The Accessories category of the best choice is extremely interesting, as it collects all the equipment not involved in the other main categories, but still key for safety, comfort and general use. Bags, backpacks, buoys, knives and more are all part of this large category. With the finalists of the Accessories we have indicated two very interesting ones, the Salvimar Poncho and the Subea SPF 900 Backpack Buoy. Also among the finalists a more traditional backpack for fins and equipment, the Cressi Piovra XL, still with key elements such as a dedicated thermally insulated side pocket. Finally, the product that has really convinced us for the ingenious design is the Subea SPF 900 Backpack Buoy, winner of the Best Choice by Apneapassion 2023 in the Accessories category. Well done Subea, well done Decathlon!
Subea SPF 900 Backpack Buoy ingenious design
A backpack, which is also a buoy where one can store an amazing quantity of equipment? That’s the Subea SPF 900 Backpack Buoy! It permits extremely well to store and comfortably carry the complete freediving or spearfishing equipment, including fins and spearguns, when reaching the diving spot. Once ready to enter the water, one can get changed and store all the clothes in the Backpack Buoy, including valuables, and avoid leaving them on the shore, with the risk of losing them or having them stolen. In fact, the clever solution by the French brand becomes a water sealed store thanks to a very clever and functional waterproof zip, as well described in our X-Rays article.
The dimensions of the Subea Backpack Buoy and the great length of the high quality composite material mast, matched with a very large diving flag, make the buoy an extremely visible and safe solution. If the buoy is not perfectly balanced, it can be adding two small weights in the two lateral net pockets. Even though the design of the SPF 900 Backpack Buoy plus the clothes and objects stored inside it make the Subea solution quite heavy and of big dimension, so not adapt to rough sea, current and wind, in good weather conditions this solution is really excellent. Due to its dimensions it can also, even if not excellently, work as a float to grab on to in case of difficulty.
Last but not least, the quality of the materials of the Subea Backpack Buoy is really excellent, for a price that is absolutely competitive for the quality and ingeniousness of this product. The price on the Decathlon website is around 140 euros.
The other two excellent contenders
The Salvimar Poncho is really a great solution to protect the body from cold, wind and rain. It is not a novelty on the market, but the way it is designed and the high quality materials with which it is made position the Salvimar Poncho at a very high level. The price is not low (around 100 euros), but this is a product that will do its job perfectly and last for years, unlike some plastic ponchos thatv will tear apart or deteriorare quite quickly.
The Cressi Piovra XL backpack is really neat. The dimensions permit to store all the spearfishing equipment, with the wetsuit and accessories inside the main store, which has water drainage holes at the base. Externally two spearguns and a pair of long fins can be attached thanks to dedicated adjustable elastic bands. Laterally an additional good dimensions thermally insulted pocket permits to store cold drinks.
The Best Choice by Apneapassion prize evaluation
“Apneapassion underlines that the Best Choice is a fully independent prize, assigned after deep testing by the 9 athletes of the Apneapassion International Official team. The result of the Best Choice does not want to be an indisputable opinion, as personal preferences and adaptations to each product can determine different opinions and likes. Still, the use of a large number of independent athletes (who’s sponsor is only Apneapassion) permits to give spearfishing and freediving enthusiasts our best possible evaluation of each winner. We are open to any company who would want to participate with its most competitive products to the Best Choice by Apneapassion yearly prize. For any additional information contact carlo.forni@apneapassion.com.“
