There’s a moment of the year, on Elba Island, when the sea becomes transparent and the underwater silence is almost absolute. It’s under these conditions (late spring, low-angle light, fish already active but not under full pressure yet) that the qualities of a speargun truly emerge. And it’s in these very conditions that we went to test the Laser Evo Carbon Roller by Pathos, a technical speargun without frills: everything is where it should be, designed for a specific function. We used the 90 model, but the range is complete, from 50 to 120 cm, offering options suitable for shallow fishing as well as more demanding dives on drop-offs and reefs.

It’s a roller designed for those seeking smoothness, silence, and accuracy over sheer brute power. That’s exactly why I chose to test it in my usual spots: rockslides, reefs, and ledges on the southeast coast of Elba, in a season that leaves no room for mistakes.

Build and Details: Simplicity Hiding Sophistication

The barrel is a monocoque carbon fiber tube, 30 mm in diameter and 2 mm thick, with an integrated and lowered shaft guide. This setup offers shooting rigidity and incredible lightness in the water. It’s all designed to reduce friction and ensure a silent, perfectly straight shaft release.

The head is an open roller type, compact and made of Derlin, with pulleys on stainless steel axles. The speargun comes with a 16 mm circular band (a high-response grey TNT). The wishbones are Dyneema, mounted on adjustable red nylon holes.

The white D’Angelo II Evo handle ensures a comfortable and solid grip, with a rear-set stainless steel trigger and reverse mechanism: a full 7 cm of additional usable travel, which makes a real difference for long shots. Loading is facilitated by the bottom-mounted slide rail and the roller’s simple configuration. It also features the Sniper Evo chest-loading pad.

The shaft provided is a 6.75 mm Sandvik Roller tri-cut, with welded shark fins, a tri-face tip, and a single flopper. The reel is not standard, but the base is prepped for the Pathos Match, which I recommend to complete the setup without unbalancing the weapon.

In the Water: Silence and Excellent Balance

First dive: Punta Calamita, mixed bottom from 10 to 18 meters. Early morning, calm sea, excellent visibility. I descend onto the rockslide that characterizes this spot. Once in position, I notice the first thing: the Laser Evo Carbon Roller is perfectly neutral, with a slight positive tip. This allows for wide and precise movements with natural tracking.

A small school of barracuda approaches from the right. I aim, track, and shoot: the shaft launches without any jolt, flies tight, and hits the fish under the dorsal fin. No vibration, immediate retrieval. Clear feeling: everything happened in silence, with no interference from the speargun.

Second dive: Fonza Reef, whitefish along the wall. Here, the Laser Evo Carbon Roller reveals its technical side. I descend the reef’s slope and rest on a rocky ledge, hoping to spot some dentex or pelagics. A group of small seabreams orbits at a distance, and a solitary gilthead patrols above them at mid-depth.

The speargun remains stable, even in light current. When the gilthead comes into range, I pull the trigger: the shot is precise, a perfect hit to the center of the body. Complete penetration. Even at that distance — over 3 real meters — the energy is more than sufficient. Here, the roller system shines: the power curve is progressive but strong, even in reaction shots. It’s a weapon that always gives you time and margin.

Third dive: Capo Poro, croakers over seagrass and sand. Dynamic fishing, medium visibility. I drop over the black and white patches at 12–15 meters. A school of medium-sized croakers swims over the seagrass. I reduce band tension slightly to avoid burying the shaft in the seabed. I descend slowly while keeping sight of the target. The speargun responds to the slightest movement—light and agile. I pull the trigger: the shot fires without recoil and hits the fish squarely in the mid-back.

In this scenario, the speargun shows excellent versatility, adapting quickly to different situations.

Conclusion

The Pathos Laser Evo Carbon Roller 90 is a speargun that “doesn’t complicate your life” and impresses with its overall balance: light but solid, technical but intuitive. It doesn’t aim for extreme power but rather for shot cleanliness, responsiveness, and silence—three essential traits for ambush and drop fishing.

In the sea, it acts like a true extension of your body—never intrusive, never off-balance. It’s the kind of speargun you forget you’re holding, and for those who fish often, that’s the highest compliment.
I wouldn’t recommend it for cave fishing or small fish. But for 90% of typical conditions, especially in clear waters and targeting whitefish, it’s an ideal companion.

In short, in the June waters of Elba, among ledges, prairies, and cautious fish, it proved to be much more than a simple roller. It’s an essential speargun—a real tool, for real hunts.