Spearguns
Riffe Euro Enclosed Track Speargun Review
Apr
There’s a lot to love about the Riffe Euro Enclosed Track speargun, and you’ll enjoy getting this weapon in the water for a dive.
The streamlined, low-profile Euro-style barrel works. This speargun is powerful yet effortless to handle when you’re in shallow water or chasing smaller fish. And tough enough to land anything more significant that happens to come your way.
Designed by a brand that builds their spearguns to last, it’s accurate, and has more than enough range to land your intended fish. It’s a wonderful speargun. Click here to get your hands on the Riffe Euro Enclosed Track speargun.
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Riffe Euro Enclosed Track Speargun Review [Updated for 2023]
Spearguns from the Riffe brand are almost perfect. You get a rugged and precise weapon that’s tough enough to handle practically any situation you find yourself in. So buy the Riffe Enclosed Track speargun, and take your spearfishing game to a whole new level.
Now, most beginners will shy away from these top-shelf spearguns because of the price, but I believe that’s a mistake. Yes, you can get more affordable spearguns, but they also come at a cost. As a result, you lose out on quality, range, and performance – and catch less fish.
The Riffe Euro Enclosed Track speargun features a low-profile streamlined barrel that helps it quickly cut through the water as you dive. The teak barrel has got to be one of my favourite woods to see on a speargun, and the enclosed track gives you a laser-like level of precision in your shots.
Even in the hands of a beginner, you will catch more fish with this speargun.
When I ran through my thoughts on the best spearguns on the market, this particular model was just a hair shy of being named the best premium model (I preferred the simpler Euro version – without the enclosed track), but that’s just a personal choice.
Many of my spearfishing friends swear by the difference the track makes.
This speargun is simply that good.
Click the product box below to get your hands on yours today.
[amazon box=”B01DLAF9IS” /]Why get the Riffe Euro Enclosed Track Speargun?
If you want a beautiful teak speargun that’s accurate as all hell and will help you land fish after fish, the Riffe Euro Enclosed Track speargun is an intelligent choice.
I’m a fan of the laminated teak, using three vertical sections to give this thinner barrel an impressive amount of strength. Underwater it sits well in your hand, with a good buoyancy that means you won’t be struggling to keep it level.
As you swim, the Euro design of the barrel makes it easier to hone in on a target fish, and you get a perfect line of sight to aim – straight along the shaft to the open muzzle.
The barrel has space for twin 16mm powerbands that come with Spectra wishbones and the silent Riffe trigger mech that helps you fire on your target fish without spooking them.
A quiet speargun with a laser-like precision that’ll help you catch brag-worthy fish.
This is why you need to get the Riffe Euro Enclosed Track Speargun:
- Euro-styled 3 laminate teak barrel gives maximum strength
- Heavy-duty 2-piece trigger mechanism is pure stainless-steel
- Comes with Hawaiian-flopper 9/32” (7.1mm) tabbed Euroshaft
- You get twin 5/8” (16mm) Riffe Gorilla Rubber powerbands
- Reinforced Nylon handle is glass filled is incredibly tough
- Contoured loading pad gives you perfect sight down the shaft
What type of spearfishing is it good for?
You can find Riffe’s Euro Enclosed Track speargun with a barrel length from 100cm to 130cm, which makes it the perfect size for small to medium-sized fish in shallow reefs and the drop-offs to deeper water. In addition, it’s got plenty of power.
As an upgrade, or even as your first speargun, learning how to spearfish with a Riffe speargun will give you a significant advantage over everyone you’re spearfishing with.
Their spearguns are that good.
To do this review justice, I ordered the Riffe Euro Enclosed Track 130.
That means it’s a 130cm barrel, a little longer than I like for a go-to speargun, but I recently reviewed the non-track version at 110cm, and I didn’t want to buy what is essentially a very similar speargun of the same size.
At 130cm, it is a bit big for any up-close spearfishing, but if that’s your plan, you can always buy a smaller gun. The Euro Series 110X I reviewed before was the perfect reef size.
How it feels to use the Riffe Euro Enclosed Track Speargun…
You’ll spoil yourself once you get a Riffe speargun. They’re one of my favourite spearfishing brands because they’re tough, accurate and are simply lovely to use in the water.
