What are you doing gear-wise 2014?

[MozSpearer]

Thanx Mr. X and charlie. I also use my fins to bodyboard, man it works your legs big time!!!! I see your point Mr.x

If I use scuba ones now and get efficient with them I should be very well off with proper ones. I can't wait to go to some offshore reefs with a bit deeper waters, more and bigger fish and where there are no currents... The only places I can spearfish has currents and some strong riptides and like I said before max 8-10m deep...

I'll have to start saving. Spearo fins are expensive. I'm looking into Rob Allen plastic fins. Anybody used these before?

Thanx a lot guys. Nice thread!!

 

[subseasniper]

Moving between scuba and freediving/spearing fins is like comparing apples to oranges. Very different technique used.

I am a big advocate of low-tech and have used the same pair of Cressi Gara 2000's for 11 years. They are beat up and they are regularly dinged against rocks and used in heavy current but they just work. Whilst I am in not doubt that carbon fins perform better the thought of having to nurse a £300 pair of fins in case they break against a rock is anathema to me. Its like having a sportscar you are too afraid to take out of first gear.

I just received a new pair of Salvimar 5mm Drop Socks, toasty warm and very well made.

Next purchase is new gloves, been eying up the Waterproof G1 gloves at the local store, they have been reviewed pretty highly.

 

[MozSpearer]

I don't know where I can find fibreglass fins. Does anybody know any good makes or brands?

I thought I'd start with plastic ones then later when they break I can still use the same footpockets(RA ones are removable) and put carbon blades on. Has anybody done this before? ANy tips appreciated. Cherio

 

[MozSpearer]

Moving between scuba and freediving/spearing fins is like comparing apples to oranges. Very different technique used.

I am a big advocate of low-tech and have used the same pair of Cressi Gara 2000's for 11 years. They are beat up and they are regularly dinged against rocks and used in heavy current but they just work. Whilst I am in not doubt that carbon fins perform better the thought of having to nurse a £300 pair of fins in case they break against a rock is anathema to me. Its like having a sportscar you are too afraid to take out of first gear.

I just received a new pair of Salvimar 5mm Drop Socks, toasty warm and very well made.

Next purchase is new gloves, been eying up the Waterproof G1 gloves at the local store, they have been reviewed pretty highly.

I agree with that. I would hate breaking a pair of carbons... So expensive....

A reason why this might happen is that some spearos kick off the bottom with their fins and this greatly reduces their lifetime.

That's why I'd thought of starting with plastics and if I want to I can upgrade. The Cressi-Sub gara range are fixed fins(don't have removable blades) if I remember correctly. I'd like to have removable blade fins so that you only have to buy new blades and not an entire new set of fins. Although 11 years of work seems very good for a pair of fins and the softish action of the gara range appeals to me a lot. Thanx

 

[charlie.]

www.fins4u.com/

 

[Pointandhope]

Noticed for the first time yesterday that when laid on the bottom that my feet want to float up, wether its my fins or buoyancy in the legs of my suit I'm not sure. Whilst trying to push them down got a massive cramp and hurt like a bitch. Anybody use ankle weights, if so what type and weight are we looking at. I dive only to 5-8m max for now. Would ankle weights help to keep fins under when finning on the surface too?

 

[charlie.]

the kayak fully loaded

 

[Kuya]

Noticed for the first time yesterday that when laid on the bottom that my feet want to float up, wether its my fins or buoyancy in the legs of my suit I'm not sure. Whilst trying to push them down got a massive cramp and hurt like a bitch. Anybody use ankle weights, if so what type and weight are we looking at. I dive only to 5-8m max for now. Would ankle weights help to keep fins under when finning on the surface too?

This also affects me when I am wearing my 7mm suit. .5kg ankle weights help keep my legs down when on the bottom and also helps keep the fins underwater when finning from a float. However, I found my legs cramped more when wearing the weights.

 

[Pointandhope]

This also affects me when I am wearing my 7mm suit. .5kg ankle weights help keep my legs down when on the bottom and also helps keep the fins underwater when finning from a float. However, I found my legs cramped more when wearing the weights.

I'm guessing that's .5 kg per ankle, therefore reduce my weight belt by 1kg?

 

[Kuya]

Yes, that's correct.

 

[KBSF Diver]

I'm new to free diving and spear fishing. I wanted to get a good fin for the price and definitely did not want to shell out the cash for carbon fiber. After some research I went with the Cressi LD Professional fins. Online for $80 to $150. I was amazed at the power I was able to generate from these without much effort, although I don't have anything to compare them to. Good option for beginners looking for reasonable price gear.

