Broken Mares Power Plana Bungee Strap

[pauldw]

Getting ready for my area's annual jack-o-lantern carving dive today, I pulled on one of my fins and the bungee heel strap snapped in two! That was sad. It was on my Mares Power Plana fin. This isn't one of those white ones that were cool in days of yore, the Power Plana fins have been made for awhile as some kind of heavy, black tech fin, but I use it because my dry suit boot fits in it, and because it's heavy and so helps with my dry suit diving to shift some weight down there. Anyway, I'm looking at what Mares is selling now, and there's some kind of crinkly looking strap with metal attachments. A hundred bucks. My innards clenched up so abruptly the seismographs nearby were going off! That isn't what's on there now, what's on there now is a bungee strap that looks like the generic strap I see Mares is selling for whatever fin you want to put it on. I'm looking for advice for someone familiar with Mares products. Do I have to/should I switch to the horrendously expensive Mares strap, or will that generic Mares strap work OK on these fins? Thanks.

 

[Umuntu]

Getting ready for my area's annual jack-o-lantern carving dive today, I pulled on one of my fins and the bungee heel strap snapped in two! That was sad. It was on my Mares Power Plana fin. This isn't one of those white ones that were cool in days of yore, the Power Plana fins have been made for awhile as some kind of heavy, black tech fin, but I use it because my dry suit boot fits in it, and because it's heavy and so helps with my dry suit diving to shift some weight down there. Anyway, I'm looking at what Mares is selling now, and there's some kind of crinkly looking strap with metal attachments. A hundred bucks. My innards clenched up so abruptly the seismographs nearby were going off! That isn't what's on there now, what's on there now is a bungee strap that looks like the generic strap I see Mares is selling for whatever fin you want to put it on. I'm looking for advice for someone familiar with Mares products. Do I have to/should I switch to the horrendously expensive Mares strap, or will that generic Mares strap work OK on these fins? Thanks.

Why not repair it by just replacing the bungee cord ?

The design of most bungee straps makes the replacement of the bungee quite easy. Usually there is just a knot in the end pieces. Re-use before replace. Less expensive and more environmentally conscious.

Maybe do both fins too at the same time, when one goes the other can’t be far behind.

 

[lowwall]

See if this will work. $65 for a pair of spring straps is not unreasonable.

Mares XR Spring Straps (Pair)

Mares XR Spring Straps are made from stainless steel springs and covered with nylon tube webbing to protect the spring and provide padding. Sold as a pair.

www.divegearexpress.com

If it came with a bungee strap, it might be a direct swap. But even the older style might work. Mares fins tend to have a post that sticks out of the fin where a cam thing attaches and then a ribbed flat strap feeds into the cam. If the post is there, you can pop the cam things off and use the post to attach this spring strap instead.

Edit: or maybe this bungee strap? $40 a pair

Mares Bungee Fin Straps

Mares Bungee Fin Straps- Pair

www.divers-supply.com

 

[pauldw]

See if this will work. $65 for a pair of spring straps is not unreasonable.

Mares XR Spring Straps (Pair)

Mares XR Spring Straps are made from stainless steel springs and covered with nylon tube webbing to protect the spring and provide padding. Sold as a pair.

www.divegearexpress.com

If it came with a bungee strap, it might be a direct swap. But even the older style might work. Mares fins tend to have a post that sticks out of the fin where a cam thing attaches and then a ribbed flat strap feeds into the cam. If the post is there, you can pop the cam things off and use the post to attach this spring strap instead.

Edit: or maybe this bungee strap? $40 a pair

Mares Bungee Fin Straps

Mares Bungee Fin Straps- Pair

www.divers-supply.com

Thanks. I was wondering if that new XR thing is interchangeable. Seems like the metal might cut into the plastic posts.

 

[lowwall]

Thanks. I was wondering if that new XR thing is interchangeable. Seems like the metal might cut into the plastic posts.

The posts are always plastic so I guess it's not a problem?

 

[Umuntu]

The posts are always plastic so I guess it's not a problem?

See post below

I used the mares ones on my Power Planas and they cut the post off.

 

[Umuntu]

The “bungee” used by Mares is not actually bungee cord, but some type of hollow rubber tubing that is very prone to snapping.

I still think it’s better to replace it with standard bungee cord which is stronger and more reliable. 6mm bungee cord is very durable.