Spierre Testimonials

2011-11-08T00:32:00.000-08:00

South African's Testimonials

Jaco Blignaut

Hi Pierre,
I am really enjoying these blades, this pair is the winning recipe. I'm shooting fish at 120 feet without a drop-weight.

Jaco Blignaut
5x South African Spearfishing Champion

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Craig Heslop

The fins are awesome - we dived 25-30m the whole of Sunday and even thorough I was pretty tired due to a bad night's sleep, I was diving 30m comfortably, in fact my legs usually get very tired diving in the deep but I managed 100%.

Craig Heslop
SA National Spearfishing Team
Worlds 2010

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Marc White

My Spierre carbons are the single most influential piece of equipment I have ever had! Thank you Pierre for custom building me a carbon product at the cutting edge of freediving propulsion..

Marc White

One of SA's Top Spearos

Fred Bester

When I started diving off boats in 2003 I bought myself a pair of black JB Esclapez fins. They served me well. They are incredibly soft on the feet and ankles. Exactly what the doctor ordered for the beginner. I used them for spearfishing and crayfishing and they proved effective. The plastic blades however did not last long since I do kick of the bottom a lot. This resulted in them losing there stiffness within a year. I subsequently had to replace them 3 times in 5 years. I do dive quite often (15-20 shore dives and 20-30 boat dives a year) and regard my spearfishing equipment as consumables because nothing lasts for ever in the sea so I thought nothing of replacing it. When I started diving the 12 Mile with James Lawson-Smith I started looking around for a pair of composites that would serve me better on the deeper dives. I was having problems returning to the surface later in the day and had to drop my weight belt after almost every dive. The pulling up of the belt on my float line tired me more and it took up time that delayed making the next drift. I borrowed a tried a number of composite and carbon fins; all outperformed the JBE's, which is no surprise as the latter are not designed for deep diving. My mind was set on getting a pair of composites since they are more durable and cost less. At that stage I was convinced that the harder the fin is the more meters depth per unit oxygen one would get out of them. I contacted Pierre at Spierre and he differed from me, he explained to me that discomfort does not lead to better performance, it leads to the opposite. He proposed a softer fin. I reluctantly accepted since, after trying so many fins, I was only sure of one thing, I needed composite fins. The gamble paid off. Not only did Spierre provide me with sound advice, they also delivered a product that exceeded my expectations and increased my confidence for deeper diving and diving in the white wash. This has led to me diving deeper than I ever thought I could. I've lent my Spierre fins to other divers and most agree that they are something special. The fins are now 2 years old and look like a chew toy for a Rottweiler with deep gaffs in some places that bare testimony to frequent visits to the oceans floor and little love from its owner. They are still holding out and have not lost any of there stiffness and I will pick them any day over any other fin. If these fins were mining equipment they would be Caterpillars.

Fred Bester
South African Spearo

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Steve Benjamin

Spierre Pure Carbon fins have been with me on all my shark and spearfishing adventures. They have pushed me to greater depths, been with me in rough surf conditions and have proven to be tough and reliable, I would recommend them to anyone.

Steve Benjamin

www.animalocean.co.za

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Louis Heunis

Firstly I must say, thank you for recommending the Spierre Pure Carbon Blades, it is definitely the best piece of gear I own - very well designed for my needs! It works exceptionally well in the blue waters of Mozambique helping me dive deeper and providing speed I did not believe possible until I tried my pair!

I recently visited the Cold Cape Town waters and did some shore dives with it (thinking it was going to be a bit too fragile - but was proven wrong). I also dived a competition where I was diving the 20m reefs with ease in cold water!

My diving has jumped to another level and improves with every dive!

Thanks for a phenomenal product!

