Cressi certainly needs no introduction. An internationally renowned company, it produces products suitable for the most varied fishing needs. In this case, we tested a prototype version of the brand new Cressi Victory 100 speargun, designed for bluewater hunting. This environment requires it to be directly clipped (via a carabiner located behind the handle) to an elastic bungee that, connected to a surface float, helps overcome the resistance of the largest and most powerful oceanic fish.

I must note that the version I tested differs from the final marketed version only in some small aesthetic finishes, such as the color of the handle and the loading pad, while all components, setup, and construction characteristics are identical.

Unboxing

The Victory’s design for large prey is easily inferred from its setup: triple 14 mm circular bands and a 7.5 mm shaft. However, first impressions should not be based on this alone. Upon arrival, the speargun immediately felt robust and well-crafted. The reinforced 31 mm circular barrel with an integrated shaft guide guarantees greater rigidity without compromising the streamlined silhouette. In hand, it feels solid, ensuring a mass that can counteract the propulsion power of the three bands.

From technical solutions to materials used, everything has been chosen and designed to have no weak points when subjected to the strong stresses during bluewater hunting. The muzzle and handle are made of the now reliable glass-filled nylon and adopt some innovative technical solutions of undeniable advantage.

The muzzle, in particular, features a well-crafted design with three misaligned band holes, positioned at different heights relative to the barrel, allowing optimal alignment of the bands. This not only provides a cleaner sightline but also better shooting accuracy and power. The major innovation here is the neodymium magnet at the end, which holds the shaft in the correct position and aids during loading. Underneath the muzzle, there are three different possible anchoring points for the shaft's nylon: two are machined into the muzzle itself, while the other houses a mini stainless steel shackle.

Moving along the barrel, at the start of the handle, there are two steel wings on the sides of the shaft, which guide the nylon and ensure perfect positioning during loading, avoiding any line obstructions during the shot.

The handle features a compact stainless steel release mechanism and a stainless steel trigger. The overall design is very refined, aimed at ensuring maximum ergonomics while minimizing bulk, enhancing maneuverability. The loading pad is particularly tapered. The grip is good, facilitated by a softer rubber cover that improves hand grip. On both sides of the release mechanism, there are openings to allow the line release to be moved from right to left if needed.

Behind the guard, directly on the handle, is the safety, which locks the trigger's movement. It can also be easily moved from side to side based on preference, but its placement is designed to allow activation or deactivation directly with the thumb without removing the hand.

In the Sea

Loading is not particularly complex. The three 14 mm bands, while providing excellent shooting power, are not hard to draw, and the reduced design of the loading pad is not bothersome and provides the necessary support.

At first impression, the speargun is maneuverable and well-balanced. The bands are perfectly aligned parallel to each other, thanks to the specific muzzle design, ensuring minimal bulk and a sleek profile that aids in movements in all directions and quick targeting of fish. This is further facilitated by the ergonomic and excellent grip of the handle.

The passage of the nylon to secure the shaft is simple and intuitive, favored by the passages directly designed into the muzzle. The nylon then runs along the barrel to the release mechanism, cleanly and closely, without creating problematic tangles that could cause snarling. As a reel-less speargun designed to be directly connected to a shock bungee, proper tensioning of the shaft's line along the barrel can be facilitated by attaching a small high-strength elastic segment near the muzzle anchor.

During the test, conducted in Tuscan waters, I couldn't test the weapon for its intended bluewater hunting use, so I focused mainly on evaluating its functional characteristics, power, and shooting accuracy with local fish of obviously different sizes.

I must say it pleasantly surprised me with its power and extreme precision. The setup with triple 14 mm bands and a 7.5 mm shaft with a reverse barb ensures extreme shaft exit speed and excellent range. At the same time, the very clean sightline and perfect band alignment made this Victory 100 very precise, easily hitting small and medium-sized prey at over 4 meters from the tip.

Standard Setup

The Victory 100 comes ready to fish, with triple 14 mm circular bands, a 7.5 mm single-flopper tricuspid shaft (mounted underneath) with pins, nylon rigging anchored to the muzzle via a high-strength elastic segment to tension the line after loading and cushion the shaft's end stop. The speargun also features a safety and stainless steel carabiner, attached to the handle via a through pin, for direct connection to the bluewater bungee.

Handling and Balancing

These are excellent. I didn't feel like I had a triple-band speargun in hand, nor did I need to make special adjustments for quick movements while aiming. Overall, the bands and barrel are very well integrated, and the sightline is absolutely clear and intuitive. A very stable speargun that definitely excels in ambush shots.

Loading

As mentioned earlier, loading is quite manageable, especially helped by the muzzle magnet that keeps the shaft steady and in position. The only precaution is to correctly follow the band loading progression and ensure perfect parallel alignment at the end to always achieve maximum performance. Once done, the line passage is simple and intuitive; it is placed laterally along the barrel, passing under one of the two metal wings near the handle for even better order.

Shooting

Very powerful and precise. The Victory pleasantly surprised me. Thanks to the choice of 14 mm bands, recoil is easily manageable and does not affect accuracy. The ergonomic and fairly vertical handle, in my opinion, facilitates fish targeting, improving aim.

The 7.5 mm shaft is launched at great speed and, given its mass, travels many meters, ensuring excellent penetration, crucial for passing through large fish encountered during bluewater hunting.

Finish and Materials

In this regard, everything is top-notch, and the final assembly characterizes an extremely solid, robust product well-suited to the stresses from its purpose. Cressi’s 14 mm bands are very reactive and propel the 7.5 mm tricuspid shaft very well. All high-stress (or holding) components are made of stainless steel and assembled using stainless steel hex screws.

The only drawback, in my opinion, is that the Victory cannot be fitted with a reel. There is no attachment on the handle for any of the Cressi models in production. This could be a limitation over time given the excellent characteristics of the speargun, which lends itself well to ambush fishing for large predators even in the Mediterranean.

Technical Specifications

Barrel Material: Black anodized aluminum tube with a 31 mm diameter and integrated shaft guide

Handle Material: Glass-filled nylon structure for the part housing the trigger and release mechanism components, with a softer plastic grip (yellow) shaped for finger positioning where the hand grips

Handle: Neutral ambidextrous

Setup: 7.5 mm single-flopper tricuspid shaft with pins. The flopper is mounted underneath. Cressi 14 mm black bands with 1.5 mm Dyneema wishbones

Trigger: Stainless steel

Line release: Stainless steel, interchangeable left/right

Safety: Plastic, can be positioned left or right

Ratings

Materials: 9 Excellent quality components ensure the overall solidity and robustness

Workmanship: 8 Well-designed muzzle and handle. The muzzle features excellent band alignment and an innovative magnetic shaft retention system, while the handle is highly functional

Handling: 8 Excellent in all directions due to the perfect band alignment on the barrel after loading

Shooting: 9 Very powerful and precise. The range is excellent, and the 7.5 mm shaft ensures great penetration on large fish

Balance: 7.5 Good balance. The speargun doesn’t feel heavy in hand and is easily managed in movements

Quality/Price Ratio: 8 Deserves a higher rating given the construction quality and ballistic performance relative to the price (299.99 euros), but I deducted half a point for the inability to fit a reel. A pity, as it would have been an absolutely versatile product for various uses.