Cam Band Safety

[dumpsterDiver]

Does anyone know why they don't use ratchets instead of cams? It seems to me like that would be much easier to get tight.

It is incredible that manufacturer's choose cheap plastic hardware and slap it on a $700 BC. not withstanding the materials, some, such as the Oceanic Buckle are particularly poorly designed, with the Oceanic buckles having too little cam action to tighten the belt as much as other buckles.

I prefer metal buckles, there is no need for dual bands if the hardware is right

 

[Fish in a Barrel]

My solution was get rid of the cam band and swap it out for the Scubapro latch system. That sucker never comes loose and is easy to adjust.

+2. I swapped one of those into my Mares BC before my trip to Key Largo last month. I love 'em. Not only do they hold tight, they're quicker to get on/off the tank.

 

[Akimbo]

Don't most cam-band buckles have a little diagram stamped on the side that shows how to thread them? I know mine do…

Some do, some do but are nearly incomprehensible, and some have nothing.

…I've seen a few come loose during a dive. Certainly something that needs to be sorted out, but I'm not really sure it's a "horror story."

-Charles

I agree; it should be little more than an inconvenience — until other factors conspire to escalate it into a crisis, panic-induced or otherwise. That is why the “horror stories” come from instructors and dive boats rather than personal observations. Unfortunately loose or improperly installed cam bands are most common among divers with the least ability to deal with it. That said, I have been on lots of dives where a bottle with regulator falling out of my harness would be closer to serious problem than an awkward moment.

 

[knowone]

Discussing cam bands only suggests a
futility of those that are carded to dive

 

[LouieLouie]

Seriously, this is not a big deal. Use the safety strap, which is a standard feature on pretty much every BCD, and you won't have any problems whatsoever. I've had tanks come loose a couple of times and haven't even bothered to refasten them. Even without the safety strap you'll be fine if using an ALU80 or a similar tank as they're hardly negative even when full.

The only real issue is the danger of dropping the tank in someone's head when leaving the water.

 

[RickyF]

The biggest problem I have is that the band material is so stiff (new bands), it is hard to get it to tension properly.

 

[Akimbo]

The biggest problem I have is that the band material is so stiff (new bands), it is hard to get it to tension properly.

This suggestion form the instructions might help:

Breaking Gear In
Cam bands, BCs, and back packs get worn-in similar to comfortable shoes. Materials bend, stretch, and relax over time while under tension, taking on a new memory. Clamping cam bands and BC onto a cylinder can help set a new material memory, especially on new equipment. Assemble and leave for 8 hours or more. Re-tension and repeat until loosening is no longer detected.