My first speargun - Xdive pro alfa 90

    Recently I have asked about buying speargun for a beginner here

    Speargun and the rest of equipment for a noob

    Tis is my first speargun and first time I'm using a rubber band gun because I used friends Mares sten 60(or 65)cm on vacation in 2015 and 2016.

    I am making this review from point of view of a real beginner.

    Xdive is Greek company that makes spearfishing equipment.

    Speargun "Alfa" is not their cheapest neither their most expensive model and it cost me around 60€. First thing that i have noticed when gun was delivered is that this gun feels heavy and it looks very well built in hand. Plastic parts look very good. Gun has railing for spear all along the barrel that has elliptical crosscut. This probably adds precision and strengthens the barrel. There are some notches on upper side of gun for better aiming. Spear has interchangeable tip (7mm thread). Spear and tip are covered with brass or some similar yellowish metal/alloy layer. Spear has sliding ring with a groove, so I used constrictor knot to tie it to the gun.

    In the evening of that same day we were on Sarakiniko beach near Parga (Greece), just before sunset when there wasn't anyone on the beach I decided to test my new "toy".


    Then the first and biggest

    "negative" of this speargun showed. The rubber is "usa black" 16mm thick and it is hard to pull it even to the first notch. Just to mention I am 189cm 90kg 35 years old, maybe not the strongest guy you know but sure I'm not the weakest.

    There was a lot of waves and fish wer rare but I saw a pair of mullets (around 400-500g) and started to considering to shoot them, a little too long maybe. So I squeezed the triger and "headshot" under the gill plate . After that I managed to arm speargun only once more before it become too dark and I needed to shot it in empty water. When returned back to hotel I have noticed that spear point was blunt (second negative) but it was easy to resharpen it.

    For the money spent gun looks like excellent buy not just for beginner, and because of it's strength I think it isn't intended for beginners. If I had the opportunity to feel it in my hand before buying it I would have probably chosen 75cm model because it would be easier to load. It looks precise and strong enough to stop a nice sized fish on a decent distance.


    My next move is to buy thinner rubber, and maybe use it again in September.

    Edited once, last by 100ka ().

    El fusil está bien para empezar, no se su calidad, pero se ve bien, el tamaño 90cm es común en la pesca del Mediterráneo.


    La flecha úsala, con el tiempo la cambiaras por una mejor y sin punta roscada. Debes hacer disparos que eviten golpear las rocas, eso dañará rápido tu flecha, la punta roscada es la debilidad de la flecha.


    Goma, el fusil es de mecanismo retrasado y eso quizás sea incomodo para cargar al principio. Realmente la técnica es lo que facilita la carga, no te recomiendo goma de menor diámetro, eso puede afectar negativamente el fusil, puedes intentar mejorar técnica de carga, Yo cargo en el pecho de un solo jalón hasta la primera muesca/aleta y luego paso a la ultima, la goma 16mm es considerada suave.. Yo usaba fusil neumático y recuerdo cuando comencé a usar fusil de goma 18mm sufrí para cargarlo, rompí los dedos, no los sentía porque la goma me golpeo los dedos... Ahora tengo 56 años, mido 178cm y 110 kg y utilizo goma de 19mm en mis fusiles 90, 110, 115 porque son las que tengo, cuando se dañen usaré 2 gomas de 14, 15 o 16mm en los fusiles 110 y 115.


    Recomiendo los vídeos del maestro Giorgio Dapiran, observa su técnica de pesca, de carga de fusil, equipo de pesca, de respiración... Es lo mejor que puedes conseguir para aprender BIEN.


    Éxito y buena pesca.

    Un Hombre tiene que creer en algo.......
    Creo que me iré de pesca!!!

    Like 1

    Thanks for the advice.

    I thought that I lack technique and your answer proved that. So I need to find some chest patch and start to practice loading at home until my next vacation.

    Should I change metal wishbone with dineema?

