A great offensive by Mares Pure Instinct on the product side with 27 new products for spearfishing ans freediving launched in 2018. We have visited the company in Genoa, and have started taking a closer look at the new attractive equipment. Let us present them all in an overview, before, in the next weeks, showing you more details in our X-Rays channel.

Not all of the products indicated are completely new, as some are, for example, new camouflage colors, while others, like the amazing Cyrano pneumatic spearguns line, has already been launched last year, but has its full year of sales in 2018. Still, a great push by Mares, now also in the Freediving world, thanks also to the partnership with SSI. We have already started presenting new products for indoor apnea, but also outdoor freediving, like the Mares Horizon 10, analyzed by Indoor apnea Champion, Luciano Morelli, and the Mares Infinity 30 and Apnea Insitinct.

Together with Luca Limongi, Product Manager of Mares Pure Instinct (Spearfishing and Freediving), we have gone through all the new products of 2018.

New pneaumatic spearguns

The interesting and complete Cyrano pneumatic spearguns line is something to talk about. Two possibilities of internal barrel are available, with 11 mm diameter solution, the Cyrano 1.1 HFT (Hydroforming) and the Cyrano 1.1 and with the 13 mm diameter, the Cyrano 1.3. In any case all of the barrels are offset towards the upper part of the tank to generate a much better line of aim.

Mares Cyrano HFT 90 pneumatic speargun
Mares Cyrano 90 1.1 & 1.3 pneumatic spearguns

New is the geometry of the trigger, now in stainless steel and no more in glass loaded Nylon, and the components of the release mechanism, to obtain a smoother and more fluid functioning, also thanks to the metal of the trigger working better than plastic materials. These results have also been obtained with greater diameter hole of the air passage and an additonal specifically inclined hole. All this, present on all 3 Cyrano, determines a quicker transfer of air from the tank to the rear of the piston that pushes the shaft. Metal is also the line release lever, with additional resistance guaranteed.

The muzzle is now lighter of around 35 grams thanks to new materials used, that on the tip of the speargun, especially long ones, can make quite a difference in the balancing and slewing.

New Mares Cyrano lighter and more compact muzzle

We remind that HFT version permits has a better air distribution in the tank and so improves slewing and balancing, compared to the Cyrano with circular tank. Also, HFT technology permits to have a line on the upper part of the tank connecting handle to the muzzle, helping to aim correctly.

Mares indicates that all their pneumatic spearguns must be loaded at max 30 atm, but the internal rule is that they must resist up to 100 atm and beyond.

 

New composite blade fins

A strong acceleration has been given to the composite blade bi-fins, with 5 new models, two in carbon and glass fiber, and three in glass fiber. First are the Rasor Matrix, in carbon fiber and glass fiber, which substitute the previuos Laser Carbon (also in carbon and glass fiber), and that have a new kind of composite material and with a slightly longer (796 mm vs 756 mm) and thinner (205 mm vs 195 mm) blade than the previous model. Cousin of the Matrix, with same layers of composite material, but shorter (740 mm) and slightly larger (210 mm), are the Rasor C740. This wide offer has been designed by Mares Pure Instinct to adapt to the needs fo spearos and freedivers that are more or less technical and go more or less deep: Matrix more adequate for more technical spearo and freediver, while the C740 is easier as it is shorter and larger, still giving the possibility to dive excellently down to – 40 meters.

Very reactive fin, quality and choice of material has been at the base of the design. Carbon fiber is 3K Prepreg, and no more twill as on Raser Carbon, but plain, as better results have been obtained with such material. According to Mares the use of carbon and glass fiber together determine a smooth bending and reactivity of the blades and less nervous reaction, with no real loss compared to 100% carbon fiber.

Also connection to the foot pocket as been improved. On the Rasor Carbon the blade was incredibly stiff under the foot pocket, in the new blades such area is softer, so blade starts bending immediately with a continuous curve. To avoid eccessive angle, the new angle blade-foot pocket is now 22° instead of the previous 26°.

Mares Rasor Apnea

The three fins with glass fiber blades, also in Prepreg material and same manufacturing process as the carbon solutions, are the Rasor Illuson (camouflage), the Rasor F740 and the Rasor Apnea. Layers are 8 in glass fiber. Rasor Illusion and Rasor F740 are shorter (740 mm) and larger (220 mm) than all the others, including the Rasor Apnea (796 x 205 mm, just like the Matrix). Also, layers of fiber determine a constant thickness of the blade and so a different curve, constant, during kicking, instead of the parabolic solution.

