Cam buckle Poll

[GoBlue!]

Anyone have a pic of the new SP cams? I think I probably have the old, but I still love 'em.

Jim

 

[-hh]

That was my biggest complaint is you'd have to adjust them, test them, adjust, test, adjust, test until you got them sized right.

Its only really a hassle if:

a) You don't mark your band after you've figured out what setting is right for a particular diameter,
and
b) You change tank diameters relatively frequently,
and
c) You haven't developed the feel for trusting how "little" force is really required to hold the tank (because this results in additional, unnecessary adjustment cycles)

And then, you'd either have to fiddle with connecting them and sliding them over the tank, or dealing with getting them together behind a tank.

I think this is a YMMV, as the counterpoint is that at least you have the choice of doing it either way. I do agree that the 'fiddling behind a tank' bit can be a hassle, but I see the diveboat design as the more significant contributing factor to this complaint: the old aluminum racks were easy, as you would simpy pull the tank yoke forward to gain access, whereas the newer "PVC Pipe" designs are a pain because you have to lift the tank up and out of the pipe "well" in order to tip it forward, and the dang things are very often spaced too dang closely together to do a rotate/reach-behind to avoid lifting out the tank. I'd place the problem here squarely on the diveboat's design, not the scuba gear.


[/quote]With cams, you loosen them, slide them over the tank to the desired height, tighten them, thread the loose end and you're done, I can easily go from my 6.9" to my 7.25" to my 8" tanks.[/QUOTE]

The counterpoint is that the installer has to pay attention to the 'tension' setting on every installation, which can be a concern if you go to one of those dive resorts where the crew sets up your gear. Granted, if you're changing tank diameters a lot, a cam system may very well be the better way to go.

I don't change tank diameters frequently, so this simply isn't a product differentiator for me. Even so, I'd have to say that if I do have to change my strap's adjustment, I get it done in ~3 tries and ~30 seconds.

-hh

 

[WarmWaterDiver]

My DR TPII came with the stainless hinged buckles, and I like them quite a bit. I find them easy to adjust for different tank diameters when traveling and diving single tanks (sometimes Al 100's are available as alternative to Al 80's). Don't know if they've nicked the tanks as these are rentals - if I iused them on tanks I owned I'd probably dip the ends that rest against the tanks in a bit of the polymer coating stuff like what's used on pliers grips to insulate them, or cut some small bits off a retired wet suit, bycycle inner tube, or some such and rubber band this to that side of the buckle or something.

OTOH, I've never had a plastic buckle break, and my wife prefers them on her rig, but she doesn't change tank diameters often (diameter of Al 63's and Al 80's being the same not requiring adjustment to switch between).

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I broke another plastic cam buckle this afternoon. This one was on my single tank adpater and that will require either some heavy duty sewing to replace the cam buckle or replacing the entire strap. I think I am going to go the scubapro route with it as they are not easy like they are on my travel bands.

 

[hex92]

I have had a chance to try out the cam strap tension pads from deep sea supply a couple of times now. They work great.

I put them on my new cam bands. I left the straps loose and didn't bother wetting them before strapping the BC to the tank. The tanks didn't slip at all. The next time I went diving I didn't adjust a thing and the pads still gripped the tank quite well.

For those of you with only one cam band I highly suggest buying a set (share with a friend). If you have double cam bands (like me) they should keep you from breaking buckles.
Not that I have to worry about that anymore....since I decided to buy the SS buckles

 

[Mako Mark]

I have never had a problem with the plastic buckles, but recently picked up a pair of the DR ss ones just to try them, they add a bit of weight which is good,

they did show some rust specks after my first salt water dive though which is a little weird, I wasnt expecting that, and as fat as scratching the tank, if you set them up right that shouldnt happen and who cares anyway. Scratched tanks are more macho...

 

[2TH DIVR]

Broke my first plastic buckle in 30+ years of diving last weekend. It was at least 15 years old.
Just ordered a pair of DR ss bands