Louis Heunis

South African Spearo

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Australian's Testimonials

Nick Croucamp

Hey guys, thought I'd add my blurb on the Spierre carbon blades. I first tried a pair in Israel which were built for someone a bit bigger than me and I thought them quite stiff, but with loads of power compared with my pair of carbons (Carbontech). At first glance the blade is normal freedive length but slightly wider than the typical European brands - so they moves a bit more water. The pair I ordered were much easier to use, being softer as I had requested. I also requested the thickest part to extend well past the end of the foot area since I've broken a number of carbons in that exact area (where you get the white stress marks across plastic blades after a while). I also shopped around for footpockets that fitted me well (i have a long thin foot, so chose Beauchat). Also because they have thin side rails which allow the carbon to flex and return with minimum interuption (thick side rails seriously dampen the 'spring'). I wouldn't recommend carbons just for cray diving, but I've done a fair bit of rummaging around in holes for bugs and fish and so far the blades are just looking scratched up. The jump from fibreglass blades like DiveR/Captain Nemo to quality carbon blades like Spierre is similar to the jump from plastic to fibreglass blades (maybe a bit less).

Your finning style has to change to use less energy which takes a while to learn, but your diving improves a lot if you put in the effort. I'd say my comfortable depth is 10m more than it is with my captain Nemo and 15m than with plastics. About the different carbon blades, the bottom level would be the off-the-racks (picasso's/omer/beauchat carbons), and the pinnacle would be the custom blades. These blades are built a lot tougher than the European blades I've tried. So far I'm very happy with my Spierre's and suggest you seriously consider them if you're after some good carbon blades.

Nick Croucamp
Western Australia

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Tyler Drake

A few months ago I purchased a pair of Spierre pure Carbons and I could not be a happier diver. After months of trying different blades these are the ones... I spearfish weekly and the little effort it takes to swim all day in these fins is amazing. Craftsmanship is exceptional, durability is great and the service and help offered by Pierre is unmatched. Would recommend to any water enthusiast who is keen on a pair of top quality blades. Thanks Spierre

The photo is of a beautiful day taking East Australian Crayfish off the east coast of NSW, Australia.

Cheer, Tyler

Tyler Drake
NSW Australia

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Peter Bogusch

Hey Pierre

Love the fins. Had a good year surfing and spearfishing this year up and down Western Australia coast. Good work mate!

Cheers

Peter

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New Zealander'sTestimonials

Richard Harris

My Spierre carbons are fantastic! I love how these one pair of fins perform perfectly in every situation. It doesn't matter whether I'm snooping snapper in the shallows or banging round on a deep weedline they have the flexibility and the power I need. My brother was so jealous of them he has now gone out and bought himself a pair.

Cheers Pierre

Richard Harris

New Zealand

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Linda Paganelli

I got an awesome set of carbon blades from Spierre and I’m really happy with them. I use fins every day for hours, and my feet and ankles get very tired from all the effort and pressure that swimming put on them.

I’ve been looking for a long time for blades which don’t put too much strain on my weaker areas, and most blades on the market are conceptualized and designed for guys, which makes it difficult for girls to adapt to them. Spierre designed a blade that fits my needs exactly; long, flexible and with an early bend, which is what suits professional freedivers.

Linda Paganelli

Freedive Dahab

Linda Paganelli | Italian Champion

Freedive Dahab : Egypt

VWT Women : 90m

CWT Women : 75m

FIM Women : 60m

CNF Women : 48m

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Jacques de Vos

Spierre blades are awesome for a whole range of freediving activities! As an instructor here in Egypt I'm using a pair of custom carbon blades which replaced my old blades (of very well known brand name - which broke in a matter of weeks) for both teaching and my own deep diving and I could not be happier! This shot was taken here in Dahab of Linda Paganelli (Freedive Dahab) wearing her pair of Spierre blue camo blades...needless to say that apart from being great blades they look awesome too:)

Jacques de Vos
Freediving Instructor
Freedive Dahab : Egypt

Chris Ananiadis

2010-02-16T02:43:00.000-08:00

Chris Ananiadis

Brazil

Colin Chester

2010-02-16T02:39:00.000-08:00

Hi Pierre, I have attached a pic of the tuna with a clear shot of one of the fins... The fins are great !

