years, I felt like I was taking a step back kicking the plastic blades of the Revolutions. The higher responsiveness of a carbon blade is definitely real, and I don't think any amount of innovation throughout the rest of a fin equipped with plastic blades can trump the performance of a carbon fin. That said, I can hardly say I was handicapped using the Revolution blades; I could still kick up and down to beyond 100ft just fine, but I was just missing that extra snap and buttery-smooth feel that a carbon blade offers. To the Revolution's credit, though, it features the greatest amount of angle between the foot pocket and blade ever seen in a freediving fin. Sporasub claims that 26 degrees is the ideal angle for equalizing the up-kick and down-kick, thus making kicking more efficient. High angle also reduces drag during the glide phase.
Of course, Sporasub isn't unaware of the potential of their fin with carbon blades. I've been told that carbon blades for the Revolution are in the works, which didn't debut already only because of Sporasub's stringent quality expectations; for product testing they developed a special machine to put the blades through continuous use to determine their longevity. When the carbon blade does debut, we can be rest assured that it will be most durable one on the market.
Is there any reason to get the Revolutions in their current form with plastic blades? Sure. For one, the carbon blades, as always, will cost a premium. Also, shallower divers may not gather much benefit from the carbon blades over plastic ones. Shallower diving usually entails more contact with the bottom, which everyone knows can be detrimental for the longevity of carbon blades. In fact, Sporasub designed the Revolutions more with the aspetto diver in mind. There are no rails along the sides of the blades in order to facilitate lateral movement while on the bottom, though there are stabilizers on both faces of the blade near the end meant to reduce lateral drift while swimming, and minimize contact of the blade with the floor. It could actually be worth considering having both the plastic and carbon blades, so that you could interchange them depending on the environment in which you'll dive (plastic for shallow reef diving, carbon for deep or bluewater), thus allowing the benefit of the superior platform of the Revolution shoes for both kinds of diving. Exchanging the blades would be trivial since the Revolution has no rails, just a couple of bolts.
ONE
It is fairly obvious that the One is designed after OMER's HF and HF2 spearguns (OMER is the parent company of ONE/Sporasub), so you can, at the least, expect the quality features, trigger sensitivity and stability offered by the barrel design of the HF/HF2. However, the One improves on the HF/HF2 with several unique features:
- Each of the four lengths offered was actually designed differently (parts, length proportions, weight balance) in order to make each version as accurate as possible, which makes each length a different model in itself.
- Along with the barrel, the muzzle and handle are also constructed in hydroformed aluminum (whereas these were plastic on the HF/HF2). These parts are all chemically bonded together, effectively making the entire speargun monocoque. This extra stiffness should improve its accuracy, and can be felt in the form of a subtle increase in the gun's "solidness".
- One of the most notable new features is the new One reel, which may very well be the most advanced speargun reel on the market. It is vertically-oriented and the stainless steel handle is retractable and can be hidden inside the drum. There is a wide line brake which I've never seen on a reel before, which allows quick modulation of the release of line, as well as protection from tangling. One of the coolest functions is that the drag can be released quickly with only one hand by holding the reel from turning for a moment so that the line tension releases the drag (which happens because the reel winds in reverse), eliminating the need ever to have to fiddle with the drag while fighting a fish and attempting to ascend at the same time. The reel is offered in two versions, the larger of which has a whopping capacity of 80m.
- There is no greater example of attention to detail than the special America shaft that accompanies the One. There is actually a special slide ring which holds the barb closed, which is practical since the gun has now adopted the more favorable Hawaiian setup (barb on bottom) over the Tahitian setup (barb on top) found on the HF/HF2 shafts. Through precise machining away of material from a small region of the shaft under the barb, the ring is actually almost flush with the outside diameter of the shaft, minimizing hydrodynamic penalty. When the shaft hits the prey the slide ring is easily slid back. Due to the special shape of the barb it actually springs out once it has passed through the prey, and keeps from closing back down. This almost unnoticeable but intricate feature increases the accuracy of the shot, and all but eliminates the problem of prey release due to a closing barb.
SUMMARY
The new Sporasub line and One speargun represent an effort to create the most technically advanced tools on the market for freediving and spearfishing. All of the unique features were carefully designed to promote performance, comfort and accuracy. Of course, the R&D and product development/manufacturing required to produce equipment of this caliber necessitates a higher price tag. I don't think that the folks at OMER/Sporasub are out to earn higher margins though. Their incredible attention to detail (such as the One shaft) indicates to me that they are simply passionate about producing the most high performing and efficiently functioning equipment available, in order to give you as much advantage and convenience as possible.