    Muchas gracias!

    Quote from 100ka

    Thanks for the advice.

    I thought that I lack technique and your answer proved that. So I need to find some chest patch and start to practice loading at home until my next vacation.

    Should I change metal wishbone with dineema?

    Muchas gracias!

    Si cambias a dineema por el wishbone, debes pulir las muescas de la flecha porque el roce romperá el wishbone. Debes hacer algo parecido al vídeo , pero en los notches , notches smooth .


    El whisbone tiene dos ventajas basicas, 1.- reduce el ruido y 2.- el dineema no corta los dedos como el puente metálico.


    Si, es necesario protejer con parche el pecho y usar guantes.


    Insisto, revisa con atención los vídeos de Dapiran, el usa una técnica de carga diferente a la que yo utilizo, y aprenderás de un maestro. Los he visto decenas de veces y siempre aprendo algo nuevo, son vídeos didácticos, no de egos de presas y puntería.

    :thumbup:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUA881Nfj-4naMy4o8lMG5g

    Un Hombre tiene que creer en algo.......
    Creo que me iré de pesca!!!

    Like 1

    If I decide to make that change I'll polish the notches like the mirror 😊

    I have some old neoprene gloves that I use when winter fishing with removable finger tips, but I think I'll need to buy some other gloves for spearfishing.

    Thanks!

    Hahahah 😀

    Thanks for the tip, this is cheaper than any neoprene gloves.

    I am thinking to glue a piece of EVA foam (like mousepad or flip flops are made) on the but of the speargun to make it softer to my chest when loading?

    Quote from 100ka

    Hahahah 😀

    Thanks for the tip, this is cheaper than any neoprene gloves.

    I am thinking to glue a piece of EVA foam (like mousepad or flip flops are made) on the but of the speargun to make it softer to my chest when loading?

    Si, eso ayuda.


    yo usé la sandalia de goma dentro de la franela, y con traje de pesca tambien.

    Un Hombre tiene que creer en algo.......
    Creo que me iré de pesca!!!

    Do you spearfish in the Mediterranean without a wetsuit? Most (if not all) spearfishing wetsuits have chest pad for loading. If not, a mouse pad glued to whatever you wear as a top would work.


    If I were going to change something to that speargun, that would be the shaft. Get a tahitian shaft and leave the bands as they are. You will probably end up changing them by stronger ones when you learn how to load.


    Gloves are a must. Otherwise you'll hurt your fingers.

    Marco Melis

    A bad day fishing is ALWAYS better than a good day at work.

    Like 1

    Thanks for your advices😀


    Im fisherman for +20 years and fly fisherman and fly tyer for +10 years so DIY is what I often do 😆

    Maybe I'll buy some wetsuit (short sleeves and leggings) next year. I usually go for vacation to Greece (Ionian sea) and few more days on Adriatic sea in Montenegro when we visit my wife's family. Both seas are usualy warm enough so you don't need wetsuit. But maybe I'll buy that short wersion instead of rash guard. So for now mousepad or flip flop will be my pad.



    I'm thinking to make something like this loading assistant.


    I'm also thinking for now to buy a longer rope, because the one I've got with the speargun is shorter than 2 full wraps.


    But first I should start to work out again. Pullups, dipps and pushups should be good exercises for that pulling motion.

    El asistente de carga se utiliza cuando los brazos no llegan al whisbone en roller's y en fusiles de una sola goma gruesa 18/20mm , cuando el fusil es muy largo y tienes gomas 14-17mm utilizas una técnica de carga diferente, realmente no creo que te haga falta.


    Un Hombre tiene que creer en algo.......
    Creo que me iré de pesca!!!

    Guys thanks for all the help.


    I've just used my flip-flop as a cushion under my speargun's tail and it wasn't so difficult to load it. So i'll just buy cheapest foam flip-flops and use them as a cushion :saint:

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member to leave a comment.

Register a new account
Sign in now