In addition to the laser-like accuracy (and over 25ft range you can expect), the teak barrel is lovely and buoyant, and it doesn’t feel heavy like other spearguns of this length.
Thanks to the streamlined Euro barrel design, you get superior manoeuvrability underwater, allowing you to pan left and right quickly. Perfect for when you need to rapidly change targets on those skittish reef fish before the school disappears into the wash.
Original image courtesy of Riffe International: https://speargun.com/
In addition to being easy to load and handle underwater, I like Riffe’s trigger press. It’s smooth and reliable, even when you’ve got your powerbands stretched to the limit.
Trust me when I say that despite how heavy it feels in your hands, it’s one of the lighter spearguns of this size. And the buoyancy in the water is spot-on.
With a little care after each dive trip, the Riffe Euro Enclosed Track speargun will last for years and years to come. It’s why we all love the spearfishing gear from this brand.
My favourite part of the Riffe Euro Enclosed Track speargun
You can’t beat how well this speargun feels to use.
With a comfortable grip, the barrel sits just so in the water, without the tip dropping as you see on some other spearguns (especially those with a metal barrel).
That’ll save you from tiring out your arm if you plan to dive all day, which means more time in the water to catch your dinner.
A few years back, I wasn’t aware of the difference this makes. I had a customer-built speargun (second-hand) given to me. But it was too big, and the barrel was wrong.
So the whole drive, I’d be fighting to keep it level.
My hand would cramp up, and it wasn’t pleasant to use.
Riffe’s Euro Enclosed Track speargun is the complete opposite. It’s light, and the streamlined design is a key advantage that’ll help you catch more fish when you’re spearfishing.
Any downsides?
My issue with this particular speargun is adding a third 16mm powerband.
Because if you’re going to drop this kind of cash on a buy, you want a piece of spearfishing equipment that’s versatile enough to suit a wide range of conditions.
I’d love the ability to add a third 16mm powerband on the Riffe Euro Enclosed Track speargun. You can (barely) jam a third 14mm in there (or upgrade to two 3/4″ (19mm) bands)
Original image courtesy of Riffe International: https://speargun.com/
Now I get it that putting three 16mm powerbands on a thin Euro shaft may cause a little warp in the barrel, but I’d love the chance to experiment with this. Having a little more space in the muzzle would have helped me dial up the shooting power
Changes I’d make to the Riffe Euro Enclosed Track Speargun?
Honestly, you could get away with not changing a thing on this speargun. It’ll be delivered rigged up and ready for a hunt, so make the most of it and head straight out into the water.
The only thing that might be worth considering is a reel. Inlaid in the bottom of the teak barrel is a stainless-steel mounting plate for a reel. It’s designed for the flat-mount on Riffe’s Horizontal Reel , and screws right in.
The benefit of a reel is that you can shoot bigger fish without concern.
Using the four different levels of drag to adjust the spool, from freely running to a substantial drag. The bail is quality stainless steel and helps your line from becoming tangled.
If you want one of the best reels money can buy, click the box below and get your hands on this powerful upgrade for your Riffe speargun.
[amazon box=”B00RA29V0G” /]Breakdown of the Riffe Euro Enclosed Track Speargun
General Specs:
- Streamlined Euro teak barrel is strong and low profile in the water
- Riffe’s added silencer and heavy-duty two-piece stainless-steel trigger mech
- Large tabbed Euroshaft that’s 9/32” (7.1mm) with Hawaiian flopper
- Fitted with Riffe Gorilla Rubber power bands – twin 5/8” (16mm)
- Powerbands come pre-rigged Spectra wishbones (rated to 1000 lb.)
- Incredibly strong glass filled nylon handle, and comfortable moulded cushion grip
The handle & trigger mechanism
The two-piece stainless steel trigger mech that you’ll find on all Riffe spearguns is a workhorse. Strong and able to withstand enormous load tension, it still gives a nice and smooth trigger press (even with twin 19mm powerbands).
Original image courtesy of Riffe International: https://speargun.com/
On the side of the handle is your safety, a rotating switch that’s easy to manipulate as you push it forward (or backwards) to work the safety on your speargun.
