What is seriously good gear for the casual user

I want to tool up for the wife and I for the next 20 years (and my 9 year old for as long as she still fits the gear), my seriously good gear I bought 30 years a has finally seen it's last water.

Spearfishing/ snorkeling.....older/oldy style........

Everything in technology has progressed since and my beauty-full mask I loved to bits still works but is finally too stiff in it's silicone (or my face has changed too much), my silicone amalgam flippers are like boards now and hurt after 20min or so(getting older doesn't help).

I have been to the adreno site just now and the options are massive and confusing.....I live a couple thousand km away so I cannot spend hours in any shop finding the gear I will love to use for the next 20 as we have crap shops with small ranges.

Whats really good but efficient for price...no pro here......if I try I might find myself on the end of a helicopter winch wire.

Sensible money no option as I would like the gear to see us out if possible......but if 2x the price is only 10% better thats not a good deal IMO....if you know what I mean.

I might need to buy my new mask in person...masks are a problem to buy over the net but not unhappy to take the risk if appropriate.

cheers

The guys I know over your way use the Cressi stuff........not sure which models but they do use their gear a fair bit.......Dan

Thanks Dan, there is just so much range compared to a couple decades ago......all of it cannot be good..or can it?......the range here is reasonably small and expensive but the service might be good.......planing on lots of these trips the next year or so...with consideration for my age now....it's so hopeless I tell ya.

Very hard to find people around my age with a previous full history of these things.

BTW finally got the boat up and fully running....engine is still as good as ever, leaving me no good excuse, went to Tinaroo for the day with friends and the family and the kids had the best time they ever had so they say tubing around all day....people like to talk about hydraulic jack plates it seems...was hard to get the boat in the water for all the interest at the ramp...was a skiing area so it makes sense i suppose...I had nothing of value to add but it's shininess as it was it's first run since fitting...the extra dimension to trimming will take a little to get used to but all seems far better than ok..will see what I think of it when I can head out to the reef in the smooth and come home in the snotty stuff like less of a cork.

Cheers Dan hope all is fine for you up in the lap of the gods.

All good up here bud.........took my rig out the other day.........don't know why I don't get out more myself she goes ok!........Hmmm jacking plate hey..........might look good on my carport ornament?........Dan

Lol Dan....hard to go wrong with one of these things...I suspect one cannot know until fitted...very trick piece of gear and it will ring the very last drop of performance and economy and drivability in all situations out of the rig......only a small test so far...25l worth of fuel, but it made the day because setup only for offshore the rig simply couldn't tow a tube around worthy of the fuel used....you might remember?

Bought mine from the Narrangbar (northside brisvegas) bloke...very decent to deal with too.

So much fun hey getting the boat out, planing on a family and friends trip snorkeling (little spearfishing) out the close islands this weekend but looks like a little windy so might make it an adults only trip...or I will do a recy (sp) on my own.

Hi fnq

For fins very few use plastic anymore these days most commonly used are fibreglass type fins there are many brands with the most popular being diverR however quite pricy blades are around$365 I personally use carbon fins but you won't need these. The difference between fibreglass/carbon vs plastic is pretty big.

I use Cressi masks which are good look for brands such as Picasso, Omer, Cressi, these are all goo manufactures get one that fits your face.

Wetsuit I use open cell Cressi suit 2 piece these are by far the most comfy and warm. I use the full 2 piece in winter up here and just the top half in summer.

There are many types of guns these days if you are looking for a good budget entry level gun rob Allen have always been good mine are 15 years old and still going, however I now have a gun made it Italy which is a lt better but a simple rail gun either rob Allen, free divers, or edge rail gun will work fine. A good all round reef gun up here is 1.1m however I often use a small 90cm gun on the reef as well in average vis.

Have a talk to this guy. I have been told he is is good to deal with and gives good advice.

www.spearfishingproducts.com.au

I agree with daintree, rob allen tuna are a good gun. Ive got a 1.4m witch is great for clean or open water but not too flash for dirty or close reef working for parrots or crays (Can put a cut in you spear on the rob allen for lower power). I have a mares cyrano 970 a pneumatic as well which you can adjust the power on for crays and ok for trout and parrots but are noisy, will also take out maks with a good thru shot but does not have the range or the grunt of the rob allen. I have thrown my cyrano in the ute, forgot to wash it, got smashed around in the boat and it amazes me that it keeps on going. In 9 years I have only pumped it up once or twice and replaced the line and line rubber when worn. Its Quicker and easier to load and easy to move through water. Buy a spare spear and rubbers and keep in freezer. Wet suit anything really, I use a stinger/bare only in summer and a elcheapo wet suit in winter (dont store it in the shed as the lining stuffs up after a few years).Omer stingray fins are good cause you can replaced the fins only when they crack after years of hard use. Alot of pro cray fishos use these and pritty comfy rubber. No idea about the goggles as it a personal pref suppose anything around 60 plus bucks are generally fairly comfy. Me mates got expensive omers one and they are as comfy as my 40 buck us divers pair. However at the end of the day the cheapest gun in the right hands and keep well maintained is just as good. I know a well acomplished older bloke with a crusty old timber gun. He loves his gun and he keeps it super smick and maintains it religiously. Hes proud as of his 20 year old timber gun which still murders plenty of species......

Thanks all for the advice, I must have forgot to add subscription to this thread so missed some replies.....I ended up buying some new softer fins beuchat open heal jets in the softer colour because I am getting old...yet to receive so I will see, new mask (called a shadow I think)....not a well known brand but it fitted well and cost a few dollars also...what ya gunna do!, got a short cheap rubber gun for crays and already had a longer cheap 1.2m for mucking about and loaning out

A salesman introduced me to one of these http://www.diversworld.com.au/omer-c...130m-2611.html

this shop is the only close one that I found had a fairly decent range available.

So crazy light compared to the woodies I had years ago...any idea if they are any good compared to all the rest of the range, what might be the best choice? not blue water freediving and I don't feel the need to shoot extra big stuff just because one presents it's self....i am older now.

http://www.diversworld.com.au/spearguns-797.html the Rob Allens the best pick on this page?


thanks all.

good choice. Spear and Dive ,at Shop 1B, 84A Aumuller St have an awesome range for future purchases.

cheers