The Nemesis HT Aluminum Inverter by Sigalsub is a culmination of innovations, not so much for the demultiplication system, already known in our environment, but for the meticulously researched accessories that equip it, with the lightest head in the world (only 59 grams) being a standout; an accessory born out of two years of meticulous research by the Piedmontese company and its entire team. 

Upon unpacking the packaging containing the speargun with its accessories, I notice with pleasure that the plastic inside the box is minimized, and the padding to cushion any impacts during shipping is exclusively made of paper, as effective as the classic bubble wrap but much less polluting. 

The Nemesis HT Aluminum Inverter fits into a black fabric bag, a characteristic of all Sigalsub spearguns; I loosen the ties and unveil the gem. The visual impact is immediate, the coloration, very captivating, gives the weapon a "tough" yet elegant look; this coloring is done using the sublimation technique, fading from black near the handle to purple at the head. 

The speargun is armed with an Hrc 6.5mm x 120 cm steel shaft, treated thermally 48/50Hrc with 4 laser-welded 3mm pins (with holes for attaching the line on all pins). 

Loose in the packaging are: the Inverter kit (Extreme rubber bands + stainless steel pulleys), trigger adapter, Edy Aluminum 80 reel, 50-meter reel of acid yellow dyneema line, and finally, 1.6mm nylon for weighting associated with two gun barrel sleeves. 

The head is literally a gem that Sigalsub can boast about. In fact, thanks to its excellent technicians, the company has applied the concept of radial axes (used in many fields) instead of stainless steel screws, presenting two with a diameter of 8 mm, fixing the pulleys to the main nylon body, minimizing the weight to just 60 grams. In the world of fishing, there is nothing like this, at least until now. The design is also innovative, with 4 spurs radiating two on each side; the pair formed by the shorter spikes slightly protruding externally, while the two longer ones are parallel to the central groove where the shaft rests. 

The head is made of nylon loaded with glass spheres, rather than the classic fiberglass, which would be quite abrasive and could therefore damage the dyneema. 

The HT barrel has a diameter of 28 mm, made of 6005-T6 anticorodal aluminum alloy, extruded. It is entirely traversed by the integrated shaft guide, which helps minimize the gun's oscillations in the vertical plane at the arrow's exit during the shot, gaining in shooting accuracy. 

The feature that distinguishes the barrel of the classic Nemesis from the Nemesis HT inverter (aside from the coloration) is the presence of two nylon "mushrooms," fixed on each side of the barrel via a stainless steel screw, near the handle; these will hold the two pre-charge rubbers. 

The Nemesis handle, which certainly needs no introduction, in the inverter version finally finds its true nature, thanks to the presence of the hook where the rubbers can be secured once loaded, located between the slide housing the reel and the male insert of the handle that goes into the barrel. 

The speargun comes with a complete kit that needs to be assembled by the user. Sigalsub provides an instruction sheet with simple and intuitive illustrations to guide us through the weapon's assembly. I would suggest to the company, in this regard, to upload a video tutorial on their YouTube channel, which would further simplify the process. 

Firstly, I identified the various "protagonists" of the kit: two stainless steel pulleys, pre-connected white dyneema with a loop (which will assist in loading), and three pairs of 16mm Extreme rubber bands. In particular, the rubber bands are composed of a pair of pre-tensioning bands, distinguishable from the other two pairs by the presence of dyneema cones on both ends, a pair of bands recognizable by white nylon drill cones, and finally, a pair featuring black drill cones. This color differentiation helps us identify the rubber bands for their placement in the stainless steel pulleys during assembly and for loading once in the water. Finally, I mounted the Edy Aluminum 80 reel and performed the weighting with nylon and sleeves. 

I am ready to go into the water. One thing immediately surprises me positively: the relatively low weight of the assembled weapon; we are around 1,570 grams with the aluminum reel. 

