In Spain annually the Kedada Show is organized, this year back in Barcelona for its sixth edition, after some years in Valencia.
In the Expo Hotel of Barcelona, in an area sincerely a little too small, many artisans have come together, but also two extremely important international companies, Salvimar and Pathos, that have proposed products of great quality and innovation. The Greek company had already presented its 2016 novelties at the end of last year at the Medi Show in Rome (Italy), while AP has already anticipated interesting 2016 products by Salvimar, such as the new masks, the pneumatic speargun Dark Side, and the new dive computer iDive Free.
Salvimar
At the show Massimo Quattrone, Product manager of Salvimar was present, together with the representative for Spain, Chio Tulsa, to whom we have asked a few questions on the Spanish market.
AP: How is the Spanish freediving and spearfishing market proceeding and, more specifically, for Salvimar?
CT: Market in Spain is constant, without particular accelerations nor stops, while Salvimar is constantly growing. Sales grow, not too fast, but in a good way. Certainly in Spain artesans also have a good presence and growth.
AP: Which are the products by Salvimar of major success in Spain?
CT: Certainly we sell a lot of shafts, which are the products from which originally Salvimar has started from. But a specific comment goes to the sales results of the Predathor Vuoto, the pneumatic speargun that, in a market such as the Spanish, with almost 100% of sling gun lovers, is obtaining an important success. The quality of the product and its advanced “Vuoto” system are changing the opinions of the Spanish spearos who, testing the pneumatic speargun from Salvimar, are understanding the enormous power and brandishing qualities, together with the ease of use. Referring to the sling guns, the Voodoo is much appreciated, while the Training wetsuit is the most sold.
AP: And among the new 2016 products?
CT: We are waiting to receiving the new Blend wetsuit in very little time, while the new masks are having an important success. Among them the Noah, the top of the line product, that seduces every spearo, but also freediver. Sales people tell me that customers come to the shops, eventually looking to buy another mask, finally try the Noah* and immediately fall in love with it. Practically a perfect product a would say.
* in a few days a test of the Noah will be published by AP
Pathos
For Pathos we have spoken with the spearfishing and freediving champion Giacomo De Mola, sales and marketing manager for practically all the World, at a point that it is easier to indicated those markets where he is not responsible, such as Greece, Turkey and Croatia.
AP: Giacomo, how are the activities in Spain proceeding?
GDM: Pathos has started its activity in Spain in 2012, and since then the company has constantly increased sales, with a very high speed I would say, with yearly double digit growth percentages.
AP: Which are the products of greater success in this market?
GDM: In a market that is 100% sling guns, our spearguns have a huge success, in particular the Saragos, while there is also much demand of smooth exterior and open cell interior neoprene wetsuits, of 5 and 8 mm, and carbon fiber fins.
AP: Among the many 2016 Pathos novelties, which are the most adequate and aimed to the Spanish market?
GDM: There is no doubt, the widening and renewal of our sling gun line is our strength on this market, in particular with the Roller speargun, the new Sniper-R, longer for the Mediterranean coat, where the water is clearer, and shorter in the turbid oceanic coasts in the north of Spain.
Pathos has also had a good idea in presenting the new products with a conference where, in addition to Giacomo De Mola, Pathos athletes where present, and also the owner and founder of Pathos, Angelos Michalopoulos. Angelos has talked about the new Sniper speargun and its easy of use, at the base of all Pathos products, and the importance of balancing. For such reason the floater system has been designed (a similar solution has also been manufactured by Seac with the 2016 Guun sling gun), that counter-balances the weight of the release mechanism made of steel. The shaft sliding along a close track guide has also been treated, underlining the water cushion effect that reduces friction and noise. In the front of the barrel the guide is open track to help inserting the shaft even with rough sea or current. Moreover, the muzzle positions the bands so they do not touch the barrel, reducing friction.
Giacomo De Mola has then commented the Sniper-R version, characterized by great power and optimal brandishing. In this gun the floater has 3 positions to hook the inferior band, facilitating reload, that can be effectuated, as De Mola says, in only 10 seconds. Very interesting is the construction of the pulley, that is designed with the shaft rotating on a lined support which determines, when the pulley turns, a water glide effect, reducing friction and noise.
Finally, a comment on the new Abyss carbon blades could not be missed. Powerful and light, generating very little fatigue, these fins are optimal for deep diving, the specialty of De Mola. The angle of the blade with the foot is 22.5°, ideal for the Pathos foot pockets, today also used and requested by many artisans, and specifically made for carbon fiber blades. Flexion of the fins seems to be very high outside the water, but result in a great push in the water. AP will soon verify with a test in the sea the performance of such fins. The Pathos Abyss are available in soft, medium and hard, and will be completed soon with an extra soft version.
The conference has been ended with and thrilling video, the second part of “The Search”, protagonist De Mola in the bay of Athens, at spearfishing depths between 40 and 50 meters, with astonishing scenes and extraordinary catches.
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