Rob Allen Spearfishing Equipment Pioneer
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Joining us direct from the Dive Factory in Durban, South Africa – we interview a spearfishing equipment innovator who continues to bring some of the best gear onto the market. Rob Allen joins us to share about his 35 year + journey as a spearo and some of his hard won wisdom. With everything in this interview from gear development to hunting techniques for pelagic species, this is not a Noob Spearo episode you want to miss!
#Rob talks a little about whats under development there at the dive factory. One project Rob Allen and the team are spending considerable time, energy and resource on is an all new roller muzzle (not an open-muzzle as mentioned). They are still heavily in the development stage and will not release the roller muzzle until they are 100% satisfied with its performance and accuracy.
We are stoked to bring this spearfishing interview to you in partnership with our major sponsors
Use the code NOOBSPEARO at checkout to save $20 on all purchases over $200!
Based in Miami, Florida USA, Nautilus Spearfishing stock a comprehensive range of equipment including Rob Allen.
In this Interview with Rob Allen
In one of our best interviews yet, Rob Allen delivers information and facts that will help everyone from the budding Noob to the seasoned veteran spearo. Turbo and I were stoked to speak to the man behind some of the equipment that we use and love ourselves. This interview kicks off Noob Spearo’s ‘Month of Mackerel’ and Robs Veterans Vault is all about hunting one of his favored target species, the Narrow Barred Spanish Mackerel. This interview is relevant to all spearos wanting to take on these large, sleek and speedy predators that inhabit large parts of the worlds sub-tropical and tropical areas.
Rob Allen, Spearfishing Equipment Pioneer. Top, using his renown railgun, bottom left in the dive factory with his business partner Jeremy Williams, bottom right local competition sponsorship
Rob Allen in his element. Using and testing some of the equipment that they design and manufacture right there in Durban, South Africa
For fast navigation through Rob Allen’s interview, here are some major moments
4:00 Rob’s early days getting started spearfishing
5:00 The Rob Allen Rail Gun origins + the trial and error mindset he took right from the start
10:00 Takeaways from ‘the one that got away’. Learning from failure – an essential spearo mindet
11:00 21 Mackerel over 20kg (45lb) in one month
12:00 Scariest moment + takeaways, losing divers and shallow water blackout (SWB)
14:00 Reel Gun Smart Systems for Safer Diving
16:00 Dive watches, reducing SWB, a bit about surface intervals and divers bodies
20:00 Veterans Vault – Pelagic Hunting (Mackerel), tips and tricks from a legend
- Weather conditions and Moon Phase ideal for spearfishing
- Hunting Techniques and Tips
- Flashers + a neat trick for window shopping pelagics
- Robs Personal Best Mackerel
28:00 Fast Five Facts for Noobs – five short pieces of advice for people getting starting spearfishing
32:00 Crucial Kit for Noobs – How scuba gear in freedive spearfishing fails to make the grade
33:00 Rob Allen spearfishing equipment developments; The process, testing, feedback, and an inside chat about the workings of the Dive Factory in Durban.
He talks about bringing a new machine to life and attempting to revolutionize the manufacture of carbon fibre speargun barrels.
Rob and his team have put together some excellent YouTube videos. Here is his channel link
Some of the most Popular Video guides include;
- How To, comprehensive reelgun setup
- How To, speargun bands DIY
- Inside the factory, videos about CNC and 3D printing machines
You can find these videos and more in our Boatshed Spearfishing Section here
Check out the RA Spearfishing website here
Rob Allen offers up some awesome spearfishing hunting tips, tricks and information in the interview on Noob Spearo Podcast
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Nautilus Spearfishing is based out of Miami, Florida. They stock their own brand of equipment including Wetsuits (womens spearfishing wetsuits too), Fins, Reels and everything else you would expect to find in a store as well regarded as Andrew Quincoses operation. Check Nautilus out here!
If you are in the local area check out the brand new shop for a comprehensive range of high quality equipment including Rob Allen Spearfishing gear.
Adreno Spearfishing supplies are expanding. Joining their well established Brisbane store is an all new Alexandria store in Sydney. Opening on the 12th of September (2015) this store will be a great addition to the Sydney Spearfishing community. Go in and meet Sam Cox and his helpful team for your spearfishing needs.
Check out Australia’s largest spearfishing range at Adreno Spearfishing Brisbane and Adreno Spearfishing Sydney or shop online. Use the code NOOBSPEARO to save $20 on all purchases over $200
Hello Noob Spearo folks!
I’ve been listening to your podcast for a few months, and I’m in the middle of the Rob Allen podacast, 015.
Am I understanding what he said about rest times in relation to dive times? Something like a 2 minute breath holder that dives for 2 mins will have a rest time of over 40 mins to re-oxygenate. Whereas a 2 minute breath holder who dives for one minute (or a 4 minute holder who dives for 2 minutes?) will have a substantially shorter breath rest/breathe up? This sounds a lot like a scuba dive table situation, but based on ability, then actual dive time, resulting in a rest time being a function of the two.
I’ve always heard approximately 3 times your bottom time.
G’day Tom, if you stick to 3x your bottom time for regular spearfishing, you are winning. Really advanced guys with extensive physiological adaptation who are diving really deep will extend their surface intervals even longer as the bends become an issue. Blood oxygen also depletes over extended time and hydration and whole bunch of other factors come into play when they are diving to great depths multiple times in a session.
Often with shallower diving situations, experienced guys will not follow a set surface rest pattern and this can lead to dangerous situations. For this reason, a watch is a great tool.
All spearfishing IMO should be a slow and steady progression. This is critical for a bunch of reasons including; physiological adaptation (your body gets smarter the longer you dive – the dive reflex gets stronger, blood shift and other mechanisms all improve as well), you also develop the wisdom and critical decision making skills inline with your progression, you also learn improved posture and relaxation which minimizes the risk of injuries like squeeze etc.
I also think that for most of us, high performance (longer and deeper focus) isn’t really the right goal.
Anyway, long answer! sorry:)