Mares Rasor Illusion

Dimensions and constant thickness of the blades of the Rasor Illusion and Rasor F740 make the two fins extremely easy to use. Illusion has a camouflage cover that is fused with the resin and does not come off it time. Useful for shallow water camouflage in particular. Water rail have been improved and are made from moulds. Foot pocket is the classic Rasor. All models are available now in two stiffnesses: medium and soft.

New in the fin offer is also the monofin, Monofin Race, first time even by Mares, where foot pocket is connectes to the blade with a neoprene solution, while the toe have a key function for the correct movement during finning. In black or white colour, while blade construction is the same as the Rasor Apnea. Foot-pocket sizes are made to have a competition effect, so are extremely tight on the foot.

Mares Monofin Race

 

Mares Illusion Brown wetsuit

Mares Illusion Brown camouflage

New Illusion Brown wetsuit has design and technical solutions as the ones we have already analyzed for the previous Illusion green based camouflage design, still available in the offer. Camouflage is made using a photografic solution of variuos images shot in the years by Mares.

Illusion Brown (right) and Illusion (left)

All camouflage by Mares are printed on coloured base, such as grey, except for the blue version ment for the American and Australian markets, so that when the lining of the wetsuit stretches, white colour, that makes the wetsuit much more visible in the water, does not appear. To the contrary, for spearfishing in the blue, the white effect can be a positive solution to attract fish. Camo Green and Brown will be out of offer in 2018, so their place is taken from the more evoluted Illusion version. An Explorer Black Camo version is new this year, and has exactly same design of the Illusion. Now closure of jacket is in two buttons instead of one as previously.

Protections on chest and knees (none on elbows) and logos printed in rubber material are now thicker for better resistance. All of these parts are black, but thanks to the greater thickness are sufficiently visible without being too visible. Also gloves, socks and backweight are in the new camouflage colours of Illusion Brown and Camo Black.

 

Sealhouette mask

New Sealhoutte mask is in black or camouflage version, the latter made through water printing, as seen also for some camouflage fins on the market. With a new technology the water printing is now possible also on soft silicone parts like the facial of the Sealhoutte.

Sealhouette mask and Dual Camo snorkel

Not estreme, the new Mares Pure Instinct mask has a good compromise in reduced internal volume and wide field of view. So a little bit a cousin of the Mares Tana, and less extreme than the Mares X-Free and the Mares Viper, the latter also tested in the Super Test. Both versions of the Sealhoutte are matt externally. Rear head belt is wide to permit inserting the snorkel inside the band on the rear of the head. The new snorkel is the same as the Dual Basic, but now in the new soft material Camo version, colouring obtained through water printing as the Sealhouette. Section of Dual Camo, just as the Dual Basic and the Dual, has a specific shape that increases comfort and fluydodinamics, as for the latter the dimensions of the section are the same as a standard trachea.

 

New buoys

Hydro Thorpedo Large buoy

Four new signal buoys launched by Mares in 2018, Hydro Torpedo, Hydro Torpedo Large, Hydro Flat and Hydro Sphere. All are with internal air chamber and external smooth PVC-texture orange protection for best visibility, sliding on water and resistance.

Hydro Thorpedo buoy

Two bouys, the Thorpedo Large and the Hydro Flat, have a bigger flag, 30.5 x 30.5 cm (minimum size requested for US market rules), mounted on strong glass fiber stick, while the Hydro Topredo and the Hydro Sphere have smaller 18 x 18 cm flags mounted on traditional Nylon support. On the Torpedo Large, wanted for more visibility with oceanic waves, but we suggest to use it as much as possible for best safety, the D ring for pulling the buoy is in stainless steel, while on the other three it is in Nylon. On all four buoys the area of connection of the D ring to the external PVC texture protection has reinforced stitchings.

 

Neck weight for indoor apnea

A modular collar-weight for indoor apnea setup of the body has also been launched this year. Weights are of 300 grams each and can be quickly added or removed. Closure is done with elastic white silicone strap or black cordura band and nylon click closure.

Collar weight

New belts and bags

New white colour elastic weight belts from Mares Pure Instinct are now in the freediving offer, with Nylon buckle or metal Marseillaise closing system.

New bags for longer bi-fins (Attack Long fins) and for monofins (Attack Monofin). The bag for the two fins now has the position of the latter with the foot-pockets in the lower part, differently from the pevious bag, for a more correct and comfortable carrying. Also, mask, snorkle and a Summer (thin) wetsuit can be all stored in the bag together with the two fins. The Attack Monifin bag has same logic and material of the Attack Long fins, and can contain two monofins. Attack Long FIns also has an external sealed pocket for documents. Lower part of both bags has a net texture in the lower part for water deflow.

Bluelink Pro

New is also the data downloading connector for the interesting and already presented by AP Mares Smart Apnea. The new system is now with with bluetooth connection and works, with its App, both on IOS and Android devices.