Do you have either of these tank straps?

[HenrikBP]

I have a set of the Highland cam bands and while they cinch down tight, and I am able to "quick release" them. I don't much care for them. The quick release was less helpful than I thought it would be. So now it's really just annoying that the cam buckle can come apart.

Live and learn.

If I were shopping for cam bands for my backplate today I'd get a set of the low profile Dive Rite bands in your first link.

Henrik

 

[Akimbo]

I use the Highland cam bands and found that if you lay the tank down on the back plate or BC it is really easy to latch and unlatch. This method is also easier on a rolling small boat than assembling vertically. Swapping BCs and back plates/packs tend to be an awkward exercise on the best of days; especially if you keep your regulator, instruments, and weight attached. Two cam bands can make it more than twice as awkward. Laying the cylinder down lets gravity be your “third hand”.

Hmmm... So is it poorly designed?

I would say that is an over statement. The technique is a little different. Most cam bands are easier to slacken and tighten while the Highland is designed to adjust once for a particular diameter cylinder. There is a little more travel/range on the Highland, but there are practical limits without the cam getting excessively large. You have to keep the bands perpendicular to the tank or slack off the adjustment.

 

[Akimbo]

…
When correctly fastened cam buckles even in plastic, never break or unlatch.

I have not seen it, but have heard complaints of plastic cams breaking at the point where the stainless steel bail joins the molded part in very cold conditions. I doubt that the relatively warm water temperature (something above 28° F/-2° C) is the culprit rather than exposure to much lower air temps before the dive begins. I imagine it also makes a difference if the injection molded plastic part is glass filled or not.

 

[CaboJim]

I have over 500 dives & 6 years on my Knighthawk. I never have had any "unbuckling" problems. In fact most of the guys I dive with have the Knighthawk & never any unbuckling problems with theirs as well.....

 

[merxlin]

I have not seen it, but have heard complaints of plastic cams breaking at the point where the stainless steel bail joins the molded part in very cold conditions. I doubt that the relatively warm water temperature (something above 28° F/-2° C) is the culprit rather than exposure to much lower air temps before the dive begins. I imagine it also makes a difference if the injection molded plastic part is glass filled or not.

Mostly I see cam bands that get loose because the excess strap is loose (not velcro'd down or restrained) and the leverage allows the buckle to open.

 

[Akimbo]

I have over 500 dives & 6 years on my Knighthawk. I never have had any "unbuckling" problems. In fact most of the guys I dive with have the Knighthawk & never any unbuckling problems with theirs as well.....

I have a friend who is an instructor and another who skippers a charter dive boat. They see improperly laced cam bands all the time, along with those that are way too loose and unsecured bitter ends.

I removed the Velcro from my bands and lace the ends through Cam Strap Tension Pads from DeepSeaSupply. Very secure and I don't have to deal with the Velcro hooks grabbing everything in sight, adjusting the is cam a little easier, and eliminates the problem of the Velcro clogging up with particles or wearing out.

 

[merxlin]

..................I removed the Velcro from my bands and lace the ends through Cam Strap Tension Pads from DeepSeaSupply. Very secure and I don’t have to deal with the Velcro hooks grabbing everything in sight, adjusting the is cam a little easier, and eliminates the problem of the Velcro clogging up with particles or wearing out.

So there is enough room to thread the excess band into those end slots even with the cam bands tightened down?

 

[Akimbo]

So there is enough room to thread the excess band into those end slots even with the cam bands tightened down?

I would say easily. The attached photo is on a 6.9" diameter steel 72. Larger diameter tanks have even more room.

Unrelated to merxlin's question:
I tried to get a photo of the Highland band's latch with the tank in the horizontal position. It is hard to see, but notice that I can latch it one-handed. I can be done vertically, but one-handed takes more skill than I have.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

I just saw Akimbo's fix for securing the end of the camband strap involving the DSS product.

If people are having issues with the Velcro wearing out on their camband straps, I have an alternative inexpensive solution. Cut a small length of bicycle innertube (same stuff you use to secure backup lights on a BP/W harness) and thread it onto the camband strap behind the cam buckle. If you position the innertube carefully, after clamping down the buckle (while setting up your rig) you can slip the very end of the Velcro strap underneath it.

 

[knowone]

Slip two, half inch slices of pushbike tube over your standard bands
for the flappy bit to tuck into, and you will have Velcro to Velcro for
the rest of its life and your nothing will EVER come undone again in
ANY conditions even if you do happen to smash a buckle, to the Bank.



There should be an adjustable loop of webbing at the top of every BCD
that hooks over the valve at the right height, clip clip no laying down
spreading yourselves across the boat
business.