Featuring Riffe’s moulded cushion grip over a heavy-duty glass-filled nylon handle, it fits in your hand well, and I like the squeeze you can give it. Because it’s not a simple hard plastic handle like you’ll see on many other spearguns.
As such, there’s minimal recoil when you’re firing with the Riffe Enclosed Track Speargun, as the heavy wooden barrel soaks up much of the kickback.
You also have the option of an extended loading button on the “X Models”, which are currently available at a barrel length of 100cm, 110cm, and 120cm. Giving you a 5″ (12.5cm) extension at the back of the speargun makes it easier to load and balance in the water.
Original image courtesy of Riffe International: https://speargun.com/
The barrel & muzzle
At first glance, you’ll see the beautiful wood barrel. With its streamlined design, the Riffe Euro Enclosed Track speargun uses three laminate teak to lend strength to what’s arguably a thinner and lighter wooden speargun than many of us are used to.
This design, however, is what makes it great.
Being so low profile in the water helps you track and hunt your target fish better, while the rectangular barrel block has had the corners rounded out to avoid losing any strength.
Inlaid in the shaft track is the enclosed track. Composed of heavy-duty polyethylene, it’s there to make for a smoother fire while helping the shaft stay in position under load.
This “U” shaped channel at the base of the track helps with your shooting hydraulics and reduces drag when you fire your speargun.
You can choose either black or orange for your track. As for me, I like the brighter orange. This partly shows even when your shaft is in and the speargun is loaded.
I find having small bursts of colour underwater makes it easier to see your speargun, and sometimes a target fish will come in a little closer to investigate the brighter colours.
Using Riffe’s patented Mag Track design, the open muzzle has an inlaid magnet to snap the shaft into place. So it’s an ideal speargun for free shafting, as you don’t need a line wrap to hold your shaft in place.
At the very front of the speargun are the holes for the powerbands, with a space to remove them. So you can slip these in and out at the end of a dive. Or change your setup on the water. Oh, and it’s all reinforced and bolted together for additional strength.
The spear and tip
The Riffe Euro Enclosed Track speargun is fitted with a 9/32″(7.1mm) Hawaiian flopper euro shaft and has large tabs for easy loading.
In practice, these make it easier to hook your Spectra wishbones in, though Riffe does give you a custom option to request changes in the shaft. You can order an extra flopper, or put in an additional rest tab to help with loading, if you order this speargun directly from Riffe.
The powerbands
The powerbands on the Riffe Euro Enclosed Track Speargun are their trademarked Gorilla Rubber. You get two 5/8″ (16mm) powerbands as stock.
You can fit three 14mm bands in this speargun or upgrade to twin 20mm.
However, it does get tougher to load as you put in heavier bands (or shorten the bands as I like to do), so be careful about overdoing it.
I’d only recommend modifications like these after you’re comfortable using your new speargun in the water and you’ve got the strength to load it. Too much stretch can pull the barrel out of alignment and sometimes even create shaft whip, so you lose accuracy.
Make sure that you test your speargun after any modifications.
To tie off the powerbands, Riffe uses a Spectra wishbone rated 1000 pounds. As always, never use a wired or metal wishbone. They’re not safe on tabbed shafts; you want a Dyneema or Spectra line just in case it slips. Also, you don’t want to cut your fingertips.
[amazon box=”B017L37IWQ” /]
Price of the Riffe Euro Enclosed Track Speargun
Of course, as a top-of-the-line speargun, it comes with an understandable price tag. And it does get more expensive for the larger models. I used the 130 model in this review, a longer speargun that still handles well underwater. I was suitable impressed.
Follow the link below to get yours now.
[amazon box=”B01DLAF9IS” /]The Bottom Line: Riffe Euro Enclosed Track Speargun
You will be delighted if you decide to get the Riffe Euro Enclosed Track speargun. It’s a top-shelf model that will help you catch more and more fish.
Quickly cutting through the water because of the low-profile barrel, the beautiful teak stock with the inlaid track lends accuracy as you fire. I’ve loved Riffe’s spearguns for years, and if you’re now pushing out into water offshore, targeting bigger fish, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better speargun. It just works and will keep working – for years to come.
It’s time to upgrade and get the Riffe Euro Enclosed Track speargun for yourself.
