I recently brought a new sling for myself, and have moved away, right away, from the aluminum type! I had 3 major problems with a $20 aluminum spear:
1. the shaft did bend quite quickly (while trying to pull off a fish, and when lifting heavy fish)
2. the center of the shaft is hollow so it tends to have a little bit of a buoyancy (although it does fill up with water over extended use), and
3. the rubber sling popped off (as in the string attaching the rubber to the pole separated after cocking the spear)
Considering these problems, which prove in this case that u get what u pay for, i decided to upgrade to a fiberglass spear. I had a chance to use it last Sunday at Phillip Island and it worked wonders. I love the fiberglass construction because it has a certain weight to it, and feels more solid (even though it does flex - as fiberglass so regularly does). The flex is nice too because it give the shaft the ability to take extra weight and strain without a permanent bend, so in essence it is "elastic" (but it doesn't bend while its loaded). The shaft is also very long (much over 2m in length - roughly 7-8ft. This is fantastic, because a long spear gives the fish that extra sense of security, making it less likely to dart off. It is a fold-down spear (2 pieces) with a changeable head (comes standard with a 5 prong, barbed paralyzer) and of course the replaceable rubber sling. Construction is great. And even if for example one of the connecting threads in the middle of the pole did come off the fiberglass shaft, it is constructed in such a way that it can be superglue back on without hassle.
And the price is a big bonus as well....$50.
I brought it at Anaconda, an outdoor sports and recreational megamart in the East of Melbourne (corner Canterburry and Scoresby Roads I believe).
Outa 5...I give it a 4. And that's a good score! <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wub.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lol' /> <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/w00t.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lol' /> <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsup2.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lol' />
1. the shaft did bend quite quickly (while trying to pull off a fish, and when lifting heavy fish)
2. the center of the shaft is hollow so it tends to have a little bit of a buoyancy (although it does fill up with water over extended use), and
3. the rubber sling popped off (as in the string attaching the rubber to the pole separated after cocking the spear)
Considering these problems, which prove in this case that u get what u pay for, i decided to upgrade to a fiberglass spear. I had a chance to use it last Sunday at Phillip Island and it worked wonders. I love the fiberglass construction because it has a certain weight to it, and feels more solid (even though it does flex - as fiberglass so regularly does). The flex is nice too because it give the shaft the ability to take extra weight and strain without a permanent bend, so in essence it is "elastic" (but it doesn't bend while its loaded). The shaft is also very long (much over 2m in length - roughly 7-8ft. This is fantastic, because a long spear gives the fish that extra sense of security, making it less likely to dart off. It is a fold-down spear (2 pieces) with a changeable head (comes standard with a 5 prong, barbed paralyzer) and of course the replaceable rubber sling. Construction is great. And even if for example one of the connecting threads in the middle of the pole did come off the fiberglass shaft, it is constructed in such a way that it can be superglue back on without hassle.
And the price is a big bonus as well....$50.
I brought it at Anaconda, an outdoor sports and recreational megamart in the East of Melbourne (corner Canterburry and Scoresby Roads I believe).
Outa 5...I give it a 4. And that's a good score! <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wub.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lol' /> <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/w00t.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lol' /> <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsup2.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lol' />
O Wahoo, Whahoo! wherefore art thou Wahoo?