Review
The Mean Green Rubber (Acid Green) 16mm purchased from Neptonics.
The claim: SALVIMAR ACID GREEN RUBBER is the most powerful rubber available with 380% Stretch. It's not harder to load, it's just snappier than any other rubber giving your shaft more acceleration. Any other rubber on the market has 350% stretch compared to Acid Greens 380% stretch. The bands are manufactured by dipping creating a multilayered structure reportedly improving memory and miniumizing elongation over time.
My Impression: The rubber is in fact not harder to load perhaps even easier. The launch has a very smooth even acceleration that reduces kickback noticeably. Theoretically since the band stretches longer the shaft should have force applied longer and closer to the end of the muzzle.
I was watching a TV show about a guy who had the world record for paper airplane throwing distance. He explained that you should launch a paper airplane with a slow steady even throw,not to throw it hard, if you want distance.
My Experience: When I shoot the Green rubber it has a very smooth,even, and accurate delivery. However the smooth launch is slower (*the paper airplane launch) but perhaps it sails over a slightly greater distance with greater accuracy till the end.
Issue: Most of the fish I hunt on my over dynamited out reef are very small and very skittish. They feel the shock wave of the launch and have time to dodge it like Neo in the Matrix. I can actually see them turn and swim away as the spear approaches
Methodology of comparison: I own two almost identical Laser Tec 115 made my Ihab. I rigged one with my fall back Small ID 16mm rubber and the other with the Acid Green Rubber. The guns both have enclosed tracks and kick back is minimized by their excellent balance and design.
Conclusion: I find the snap and quicker power of the small ID hole rubber to best suit my fishing conditions and preference. Since most fish I shoot are at a range of 10 feet or less away the shaft out of the gun time is critical.
If in fact the Green rubber delivers a smother take off and flies truer over a longer distance, then it might be an advantage on a bigger fish 4 or 5 meters away since they aren’t quite as agile.
Exception: I don’t agree that it has quicker acceleration. Perhaps they mean it accelerates for a longer period of time due to its increased elongation.
When I hunt for spanish mackerel further out from the reef perhaps the Green might prove a positive for extra distance and truer aim. That is pure speculation since I have no antidotal experience to remotely support such speculation.
Baseline: I use 5/8” small ID rubber purchased from spearfishing.store. For the record Primeline’s power calculator suggests that you get an extra two pounds more pressure out of the smaller ID hole product.
I personally find the smooth power delivered thought out the length of the physical launch to be a excellent balance between fast acelleration and a snappy response without too much kick back.
I will continue to experiment with the SALVIMAR ACID GREEN RUBBER and try to give you keener insight as I become more familiar with it's properties.It is a very interesting media and I like the smooth delivery. Perhaps it will grow o me and I will adjust to it's delivery