 

[Kuya]

I also have a pair and bought mine on offer (about £80 in the UK) - I don't think I will bother with carbon, I don't dive that deep and I don't treat my fins with much respect.

 

[Bourini]

Ha

I've lost several pieces of gear over the last few years and it was quite interesting to see which ones I missed and which ones I didn't.

Those I haven't missed:
- Homemade iki-jimi spikes - they worked great but too easy to lose & they cluttered up my already full weight belt.
- Omer mini-laser USA spearo dagger: loved the price, the blade & the handle but the sheath was too big and just didn't fit anywhere sensible for me.

Also you don't need 2 knives - it's just clutter. I love my RA limpet sheath too much not to wear it - and that only works with flat knives, so I still carry my cheap old flat spearo dagger, which is now very sharp & fitted with a pull toggle, like the expensive RA knives.

Those I missed too much and replaced:
- My RA float stringer (plastic coated steel cable/"shark proof"). Somehow mislaid that last year. Could not bare to be without it, the spike is the sharpest I have come across and is good for dispatching fish and it has the longest pin and strongest construction for this style of stringer I have seen. Overkill for the UK perhaps but it is best I have come across (price has more than doubled since I bought my first one though ).

- My RA crab bag. Dropped during a difficult, thorny walk-out while carry fish a few years ago. I've tried a couple of other bags since (which I still have) which were fine and which would be better if you were specifically going after crabs/lobster/scallops (as they have easy-open plastic/metal supported openings and slippery entry material in one case) but otherwise are rather bulky for "every dive carry".

Had rust problems with my Omer Laser knife, after my first dive !!! Seems that it was a piece of junk...

 

[Kuya]

Dive knives need a protective coating. They are sharp steel but they rust if unprotected... stainless steel won't rust as easily but are hard to keep sharp. My blades (which includes the laser) have a layer of vaseline on them so don't rust.

 

[Bourini]

Dive knives need a protective coating. They are sharp steel but they rust if unprotected... stainless steel won't rust as easily but are hard to keep sharp. My blades (which includes the laser) have a layer of vaseline on them so don't rust.

Kuya, but not after the first dive ever, I come out of the water and I find rust pits all over the blade. It shouldn't rust this quickly

 

[Kuya]

Yeah it shouldn't have rusted that quick. Did it come shipped with a thin layer of oil (or silicone?) on top of the teflon coating. Did you send it back?

 

[Bourini]

Yeah it shouldn't have rusted that quick. Did it come shipped with a thin layer of oil (or silicone?) on top of the teflon coating. Did you send it back?

I got it from France from a big store, and I live in Egypt. Also, I lost the receipt so there is no taking it back, I am stuck with it :/

 

[Bourini]

As for the gear, I decided to get rid of my Omer Cayman ET and went through my savings and got Rob Allen Tuna 1100, 1300 and 1500 ... I got them from Neptonics and they were shipped, to my address in Belgium, and received them in a few days. I am one very happy customer

Just got my guns this afternoon and can't wait till I get in the water in Egypt with them, next week. Most spearos here prefer Reef hunting, but I decided to go and try bluewater hunting. Now I have to get over my fear of sharks, especially Tiger Sharks as one scared the living hell out of me on my last fishing trip, it was 30 minutes after sunset and fish were plenty, so I stayed in the water, then she passed a few meters from me and she was HUGE... I stayed as close as I can get to the reef and sat there till she left a few minutes later, and I swam as fast as I could to my boat I learned my lesson, not gonna spearfish at nighttime again

 

[Mr. X]

The artists oil paints I used on my fins have stood up remarkably well, despite being used while still "wet" (they take months to fully dry). Very tough. Recommended.

I managed to pick-up a ball of "Thai curry" green polyester float line - identical to Rob Allens olive float line - at a small, local car boot sale recently, for 50p. Apparently it is available cheaply in Britain - although the seller could not recall where he got it .

 

[Mr. X]

Ha
Had rust problems with my Omer Laser knife, after my first dive !!! Seems that it was a piece of junk...

Perhaps you got a duff one. My Omer Mini-laser USA was fine: I used and carried it numerous times without any corrosion problems at all (it has a matt black finish blade). Although I always rinse all of my gear off after use & occasionally oil knife blades. Unfortunately I lost mine early this season, the neoprene pocket I'd made to hold it on my thigh tore off during a dive, didn't notice till later . Carrying a second knife was unnecessary though, so I do not plan to replace it (loved the knife, the sheath could & should be improved - to be more like the excellent Rob Allen Limpet sheath for flat knives).