The Octopus Freediving website was launched this week. I caught up with Pascal to find out more about how the project started. I also spoke to various freedivers who have been using the noseclip since its launch.
The Concept
The concept is simple: a durable plastic noseclip with soft, silicone pads that are easy to insert and remove. Pascal wanted to design a noseclip that was comfortable to wear, kept its grip and didn’t need bits constantly glued onto it. But without cash, his idea would have stayed a pipedream, so he turned to the freediving community for help.
The initial indiegogo fundraising target was USD 15,000, which would cover the cost of plastic moulds (USD 10,000 for the hard plastic parts, and USD 3,000 for the silicone pads). In the end, the campaign raised over USD 33,000, double the initial target! As it turned out, production costs were higher than initially estimated. The plastic moulds and specific production tools ended up costing almost USD 20,000. Production takes place in Switzerland, a country synonymous with quality. More than 4,000 units have been sold to date.
Goran Colak and Guillaume Bussière, both professional freedivers, have left amazing reviews of the product, according to the company website.
“When I started my free diving career 10 years ago, Paradisia noseclips were the golden standard, now we have a new one! I’ve tried the nose clips and they are great. I love them. Usually I have something to say about any piece of diving equipment. But this one is next to perfect.” Goran Colak
What Others Thought
I asked a few freediving instructors what they thought of the Octopus noseclip. Here’s what they said.
Agata Bogusz (AIDA Instructor Trainer/ AIDA Judge/ Pure Apnea Master Instructor Trainer/ competitive freediver) switched because her old noseclip was difficult to put on securely and lost grip at depth.
“Octopus works perfect with both issues. I can clip it myself very quickly and without any effort. And the silicone pads are not slippery and surprisingly comfortable, so I am not ripping off too much skin from my nose after each dive. I haven’t tried it below 40m yet but expect no problems there… I used it also for dynamic. And that was very very comfortable (in the pool) because I didn’t feel it at speed.”
Cristian Castaño Villa (AIDA and Apnea Total Instructor/competitive freediver) said:Â
“I’ve only had it for a couple of months. It is way better than the ones I’ve used before. I have tried many and they always used to slip off my nose. What I like about it is that it doesn’t have the “cloth” or neoprene the other ones do, so it stays in my nose and it’s comfortable. The other ones got “moldy” after a while and you have to change the pads. So far there’s nothing I don’t like about it. I would say I have a big nose. I have dived below 60m with it so far.”
Korean SSI Instructor, Jeong Min Park, found the noseclip too big and slippery for his nose. His sentiments were echoed by Galih Jatnika, Indonesian Apnea Total instructor.
What I Found
In my dive career I’ve owned or dived with Merman, Apnea Academy, Jakas and FreeXperience noseclips. I took the Octopus to the pool for some static and dynamic training.
What I Like
I think it’s a beautiful product and the silicone pads are very comfortable. All my friends with big noses really like using it.
What I Don’t Like
The Octopus is negatively buoyant in the sea and pool. One of the other divers in the pool managed to pull the noseclip apart while removing it. He managed to put it back together, but only after retrieving the piece from the bottom.
I have a small nose, so I had the same problem that have others encountered. It slipped off when I did dynamic.
Finally, from a freediving eco design perspective, I would say that we need to start investing in products that are not introducing new plastic parts into the world. In an ideal world, we should be creating products that are made from recycled plastic or from other materials that do not impact the marine environment negatively.
In Summary
The Octopus seems to fit medium to big noses, whereas small noses might need to try before buying. Have you tried it? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Features
- Ergonomic design
- Robust polymer structure
- Two comfortable and replaceable elastomer nose-pads
- Strong quality leash
- Range of colors
- Weighs 20g
Price
- EURO €33
Buy It Now – Octopus Freediving
