BCD carrying handle

[tursiops]

Personally, I wouldn't use quick release tank bands.......

Ever tried them?

 

[decompression]

Yup, I own several.......

 

[stuartv]

Yup, I own several.......

SP-style? If you wouldn't use SP-style, why not? I'm asking seriously and sincerely. I don't know of any downside to them, but I recognize that that could just be my own inexperience.

 

[tbone1004]

downside, you have to have some sort of bc stabilizer at the top to keep them in place if they are fully open when you put the rig on the tank. I've never had an issue with regular cam bands, but that's what I learned with on the BP/W's and when I was diving single tank rigs, chose to put a STA on the two tanks I was planning on using that day and swapped the plate and wing from tank to tank.

 

[stuartv]

downside, you have to have some sort of bc stabilizer at the top

A stabilizer? You mean like a piece of cave line that lets you hang the BP on the tank while you're fastening the QR buckles?

I can see where using an STA would be even easier. But, that would mean buying 2 STAs (presuming I'm going out on a 2-tank charter boat) at $25 each. Plus, I have never used an STA, but I think I would prefer keeping my tank closer into my body.

 

[decompression]

The sp bands give me bad juju.....in single tank rec diving having my only air source held by 2 quick release bands scares me. I'd say the chance is remote but for the convenience of a few seconds in swaping tanks I'd take the security of regular SS bands.

I have several of the Highland bands that I use for sidemount riging while traveling and teaching, they have Velcro on the strap which is a little more forgiving.
I put a couple of the bands on a DSS wing last night and it was a huge pain to put the wing on a tank......a piece of caveline would of helped. In that case, caveline is "Jay approved".lol.

 

[stuartv]

The sp bands give me bad juju.....in single tank rec diving having my only air source held by 2 quick release bands scares me. I'd say the chance is remote but for the convenience of a few seconds in swaping tanks I'd take the security of regular SS bands.

I have several of the Highland bands that I use for sidemount riging while traveling and teaching, they have Velcro on the strap which is a little more forgiving.
I put a couple of the bands on a DSS wing last night and it was a huge pain to put the wing on a tank......a piece of caveline would of helped. In that case, caveline is "Jay approved".lol.

I don't know how "good" they are in practice, but I note that the way the SP-style buckles work, if you flip it open, the strap doesn't just pop open. The area where the D-ring is pulled tight by the buckle is made symmetrically, so when the buckle is flipped open the D-ring is still sort of trapped in a cutout area. IOW, even if, somehow, both straps were to get flipped open, there is a decent chance that the tank will be loose, but it won't become completely separated from the BP/W. At least, not immediately and not without some gyrations.

And, I haven't been diving that long, but I've already seen enough divers with regular cam bands swimming around with the strap tail just flapping loose - and some with the cam buckle actually open - that the SP-style doesn't seem like a real safety issue to me. I have personally "fixed" 2 divers so far, during dives, whose tanks had come completely loose in regular cam bands. One of them, the tank had actually slipped all the way down and out the bottom as far as it could go with being still attached to the reg/LPI/SPG hoses.

 

[decompression]

The loose cam band is a huge pet peeve, usually dirty or worn Velcro. I used the sp bands a lot when I taught for a shop that used sp gear, through that experience I don't recall too many loose cam bands then......and certainly the design would seem to act like a regular can band......mmmm, you have my blessing!

 

[stuartv]

The loose cam band is a huge pet peeve, usually dirty or worn Velcro. I used the sp bands a lot when I taught for a shop that used sp gear, through that experience I don't recall too many loose cam bands then......and certainly the design would seem to act like a regular can band......mmmm, you have my blessing!

I also like that the SP-style has no tail to be loose when it's buckled, unlike the Highlands QR strap and, of course, unlike regular cam bands.

 

[ZzzKing]

downside, you have to have some sort of bc stabilizer at the top to keep them in place if they are fully open when you put the rig on the tank.

How are they any different than the "standard" crappy nylon cam bands in this respect? You either need a slotted plate with wing that accommodates them or a STA, no?

The sp bands give me bad juju.....in single tank rec diving having my only air source held by 2 quick release bands scares me. I'd say the chance is remote but for the convenience of a few seconds in swaping tanks I'd take the security of regular SS bands.

Again, they are no different than the other type. Are you advocating SS singles bands bolted up? I've never seen that but it is interesting. I would guess that would be difficult to rig up on a typical dive boat, though. If that is what you are saying, some pics would be very informative.

I also don't see a concern with my only air source going anywhere. I have one reg in my mouth, one bungled, one hose attached to my inflator and one to my drysuit if diving dry and all of those attached rather securely to my tank valve via the first stage. The tank may slip down but it ain't going nowhere.

Lastly, I've only been using them for a couple of hundred dives and never had one of them flip open during a dive. They are much easier to adjust to get good tension and stay put once they are adjusted. Of all the divers I have seen with tanks dangling below their knees, not one has ever been using the SP type bands. (Aqualung has a good quality one also)

I see you are a tech and instructor. Other than personal preference, are there agencies that have banned their use in single tank diving? Not being a jerk, just trying to learn something.