Custom straps for Mares Quattro+ fins

[Dan]

A figure of eight knot holds well as a stopper in bungee. If you tighten really hard it reduces in size and holds well. You would need to leave a bit of tail to ensure it doesn’t work loose.

In shape, a figure of eight knot is longer and flatter than a simple overhand knot, less bulky, and holds better in bungee. When the knot lays flat and tightly tensioned, it should only be a little higher but wider than the diameter of the untensioned bungee cord.

Figure 8 Knot

The Figure 8 Knot provides a quick and convenient stopper knot to prevent a line sliding out of sight, e.g., up inside the mast.

www.animatedknots.com

Bungee does require different types of knots than other types of rope, because of its high elasticity and slippery surface.

Knots and Toggles for Bungee Cord - Small Boats Magazine

There are two special knots that work with bungee; more complex than a sheet bend and a bowline, they hold themselves together and can be easily untied.

smallboatsmonthly.com

Thanks for the knot for bungee links. They are pretty good references.

I still like to see if you can do it for this fin strap clip.

 

[Umuntu]

I still like to see if you can do it for this fin strap clip.

[Un]fortunately you are in the best position to answer your question. I don’t have a pair of Mares Quattros. And because yours is the second thread here on SB about the cord breaking in the last month or so, I wouldn’t buy them.

Some small tips:

1. To work out how much cord length to allow for the knot; (i) measure a distance from the end and MARK IT. Either 6” or 1’, it’s not important. (ii) Tie and tighten and dress the knot so it’s in its final state. (iii) Now measure the distance of the cord from the end. The difference between your first measurement and this one is approximately what you need to allow in cord length for the knot.

2. When you need to cut the cord, wrap the position where you wish to cut with adhesive tape (any kind will work) as tightly as possible. Then cut through the tape and don’t remove the tape just yet. Now seal the cut ends of both pieces thoroughly with a lighter flame with the adhesive tape attached. You can then either keep or remove the tape, depending on whether appearance is important to you. This will stop the cord fraying, and the cover burning quicker than the core when flame sealing.

 

[Dan]

[Un]fortunately you are in the best position to answer your question. I don’t have a pair of Mares Quattros. And because yours is the second thread here on SB about the cord breaking in the last month or so, I wouldn’t buy them.

Some small tips:

1. To work out how much cord length to allow for the knot; (i) measure a distance from the end and MARK IT. Either 6” or 1’, it’s not important. (ii) Tie and tighten and dress the knot so it’s in its final state. (iii. Now measure the distance of the cord from the end. The difference between your first measurement and this one is approximately what you need to allow in cord length for the knot.

2. When you need to cut the cord, wrap the position where you wosh to cut with adhesive tape (any kind will work) as tightly as possible. Then cut through the tape and don’t remove the tape just yet. Now seal the cut ends of both pieces thoroughly with a lighter flame with the adhesive tape attached. You can then either keep or remove the tape, depending on whether appearance is important to you. This will stop the cord fraying, and the cover burning quicker than the core when flame sealing.

The fins are the best ones I have amongst 4 pairs of fins I had. Just the rubber hose strap are the sucky parts. The worst fins I had were those split fins.

I don’t think no matter how small of a knot you make it is going to fit into the clip, even without fitting.

Thanks for the small tips. My comments about them:
1. To get to 12” strap length, I used 31” long of 1/4” bungee cord since the figure 8 knot on the heel end requires about 3” long from each ends of the cord + 1/2” free end from the knot.

12”x2 + 3”x2 + 1/2”x2 = 31”

2. I did flame each ends of the 31” cord and massage the molten nylons with my fingers to fuse the nylons fibers together and keep them from frying. However, wrapping an adhesive tape before flaming the ends is a better idea. I’ll do that for next one.

 

[happy-diver]

Before Mares shtarted chasing fashion then cheapness when they were still smart

These beauties that have been through hell deeper than hell give me adjustability and fanciness


"Oh my fins are too tight!"

"Oh my fins are too loose!"

"Oh how do I adjust my fins!"

"Oh no I have broken my strap!"

"Oh which bungee do I use to fix it!"

"Oh no how do I get the broken bit out!"

"Oh I looked at factory speargun imitation rubber fin straps and for the money you could buy used fins

"Ooh ahh!"

1 paar HALTEN TAUCHEN Einstellbar Tauchen Flossen Zubehör Schwimmen Flossen Straps Big Schnallen Kleine Schnallen - AliExpress 18

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

www.aliexpress.com

TUSA, Scubapro or Oceanic Fin Strap

This TUSA and Scubapro fin strap is the full assembly, including the buckles to fit on the fins, the quick release buckles that clip into the ones on the fin and the rubber strap itself.The TUSA and Scubapro fin straps use the exact same buckle system, so the strap will fit fins of both brands.

www.onlinedivegear.com.au

Oh my god oh my god look at this!!!

 

[Dan]

I think the $2.11 fin strap from Ali Express was the one that Mermaid Liveaboard loaned me, when I broke my fin strap.

My repair cost a bit more, $2.50 ($1 for the bungee cord & $1.50 for the pair of E-Clip)

A pair of E-Clips from Lowes.com

https://a.co/d/9Di9Oll

1/4”x25’ bungee cord from Amazon.com

 

[happy-diver]

Mate the adjustable fin strap holds your foot in, with no pressure pulling your foot into the fin

Your foot is just in there as it is supposed to be

So the fin strap stops your foot from falling out

without torturing your precious achilles tendon

 

[Dan]

Mate the adjustable fin strap holds your foot in, with no pressure pulling your foot into the fin

Your foot is just in there as it is supposed to be

So the fin strap stops your foot from falling out

without torturing your precious achilles tendon

I use regular size strap & no problem with that 12” strap. I have used it for 5 years & over 500 dives without getting heel blister.

The strap broke was because the Mermaid liveaboard crew tried to put the fin onto my bootie in a rush while we were in Zodiac before the bootie was fully inserted into the fin and over stretching the strap and snapped apart.

I wasn’t used to such pampered service. I’m used to put the fins by myself and make sure that the bootie is fully inserted before putting the strap over the heel. Even when I’n pulling the strap puller over the heel, I don’t use the loop holder as I had the previous loop holder broke before. I pull the strap with 4 fingers (without thumb) as shown in the pictures, below.

I also put on 3mm neoprene socks under the booties to prevent blistering my heel during finning.

 

[Soloist]

The 1/4" bungee I installed 4 years ago is still going strong after hundreds of dives. I would much rather dive full foot fins, however, the secure elastic fit of the heavy duty bungee provides a nice reactive connection. The old rubber strap design and the current spongy speargun straps not so much, but it's a personal preference.

I’m not sure why the E Clip was necessary, rather than a stopper knot.

Or why you used two sections of bungee, rather than one … maybe it was easier to size, but that’s what tape measurements are for ?

It's actually a single continuous piece of bungee routed through the right and left rings and tied in the back at the center of the heel pad.

How would you put a stopper knot at the end of the rubbery, stretchy bungee cord? There is hardly any space to put anything larger than that E-clip. The OEM plastic Female clip on the fin strap is barely cover the Male clip button on the fin.
.

Exactly! It has to have an extremely low profile to allow the fin clip, bungee and ring assembly to go over the fin peg.

 

[Dan]

A helpful zodiac crew put my fin with OEM speargun strap on without asking me first. Guess what? It broke. So now I have both straps with 1/4” bungee loop.

I looked closely on the E-clip. It still look good after 50 dives. If it’s rusted away in the future, I’ll replace it with a stainless steel 5/8” ring.