I’ve used the Robalo 98 on almost all of my dives since the beginning of the season, and thought I’d share my thoughts about it.
Overall impression
I love this gun. However, it’s not without flaws: see Cons. Despite the long list there is no way I’m getting rid of it, it’s just too nice to use now that I’ve overcome the hurdles and DIY stuff it needed in the beginning. Because of the badly constructed trigger guard I need to get a gun for float line use, but I can live with that However, if you’re in the market for a new, high quality gun I’d take a good look at the competitors before deciding on the Robalo 98.
Pros
Extremely nice looking gun that tracks and moves very well in the water
Can handle spears up to 8mm
Extremely long band stretch for its size
Simple and good trigger
Very nice to have such short overhang
No need for flopper retainer (if used)
Cons
Handle removability (for travel): they say on the website that the handle is removable, but in reality you need to remove trigger first = poor removability
Buoyancy adjustment: the gun does not come buoyancy adjusted, you have to do that yourself by removing or adding lead shot to the handle and front of gun compartments. The lead shot makes quite a bit of rattling noise and can be a bit fiddly to get just right with regards to buoyancy. Once I had found my preferred amount I epoxied the lead shot into the compartments and removed the front compartment metal cover
Sharp metal parts and spear hole: The metal parts on the gun come with sharp edges that will shred the recommended 1.5mm mono in no-time. They all need sanding/filing and that is a bit of a pain. It should be done at the factory.
Trigger protector doesn’t completely enclose trigger: This setup is perfectly OK for reel hunting as I have no trouble keeping my finger off the trigger, even with 6.5mm three finger mittens, but can be extremely dangerous for float line use, as the float line easily gets in behind the trigger guard. One tug on the line and the gun will fire.
Can’t “stab” flatfish due to short overhang and flopper retained at the tip of the barrel