Why Premium Gear?

If you’ve played underwater hockey in South Africa for a while, you already know the story:

• Limited choice in local stores
• Imported gear that takes forever to arrive
• Sticks that chip, fins that feel dead, masks that fog and leak

So what’s the point of “premium” gear, and why should you care?

It’s not just about price. It’s about performance, lifespan and confidence in the water.

What “premium” actually means

When we say premium, we mean:

• Better materials
– Stronger polymers and composites in sticks
– High-response rubber in fins
– Silicone skirts and advanced lens coatings in masks

• Smarter design
– Stick shapes that make it easier to lift, flick and control the puck
– Fins that convert your kick into forward drive instead of wobble
– Low-volume masks that reduce drag and stay clear longer

• Real durability
– Gear that holds up over full seasons of training and tournaments
– Less chance of critical failures at the worst possible moment

Why this matters for your game

The right gear won’t magically make you a better player overnight. But it does:

• Make it easier to execute the skills you’re already trying to do
• Reduce frustration (less fighting with your kit, more focusing on the game)
• Help you train harder and longer before your body or equipment gives out

Over time, that adds up.

Premium vs typical local gear

Most of the locally-available gear is either:
• Designed for general snorkelling, not underwater hockey, or
• An older generation of equipment that’s simply been “good enough” for years

Common issues we see:
• Sticks that crack under heavy contact
• Fins that feel soft, slow and “mushy” in the water
• Masks with narrow fields of view and constant fogging

The premium gear we import is specifically chosen to avoid those problems.

Why buy premium locally instead of rolling the dice overseas?

Ordering directly from overseas can seem cheaper at first glance – until you add:

• International shipping
• Import duties and VAT
• Clearance fees
• Risk of delays, lost parcels or incorrect items

With SAUSGear you get:

• Pricing that already factors in duties, VAT and landed costs
• Stock in South Africa for faster, more reliable delivery
• Local support if something goes wrong
• A 30-day return policy if the gear isn’t the upgrade you expected

Who should consider premium gear?

Premium gear makes the most sense if:

• You’re playing regularly (club nights, leagues, comps)
• You care about small performance improvements
• You’d rather buy once properly than replace cheap gear every season

If you’re brand new and just testing the sport, any safe, basic kit is fine at first.
But as soon as you know you’re staying, premium gear is one of the leverage points you fully control.

Our role

We don’t claim to be the only people who can sell you underwater hockey gear.

We just focus on:
• Curating high-end options that are hard or impossible to get locally
• Doing the importing properly
• Keeping stock in South Africa
• Making the buying experience as clean and honest as possible

So when you’re ready to upgrade, you know exactly where to go.