Fin Strap Observations

[Akimbo]

Have you seen any fin spring straps fail? I haven't... YMMV

Several failures have been reported on this board and other boards. I have seen one broken at a dive shop but never on a dive. However, I am not sure I can remember a rubber strap breaking on a dive site either — thought that might be more because of the people I dive around than being representative of the diving population as a whole.

 

[aquaregia]

Have you seen any fin spring straps fail? I haven't... YMMV

Thanks Piranha Manufacturing [Archive] - ScubaBoard

 

[Akimbo]

What means this?

Prophylactic is most commonly applied to guarding against human infection or disease. As a noun, it often refers to condoms or disease preventing drugs. It can be applied to almost any preventative measure. It is often used in reliability engineering to describe replacing something based on a time interval or cyclic limit rather than something that exhibits on a visual inspection.

 

[aquaregia]

It's always hysterical when people come back from the dentist office thinking they were recommended condoms rather than a scaling.

 

[RJP]

Prophylactic is most commonly applied to guarding against human infection or disease. As a noun, it often refers to condoms or disease preventing drugs. It can be applied to almost any preventative measure. It is often used in reliability engineering to describe replacing something based on a time interval or cyclic limit rather than something that exhibits on a visual inspection.

So, how often did you needlessly replace spring straps?

 

[mdb]

Just carry spares for whatever you use, mask straps, fin straps, tank and bc inflator o-rings are some of the the most common needs.

 

[Akimbo]

So, how often did you needlessly replace spring straps?

Never because I stopped using them. I don't prophylactically change fin straps either since you can easily detect the developing potential for failure by stretching them against the fin and looking for cracks at tight bends. The point is I can see the degradation long before failure occurs. I can’t with small diameter stainless wire springs, without a microscope anyway.

I find spring straps much faster to don in surf. YMMV.

That is a valid reason to use spring straps, which I have not found to be the true for me. I don’t intend to imply that rubber straps are perfect solutions, just that they suck less for me.

Do I have this right? YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary? Which brings up another question. What is the equivalent word for mileage in the Metric System to refer to fuel consumption or Liters/Kilometer?

It's always hysterical when people come back from the dentist office thinking they were recommended condoms rather than a scaling.

Unfortunately, all of us can think of someone who should wear a condom over their mouths heads!

 

[Damselfish]

I've never had a rubber fin strap break. I like the idea of a spring or other stretchy strap in theory but I've tried one hand made set and one commercial version and I don't see a way to make them work for me. My heel doesn't stick far out of my fins. In the short length of spring I need there's not enough absolute length of stretch. So if they're tight enough to keep my fins on they're really difficult to get on and off (and very uncomfortable with thin booties.) If they're long enough to be comfortable and get the fins on without a crowbar, they're loose enough to lose a fin (which happened within a few dives - big failure.)

 

[scubafanatic]

What means this?

knowone certainly understands, not us normal humanoids though.....

 

[scubafanatic]

So, how often did you needlessly replace spring straps?

...agreed....anyone who can manage to break an Apollo Bio Fin SS strap needs to be taking major anger management classes, 'cause unless you're doing tractor-pulls out on the dirt track with them, or have the arm strength of Hercules, trust me, you AIN'T breakin' my Apollo SS fin straps !!!

I think they're the greatest thing since sliced bread and would rather stop diving than go back to rubber straps.