# Who is This Product For? (Spears and other oddities) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 26, 2026, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-product-for-spears-and-other-oddities/1031202 "2026-06-26T17:03:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2026, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-product-for-spears-and-other-oddities/1031202/1 "2026-06-26T17:03:44Z")
I was killing some time at Academy Sports while Mrs. Odesio was searching for clothes, so I happened down the knife aisle and was surprised there was a spear for sale. I can’t remember what company made it, but it cost about $40 and it was a honest to God short spear with a steel tip. I couldn’t help wonder who this product was for. What does a modern human do with a spear? Fishing immediately came to mind, but it didn’t have the right tip for fishing. Or maybe it did? What do I know about spear fishing? At less than four feet in length, it’s not a spear I’d want to hunt with, it didn’t look as if it were made to be thrown, it wouldn’t make for a useful tool, so what the hell is this for? Who would buy such a thing, and for what? Are there other products that completely baffle you? I don’t mean products you don’t see the appeal of, but products you simply don’t understand at all. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2026, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-product-for-spears-and-other-oddities/1031202/2 "2026-06-26T17:09:20Z")
I assume this is what you’re talking about: > **[SOG Shadow Spear | Free Shipping at Academy](https://www.academy.com/p/sog-shadow-spear?sku=black)** > > Catch fish with ease using the SOG Shadow Spear. This spear has a double-edged stainless steel blade that stays sharp and offers precision in any situation. The nyl... The manufacturer calls it a ‘tactical companion’. To which I’m inferring it’s meant for little more than looks and maybe throwing it a target from time to time. I don’t know much about knives (or spears) but I’m guessing for $50 it’s not built to defend against much of anything. In the hands of the untrained person, which most of us are, I’m guessing it’s about as useful as a pair of nunchucks. > **[Shadow Spear II](https://www.sogknives.com/shadow-spear-ii/)** > > Features a 7.6” 420 stainless steel blade with a 43.8” overall length and a textured nylon and fiberglass handle that offers strength, precision, and performance. Free shipping! ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2026, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-product-for-spears-and-other-oddities/1031202/3 "2026-06-26T17:14:26Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > Fishing immediately came to mind, but it didn’t have the right tip for fishing. Or maybe it did? What do I know about spear fishing? In the description in @Joey_P’s link, it specifically says it’s for fishing. It says you can supposedly “catch [spear?] fish with ease.” ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2026, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-product-for-spears-and-other-oddities/1031202/4 "2026-06-26T17:17:45Z")
Frog gigging. (Btw, “tactical” is apparently code for “cool”) ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2026, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-product-for-spears-and-other-oddities/1031202/5 "2026-06-26T17:27:52Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Frog gigging. Human gigging. I have other tools that are better for that. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2026, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-product-for-spears-and-other-oddities/1031202/6 "2026-06-26T17:29:17Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Frog gigging. When I met my soon-to-be Arkansas in-laws, I saw something odd in their garage and asked by bridge-to-be why her parents owned a trident. She was confused, until she realized I was talking about the frog gig. A frog gig typically has either mulitple tips or it’s barbed to prevent the frog from slipping off the blade. > [@Beckdawrek](#): > > (Btw, “tactical” is apparently code for “cool”) You know, I should have thought that this is mainly made for the tacticool market. Joey\_P had it right when he typed: > [@Joey\_P](#): > > The manufacturer calls it a ‘tactical companion’. To which I’m inferring it’s meant for little more than looks and maybe throwing it a target from time to time. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2026, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-product-for-spears-and-other-oddities/1031202/7 "2026-06-26T21:18:10Z")
You now need to buy the magic helmet that goes with it. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2026, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-product-for-spears-and-other-oddities/1031202/8 "2026-06-26T21:20:41Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > (Btw, “tactical” is apparently code for “cool”) And also code for “costs 20+% more than the non-tactical version.” ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2026, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-product-for-spears-and-other-oddities/1031202/9 "2026-06-26T23:42:21Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > A frog gig typically has either mulitple tips or it’s barbed to prevent the frog from slipping off the blade. Yeah. For any prey smaller than a bread box, you want a multipronged head with barbs. ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2026, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-product-for-spears-and-other-oddities/1031202/10 "2026-06-27T10:54:27Z")
Spear hunting is a thing, for those who deem hunting with bow and arrow too easy. Store-bought spears are really not for this - you order one from a knowledgeable spearmaker, or you make your own.