Launched this year as a real novelty from Cressi, the 100% Made in Italy pneumatic speargun is the “Vuoto” version of the Saetta, with also quite a few optimizations compared to the standard model. The new jewel by the Italian Company sees all the most advanced solutions: Vuoto system with an amazingly light and compact head, record value offset internal barrel respect to the external one, including a line of aim respectively shaped and drawn on the top of the handle and on the external barrel, and power regulation. Only the inferior line release lever appears definately old style compared to all the innovations of the Saetta Pro.
Contents and external design
Cressi quality does not really need to be recalled, as the Italian Company has the know how and the internal production processes to insure top level results. This adds on to the company’s strategy of always launching new products only with the right timing and no excessive hurry, avoiding in such a way potential risk to quality level control.
Extremely well refined, the Cressi Saetta Pro is traditional in the color of the grip, white for best visibility in the sea bottom, black barrel, muzzle and trigger, and grey lines for the logo and the line of aim.
The Cressi Saetta Pro, we have analyzed the 88 cm, comes with a plastic bag, surely not thought for daily use, the pump, a very high quality tahitian stainless steel 7.5 mm diamater shaft, the charging handle (well positioned in a store inside the grip) and the Nylon line complete with a rubber shock absorber.
For best internet price guaranteed of Cressi Saetta Pro click here.
Handle
Key for a perfect shot, the handle of the Saetta Pro, made of glass loaded (30%) Nylon, has an angle between the barrel and the grip equal to 130° (measured), considering for the grip the rear profile of the handle where the palm of the hand adheres determining the inclination of the wrist compared to the forearm. The grip itself has an anathomical and symmetrical shape, so to adapt to both left and right handers, and is covered with a white dotted rubber layer that gives perfect grip. The rubber is in TPE, thermoplastic elastomer. Trigger is thick in the longitudinal direction and made of glass loaded (30%) techno-polymer. Also, the line release lever is in the same material and set below the trigger, which is a little bit old style for such an advanced speagun. Still, Cressi indicates the lever has been optimized in the shape compared to the one of the standard version of the Saetta.
On the upper left side of the handle we find the power regulator lever, made of steel with a rubber ring to increase grip, while on the right the security system for the trigger is present, well made, visible, and perfectly feelable when holding the speargun, advising the spearo of the system being in block or release position. In fact, if the spearo can feel the level it means the speagun is in block mode.
Barrels
The external and the internal barrels are key for the entire functioning of the speargun. Material of the two barrels is Anticoroda and thickness of barrels walls is 1 mm. The main aspect of the design of the Cressi Saetta Pro, is the offset of the two, where the internal barrel is moved upward by 5.5 mm compared to the centre of the external one. This value is practically a record on the market and increased compared to previous versions of pneumatic spearguns by Cressi. Indeed this revolutionary solution was invented and manufactured for the first time almost 20 years ago by Cressi, who actually pantented it and kept this exclusive solution for a long time, finally releasing the patent and opening the market to other competitors.
With such solution the distance between the line of aim and the shaft is reduced from 20 mm to 14.5 mm. This gives a good advantage in setting the line of aim, and together with the shaped and drawn line on the handle and external barrel the weak point of the pneumatic speargun compared to the sling gun in definately reduced.
External barrel is made of aluminium and its dimensions are 690 mm long and 40 mm external diameter, while the thickness of the walls is 1 mm. Cressi indicates the value of the pressure of the barrel to be set equal to 16 Bar as base value, with a range from 16 to 20 Bar.
The internal barrel is 13 mm diameter, insuring greater power, but also tougher loading process compared to the 11 mm solution. Length from tip of head to release mechanism is equal to 850 mm.
Head
It is a key part of Cressi Saetta Pro, as the Italian Company has managed to reduce considerably dimensions and weight (70 grams), making the head of the new speargun among the smallest and lightest on the market (in Vuoto solution).
This has been obtained without reducing the shock absorber system inside the head, that some competitors have instead minimized to obtain such additional compactness, but evidently reducing resistance of the component itself. One piece component made of anodized Anticorodal (Aluminum alloy with Magnesium, Manganese and Silicium) plus the screwed-in additional tip for positioning of the rubber gasket necessary for the Vuoto solution, the head is one of the strong technical components of the Saetta Pro, where evidently no holes are present as no need to move water from the internal barrel to outside is needed.
The Vuoto system used is an STC vuoto gasket. The ogive is made of 30% glass loaded techno polymer and has an upgraded steel line slide ring.
Piston
Another improvement compared to the traditional Saetta has been applied to the Saetta Pro, and this regards the piston which is now lighter and has an improved locking system for the shaft. Material of the piston is still Derlin and Nichel Chromo steel. DELRIN® is a crystalline plastic which offers an excellent balance of properties that bridge the gap between metals andplastics. DELRIN® possesses high tensile strength, creep resistance and toughness. It also exhibits low moisture absorption. It is chemically resistant to hydrocarbons, solvents and neutral chemicals, and has high fatigue endurance.
For the technical data chart of the Cressi Saetta Pro click Cressi-Saetta-Pro-88-Chart.pdf.
For the pumping charts of the Cressi Saetta Pro click Cressi Saetta Pumping-Pressure-Length chart.
We will soon test the new Cressi Saetta with our new expert tester of pneumatic spearguns…stay tuned and register to newsletter to be immediately informed…in the meanwhile, some interesting results of Cressi Saetta Pro performance with a couple of images of Angelo Ascione, Italian Spearfishing team athlete, with a great leerfish.
