Mares Viper Pro DS Speargun

Mares Viper Pro DS Speargun: High-Performance Band Gun for Serious Spearfishers

The Mares Viper Pro DS is a purpose-built rubber-band speargun designed for hunting large fish in open water.

This is not an entry-level gun. Every design decision here points toward experienced spearfishers who already understand how to load, aim, and handle a powerful setup safely underwater.

What Kind of Gun This Is

The Viper Pro DS is a band-powered (sling) speargun, sometimes called a Euro-style gun. That means propulsion comes from thick latex rubber bands stretched over the rear of the shaft, rather than a compressed-gas mechanism. Band guns in this class are known for strong, reliable power and quiet operation underwater, both of which matter when you are stalking wary, larger species.

The barrel is a rigid 28mm anodized aluminum tube. Rigid aluminum gives you a stiff, straight platform that holds its aim under the tension of two loaded bands, which is important at longer range. The anodizing protects the surface from saltwater corrosion over repeated use.

The Shaft and Spear Point

The Viper Pro DS comes with a 6.5mm stainless steel shaft in a Tahitian single-barb configuration.

The Tahitian tip is worth understanding if you are newer to shaft selection. Unlike a closed multi-barb tip, a Tahitian point has a single rear-facing barb that deploys on penetration. It holds large fish securely without the shaft being difficult to remove from smaller, unintended catches. For the bigger pelagic and reef species this gun is sized for, it is the right choice.

Bands and Power

The gun runs two 16mm circular slings, each made from latex rubber with a Dyneema wishbone connection at the shaft notch. Dyneema is an extremely strong synthetic fiber that resists abrasion and stretch, so the wishbone stays reliable through repeated loading cycles.

Two 16mm bands at this diameter generate serious power. Loading both requires meaningful upper-body strength, especially in the longer configurations. If you are not already comfortable loading a two-band gun, that is worth factoring in before choosing one of the larger sizes.

Trigger and Handle

The trigger mechanism sits in a reversed position, which in band-gun design places the sear engagement point closer to the muzzle end of the trigger housing. This geometry reduces the mechanical load the trigger finger must overcome to fire, giving you a lighter, more sensitive release even under full band tension.

The trigger itself is stainless steel, as is the side line release. Both are built to resist corrosion in salt water without regular replacement.

The handle uses an anatomic grip shaped to sit naturally in the hand, with a shark clip mounted directly to the handle. The shark clip lets you attach a float line or a reel without adding a separate accessory to the barrel, keeping the profile clean.

The loading pad is reinforced and variable-deformation, meaning it compresses under load rather than transferring all of that force as a hard point against your chest. Over a long dive with multiple loads, that matters.

Barrel Design: Muzzle and Line Guides

The muzzle is an open configuration with off-axis holes. Open muzzles are lighter and create less drag when swinging the gun onto a target. The off-axis holes are there to reduce turbulence as the shaft exits, which contributes to a cleaner, more stable flight path through the water.

The barrel runs an upper shaft guide and a lower line guide. The shaft guide keeps the spear tracking straight along the barrel during the power stroke. The line guide routes your shooting line cleanly so it does not foul the shaft or the bands on release.

Choosing the Right Length

The Viper Pro DS is available in five barrel lengths. Shaft length and sling length scale with the gun size.

Length selection depends on where and what you hunt.

The 75 cm and 90 cm sizes suit tighter environments: reef crevices, rocky structure, or kelp. Shorter guns are easier to swing and track in confined spaces, even though they sacrifice some range.

The 100 cm to 120 cm sizes are built for open water and larger targets, where you need the extra range and the additional power the longer slings generate. In clear, open conditions these lengths give you room to work at a distance that keeps fish from spooked before the shot.

Who This Gun Is Not For

If you are new to spearfishing, the Viper Pro DS is not the right starting point. Loading two 16mm bands safely, handling a powerful shaft, and managing a float line while freediving are skills that take time to develop. A shorter, single-band gun with a simpler trigger is a safer and more productive way to learn.

This gun is also not designed for small reef fish or shallow, low-visibility situations where a shorter, more maneuverable setup would serve you better.

The Bottom Line

The Mares Viper Pro DS is a well-engineered, high-power band gun built for experienced spearfishers targeting large fish in open or semi-open water. The reversed trigger, dual 16mm slings, Tahitian shaft, and stainless hardware all point to a gun designed to perform consistently under real hunting conditions. If you are at the level where you are ready to step into a top-tier sling gun, the Viper Pro DS is built to match that ambition.