Cheers, Colin

Colin Chester

Albert Bootsma

2010-02-15T16:00:00.000-08:00

"Best piece of diving equipment I've ever bought..."

Albert Bootsma

Pieter Scholtz

2010-02-15T14:41:00.000-08:00

I have spearfished for the last 13 years and used Spierre Pure Carbons for the last 4 years. Since diving with my Spierre fins I now have longer bottom time, more speed in the water and can dive to 25m with ease. They are the best, I would never be able to do without them!

Pieter Scholtz

Mozambique

Kevin Daly

2010-02-15T01:00:00.000-08:00

Hi Pierre

Love your fins. Here's a couple of fun pictures showing your fins in action from a recent trip I did to Italy.

Best Regards

Kevin Daly

2009 UK Spearfishing Champ

Anthony Anderson

2010-02-13T15:07:00.000-08:00

Hi Pierre, I have had your composite blades for over I year now, when I purchased them my diving buddies smiled wondering whether they would last a month as I have a reputation for not exactly pampering my gear. We have been amazed at how well they have handled in fact they have outlasted my prevous pair of plastics . Besides boat diving I use them for shore diving as well, and besides some scrathes they have handled the rock banging and rigours of the white water diving perfectly and have proved great when long swims are needed.

Cheers Ants

I attach a pic of the fins and a 14 k cracker and some others from a lekker day in Nov

Janneman Conradie

2010-02-13T06:24:00.000-08:00

I've been diving with Pierre Liebenberg for 4 years and since he introduced me to SPIERRE Pure Carbon Fins my diving has changed exponentially. SPC improved my diving a lot and I don’t know if I will ever be able to dive and be as efficient and productive without it. It is an extraordinary product and with its ever increasing quality, technology and design I will recommend it to anyone. Well done Pierre you have a great product.

Janneman Conradie

Mozambique

Matt Saito

2010-02-13T04:17:00.000-08:00

Hi Pierre, Your carbons are the best blades I have ever used

Matt

Honolulu, Hawaii

Chris Swart

2010-02-12T23:00:00.000-08:00

I’m really enjoying my Spierre fins, I’m using considerably less effort since I’ve been diving with them and I find it easier to dive deeper with a longer bottom time.

I enjoy few things in life as much as Spearfishing and with my Spierre composite blades the experience has only become better. Thanks Pierre!

Chris Swart

SA Spearo

John Hanson

2010-02-12T15:00:00.000-08:00

Finally got back in the water after not having been in almost 3 months!!!!!!!!! By the way, Spierre Pure Carbons ROCK!!!! I am DONE shopping for blades!

John Hanson

USA

J. Pierce

2010-02-11T13:31:00.000-08:00

I've been meaning to write a review on the fiberglass fins as well for a while. I've been using the Picasso Black Teams for years and about 3 months ago picked up a set of the Spierre Fiberglass blades and a second set of pockets. Right off the bat I noticed the extra kick at the surface swimming out to the kelp. Where I really noticed the extra umph was getting off the bottom back to the top.

I can consistently dive deeper/stay down a bit longer with less effort exerted which is the main added benefit to the blades. I also noticed that the walk up the cliff/soreness isn't as bad the next day. I recently took a friend out for his first time and ended up putting him in the Spierre's and I wore the Picasso's---that really was eye opening after using the fiberglass for 3 months straight---I'm hooked.

JPierce - USA

Saleh Hasan

2010-02-10T04:04:00.000-08:00

Hey Pierre how are you man? I am saleh from DUBAI i bought the fiber glass fin from you it is excellent and still working like rock!!!

Saleh Hasan

Dubai, UAE

Videos of our blades in action

2010-02-09T04:51:00.000-08:00

Spierre Pure Carbons at the Alphard Banks - South Africa

Footage by James Loudon

Freediving in Mozambique with Spierre Pure Carbon blades

Chris Ananiadis in Brazil with Spierre Pure Carbons

43kg GT - Mozambique with Spierre Pure Carbons

Cape West Coast Yellowtail and Spierre Pure Carbons