Fin Strap Observations

[Karloss]

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

I haven't seen the fail during a dive, I however have seen them break on doning their fins to enter the water. the spring seperated from the latch. A small pin that held them together came out.

 

[lmorin]

Thanks Piranha Manufacturing [Archive] - ScubaBoard

Sure, that's an example of a spring strap failure. However, it's not a use-related failure. It failed because of a manufacturing defect (assuming normal use by the diver). I assembled my own spring straps. Built the connector to the fins and closely inspected the spring under stressed and unstressed conditions before assembling. If spring straps are made of the correct materials and assembled properly, the chances of them breaking are close to zero and probably one of the least significant safety issues in diving.

 

[Hemlon]

I use rubber fin straps. They are inexpensive to replace, although I have yet had one break. Only once have I replaced them because there might have been a questionable small crack.

For $4.00, I can carry an extra rubber fin strap in my dive bag. And then I can spend my dive dollars on other things.