Looking objectively at the 130cm model I was reviewing today, I find little to fault with the speargun. It’s light for the size, and the length of the barrel gives it over 25 feet of range straight off the shelf. That’s plenty to shoot pretty much anything you’ll come across.
If you want something for shallower reefs, I’d go with a 110cm X Model instead. You’ll find it a bit easier to handle as you poke around the caves and formations of the reef without sacrificing any of the things that make Riffe spearguns so good.
If you’re looking for a premium speargun you can rely on; the Riffe Euro Enclosed Track speargun is a solid choice.
So, what else can I say?
Click here to get the Riffe Euro Enclosed Track speargun today.
Why a Riffe Speargun?
Riffe International is an American spearfishing company, family owned and operated out of sunny San Clemente, California.
The brand started with a young Jay Riffe, a passionate spearfisherman since 10; he began his journey with a hand spear chasing fish around the shallow beaches and just kept at it.
Five years later, he was competing professionally, and by 22 years old, Riffe won the title of Pacific Coast Champion. He later competed in the nationals, joined the World Spearfishing Team, and set three World Records in the sport.
But here’s what I love best. Jay Riffe built all his spearguns himself. Then, putting together his needs for the sport, along with a knack for precision engineering, he set to work. Creating powerful spearguns that were easy to handle and operated quietly. He needed the kind of weapons to compete at an international level, and the rest is history.
Building spearguns out of his garage for years, many of these older models are still around today and have become prized vintage pieces in collections. Plus, if you get them in the water, I’d expect they still shoot as well as they always did. Riffe spearguns last.
To me, The Riffe Euro Enclosed Track speargun is a good choice because it’s so versatile. It’s not too heavy or unwieldy, yet it packs a powerful punch. So if you want to learn to spearfish, or are seeking an upgrade to your first gun, this’ll be a brilliant choice.
So please don’t delay, and get your hands on it now.
[amazon box=”B01DLAF9IS” /]The different Riffe spearguns
There is a range of spearguns available from Riffe. However, I particularly like their Euro guns because they’re suitable for all types of spearfishing. They do make some other spearguns you might be interested in, though.
Looking at the Riffe Marauder Series, you’ll see some of the brand’s biggest spearguns, available in lengths from 47″ (119cm) to 63″ (160cm). In addition, each of these spearguns come stock with 3x 16mm powerbands. Just the kind of weapon that’s perfect for blue water spearfishing.
[amazon box=”B07PYJMJ68″ /]For a more affordable model, they have the Riffe Mahogany Competition series. Using mahogany instead of teak, a slightly cheaper wood, you get a much more affordable speargun with all the other quality parts from Riffe. You can choose this model from 27″ (69cm) to 54″ (137cm), getting you the right size for the type of spearfishing you do.
[amazon box=”B01AAVQ1P6″ /]Riffe’s Euro Series is a similar speargun to this one I reviewed today. For all intents and purposes, it’s the same gun. Just without the enclosed track. Because some people prefer the more traditional approach to their spearguns. So if you don’t want the enclosed track, this is the speargun you’re going to want to buy.
[amazon box=”B004ETDOWE” /]If you’re going to be spearfishing and travelling, you can’t go wrong with Riffe’s Euro Travel series. With this speargun, Riffe outdoes the competition with a modular weapon that has a unique assembly design. It can be broken down into two equal parts so that you can fit it in your standard luggage. It’s an incredible spearfishing innovation.
[amazon box=”B01JBM8ITW” /]With all of these spearguns, what’s most important is you understand the type of spearfishing that you’ll be doing, and you select the speargun that best fits. If you’re still learning in shallower water, perhaps a shorter 110cm model of the Euro Enclosed Track is a more intelligent choice than the 130cm I reviewed today.
Unless, of course, you’re spearfishing in deeper water.
This is when the 130cm makes more sense until you start targeting even bigger pelagics offshore. Then you may want to consider one of Riffe’s largest spearguns from the Marauder series, and get a 160cm weapon that fires like a rocket.
But I’d say the Riffe Euro Enclosed track speargun is an intelligent choice for most people. Powerful without being too hard to handle, it’s got laser-like precision and is probably one of the most versatile spearguns you’ll find at these kinds of prices.
Click the link below and get yours now.
Happy spearin’
