Overwhelmed Santa looking for pole spear/sling suggestions

  • Looking for pole spears for my teenage sons but, after days of research, feel more confused than before (see my intro post). Possibly looking for sling instead of pole spear.. would appreciate insight/opinions/model suggestions. My sons are 16/17, 6ft/145lbs-ish, athletes, have used pole spears on a few trips (3 prong (?) tip I think) and liked them. They mainly will be free diving, around 40ft max, inshore reefs, S. FL and Bahamas. I'm also looking for freediving fin recommendations (will post on that thread). Budget friendly, but solid value products. Thank you so much for any input!

  • For commercial options, perhaps look into GatKu? Don't know if they are budget friendly enough, though. But maybe a sale will be on today?
    I haven't tried them, but they do seem to be popular.


    I think Linghunt (LingHunt Engineering Inc.) is on this forum as well. He is in the US and makes custom spears - maybe he has a budget option. Also, he would be great in guiding in terms of size and setup. From reading his posts on different forums, he is a standup guy who shares knowledge readily.
    Aaron Crist is much the same (Crist Spears) though both may be too pricey?


    Sorry, I couldn't be of more help - I am just setting out to build my own polespear these days.

  • You might consider having your son build his own.


    This can be educational for him along with having more pride in the hunt and catch using his own creation.


    Save some money and he can learn what type product might be his best fit as he gets older and has his own income for a fancier pole.


    Be happy to help, just drop me a line.

  • CARBON FIBER POLE SPEAR | Riffe International RIFFE


    Pole Spears - Aluminum Series - JBL Spearguns JBL
    Pole Spears - Aluminum Travel Series - JBL Spearguns
    Pole Spears - Carbon Fiber Series - JBL Spearguns


    https://www.wilderness.net.au/…ess-steel-telescopic.html SEA HORNET
    Sea Hornet telescopic stainless steel, I have used one for decades and one of the most versatile weapons there is on the reef, almost indestructible, good momentum for a solid hit.


    Don't bother with the "Handspear Gun" version as it is too restrictive. I speak from experience as I have owned both and used both.

  • I humbly suggest we take the Riffe out of the equation. It's 400 USD for something not too short... But then again, it is a Riiiiiffe so obviously that name costs something, too...:laughing: Yes, it is carbon fiber, but that's not where you find the excess in price over other brands, I would argue.
    It seems like Linghunt and Crist can both be had for app. USD 220-240 for about 8' models (with flopper tip) and from what I repeatedly hear their customer service should, literally, be second to none, especially to the bigger commercial brands. Gatku is about 260 bucks. Still not "cheap", but all should be good options.


    I really like Linghunt's idea of DIY building but would be nice with a bit of support - I wonder if there is a way to reach out to someone local who could help the boys with the build. That would be awesome. Like a guided building course. Could be a deal with a local machinist or someone from the local spearing club.

  • thank you all for the helpful information :) I will look into the suggestions, and I also like the build-his-own idea. Linghunt- my husband is traveling for the next week but he will contact you after that to discuss. Thanks!

  • Could you guys also share your thoughts on tips? My sons have tried a slip tip and a 3 prong (just a few times each) and think 3 prong is better (but obv don't have enough hunting time to formulate a solid opinion). They also will use to spear lobster in Bahamas (even though they usually just grab them by hand)

  • If by three prong we are talking paralyzers, then I think it depends on how you define "decent size". I see a lot 3-5 pounders taken on paralyzers. I see even bigger ones. Obviously, spearos tend to talk less about the fish they loose, but I was surprised myself to see how well a good paralyzer actually works. Especially on a reef in conjunction with a beefy pole so you can jam the fish against a rock while it is still groggy.


    That said, while I did order a paralyzer for experimentation for my own build I do expect to have a slip tip on my spear the majority for the time - I am going for a lighter carbon fiber design, so as Dan points out, the slip tip is a safer setup.

  • Brad Thornbrough at Headhunter would be a good person to speak with. He's a local guy and knows the Bahamas like nobody's business. I love his predator pole spear because It's light, fast, and tough with a no nonsense slip tip that stays put and never fails to deploy.


    Headhunter Spearfishing- triggerless spearfishing equipment and apparel | Designers of performance pole spears, hawaiian slings, and quality apparel for the ocean-minded lifestyle.

    Promontorium Tremendum

  • I don't think she wants to buy 2 spendy setups for a couple teens that will probably lose one of them before the end of the year.


    In all of the help for her,still talking about some gear for a couple of kids. Not like they are hunting trophy game and need a $3K Sako / Swarovsk setup.


    Dan's 100% right, IMHO if you got one tip use a Flopper. All I use, unless I'm testing a new design/concept.


    Be happy to help when Husband gets home, Glad to hear your kids got a father around, so important in many ways.


    I was thinking they might be in Shop Class in school to have access to simple tools and some guidance.


    I sent Link to Aaron Crist, you should have your husband call him too. He might have some poles kicking around perfect for your kids. Aaron has more of them than I can even count. No Kid Free zone around his home. :)

  • 3 prong is pretty much useless for decent size fish. A slip tip is overkill, but necessary to protect a polespear. A single flopper shaft is best, if you go with a sling.