At Sea 

Finally, the day of the test arrives. I decide to explore an area that often rewards me with some sea bass during this time of the year. It would be nice to baptize this new creation from Sigalsub with the first queen of the season. After a quick donning of gear, I am ready. I can begin loading the weapon, keeping in mind the sequence indicated by Sigalsub. The first operation is to fix the pre-charge rubbers on the nylon "mushrooms." The second operation is to load the dyneema onto the last notch. 

Now I turn the speargun upside down to proceed with loading the two pairs of rubbers. I rest the back part of the grip's butt on the sternum, while the sternal support goes to the level of the stomach mouth. I select the pair of Extremes with black drills and proceed with loading, placing them first on the hook in the grip; at this point, all that remains is to load, in the same way, the pair of rubber bands with white drills. The sequence is crucial. In fact, if executed correctly, it ensures the perfect arrangement of the rubbers around the barrel. 

Now the HT is armed. I perform some tests to understand the balance, which is slightly positive in the grip area. Surely, the reel plays an important role in this. It weighs 160 grams without the line, is a "sturdy" model, and this has a cost in terms of weight; however, I manage to counterbalance everything without putting too much strain on the arm. In the head, however, it is perfect, undoubtedly due to the mere 60 grams of weight of this accessory. 

Today the sea is a bit choppy, but despite this, the swaying is not affected, provided you accompany the movement with your arm. So, almost forget that you have a weapon with three pairs of rubbers housed under the barrel. 

I modify the behavior of the Nemesis HT inverter a bit, which is undoubtedly designed for still hunting or free-falling on large groupers, techniques in which great power (sometimes at the expense of maneuverability) is crucial. As I mentioned, I modified this speargun by using it in winter techniques, which I perform in shallow waters, especially ambushes. 

A mullet skims the bottom, taking the whole school with it; I carefully wield the weapon, align the largest specimen, and shoot; I am shocked by the power, the recoil is absent, the precision absolute. After the shot, the speargun literally devours the two passes of nylon, and as if that weren't enough, it takes another 40 centimeters of dyneema from the reel: impressive. 

After a few unsuccessful dives, a nice sea bream emerges from the seagrass. I prepare for the approach, an accidentally bumped lead hits a rock, the bream senses the vibrations and rises to dart away, I try to anticipate its escape with an instinctive shot. The shaft takes off at supersonic speed and targets the fish. I am about to return to shore as the sun is setting. Unfortunately, the sea bass hasn't arrived, but the "hunting disappointment" gives way to the satisfaction of having tested this little Italian gem, which exceeded my expectations, especially in terms of lightness, maneuverability, and shooting power. 

In subsequent outings, the speargun has confirmed expectations. The only precaution is that after the first catch, the loading dyneema needs to be reassessed and shortened according to the instructions provided by Sigalsub because it tends to "remember" and therefore stretches a bit. 

Overall rating 

Construction Technique: The study and attention to detail employed in the Nemesis HT can only deserve the highest rating of 10. 

Finishing Level: We are talking about a concentration of successful components that have made the history of the Piedmontese company (such as the iconic Nemesis handle), combined with revolutionary accessories, with the standout being the head with 8 mm radial axes fixing the pulleys, weighing only 59 grams! A rating of 9. 

Balance: Slightly negative towards the handle, with the Edy 80 Aluminum reel playing a crucial role in weighing down the system. However, this is easily countered without overly fatiguing the arm. It is worth noting that the speargun uses the handle of the classic Nemesis, so you can also apply the well-tested Ika, weighing only 87 grams. A rating of 7.5. 

Performance: Extremely powerful, precise shot, and to top it off, zero recoil. Can we ask for more? A perfect score of 10. 

Value for Money: Considering that the cost for a fully equipped Nemesis Aluminum Inverter 92 is around 320 euros, this is a surprising and tempting sum, solely for the craftsmanship and research behind the components. A rating of 9. 

Maneuverability: We are dealing with a demultiplexed speargun that accommodates three pairs of rubber bands, so specific behaviors need to be adopted, such as accompanying the swaying with the entire arm. For its category, it is top-notch with a rating of 8.5.