    I use both 5 prong and 6 prong cluster heads, either 6" or 8" tines and they are great fish stickers. Never used a 3 prong.

  • I use both 5 prong and 6 prong cluster heads, either 6" or 8" tines and they are great fish stickers. Never used a 3 prong.


    Pete have you ever used those cluster heads on a speargun for free shafting the gun with no line? I've made a few Paralyzer (3 prong ) for that setup. Thought it was a little strange, but they love the method.


    What is the cost of Brass in Australia compared to Stainless? Seen brass bases there before. I didn't understand why they pick brass, Figured cost or Solder material temperature.

  • Pete have you ever used those cluster heads on a speargun for free shafting the gun with no line? I've made a few Paralyzer (3 prong ) for that setup. Thought it was a little strange, but they love the method.


    What is the cost of Brass in Australia compared to Stainless? Seen brass bases there before. I didn't understand why they pick brass, Figured cost or Solder material temperature.


    I have never used them for freeshafting, but have used plenty on my medium length band gun which is built to use them (extra muzzle buoyancy as an offset to the cluster head weight).


    There were threaded screw-in tines that were used in stainless heads, but repairing cluster heads by replacing the tines using solder attachment is now pretty universal in Australia. At one time the brass bases were chrome plated, but the plating deteriorated when heated and solder sticks well to brass, which is an easy material to machine. Long tine cluster heads have been used on Tuna with a head shot, but I have not done it as you need to be up close. Greg Pickering from memory has used them as the spreading tines inside the skull take out the Tuna's CPU.

  • Here are some extracts from the 2011/2012 "Sea Hornet" Water Sports catalog. I have no connection with the company, so in order to not make this an advert I have blotted out the prices.


    Forget the alloy clusters, they are for a low cost alloy handspear and fiberglass handspear which are in two sections.

  • I humbly suggest we take the Riffe out of the equation. It's 400 USD for something not too short... But then again, it is a Riiiiiffe so obviously that name costs something, too...:laughing: Yes, it is carbon fiber, but that's not where you find the excess in price over other brands, I would argue.
    It seems like Linghunt and Crist can both be had for app. USD 220-240 for about 8' models (with flopper tip) and from what I repeatedly hear their customer service should, literally, be second to none, especially to the bigger commercial brands. Gatku is about 260 bucks. Still not "cheap", but all should be good options.


    I really like Linghunt's idea of DIY building but would be nice with a bit of support - I wonder if there is a way to reach out to someone local who could help the boys with the build. That would be awesome. Like a guided building course. Could be a deal with a local machinist or someone from the local spearing club.


    Have you ever used a Riffe speargun, or owned any Riffe gear?

  • Looking for pole spears for my teenage sons but, after days of research, feel more confused than before (see my intro post). Possibly looking for sling instead of pole spear.. would appreciate insight/opinions/model suggestions. My sons are 16/17, 6ft/145lbs-ish, athletes, have used pole spears on a few trips (3 prong (?) tip I think) and liked them. They mainly will be free diving, around 40ft max, inshore reefs, S. FL and Bahamas. I'm also looking for freediving fin recommendations (will post on that thread). Budget friendly, but solid value products. Thank you so much for any input!


    Try here divemom as you are in a sense already "here". Spearfishing World - Search Results for "polespears", rather than be distracted by our personal views and likes (or dislikes).

  • Just saw that Koah has a massive thanksgiving sale,Koah sling would be cheap bad ass tool for the boys, I used one in the Bahamas free shafting snapper in June, and it was a deadly tool.

    A bad day at sea is better than a good day in the boatyard
    George Steele

  • Have you ever used a Riffe speargun, or owned any Riffe gear?


    Short answer: Yes and no.


    Long answer is that my point was two-fold.
    The first was that a USD 400 polespear can not be said to be a budget option. No one could or should disagree with that.


    The second and more tongue in cheek point people are of course totally allowed to disagree with.
    Allow me to elaborate: I do find Riffe as a brand somewhat over valued and sometimes over priced. Same as I do Omer these days. Riffe guns, IMHO, has a place with people who would like a wood gun that is cheaper than a custom and aren't particularly worried about maxing out performance. I have shot fellow spearos' Riffe guns enough times to say nothing really impressed me about them. Maybe it is true that they are sturdy and will last a life time, though.


    I might have been a bit too critical about the pricing on the Riffe polespear. I have, in other places, argued that products made in the 1st world do need to cost more and maybe a Riffe carbon polespear does need to be priced like it is. I honestly don't know and at the end of the day, anyone is free to charge whatever they want. Coincidentally, I am about to plunk down close to a month's salary on a new Mac high end laptop. While the pricing frustrates me, I am def guilty of being a (lazy, ignorant) fan boy sometimes myself.


    I don't know anywhere near the history of our sport like you do and I should possibly have more respect for Mr. Riffe and his accomplishments and impact on the sport. But you know me Pete. I like efficiency in design and performance. Yes, I know tons of huge fish have been taken on their floats and float lines. I just sometimes wonder if there has been a bit of a lemmings syndrome in reg. to that brand.

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