"For crying out loud, we're just talking about bolts snaps here!"

[BHB ScubaTroll]

It isn't a matter of where you shop, or what you pay. It's what you buy. Quality is quality, and crap is crap.

It also pays to know that not all SS is created equal, nor is all brass or bronze. Just because an item is made of SS or brass doesn't mean that it's made of appropriate alloys, or that the spring is.

Buy well made marine grade hardware from reputable vendors and you won't have problems. Otherwise become an expert in metal alloys, and develop the ability to recognize things like an SS spring by sight alone.

If you continue this logic... your gonna die..

 

[SkipperJohn]

For scuba, these would be called suicide clips.

hense my question, what are these used for?

 

[Blackwood]

hense my question, what are these used for?

Boats, evidently. I also have a few on hooks in my garage to hang up various dive paraphernalia.

 

[RJP]

hense my question, what are these used for?

I think he's asking about bolt snaps.

They are used for EVERYTHING...



Attaching an SPG to your left hip d-ring:

Clipping off a backup light:

Clipping off a stage bottle:

A double ender might be used for clipping off a spool:

Or your wetnotes...

Pretty much used to attach anything to anything...

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

He must use the smack out of those clips. Enough to wear them out
I have 100+ dives on two of my brass clips and they show no wear on the thumb button!

Anyone who dives often enough to actualy wear out a brass thumb button gets my vote for a truly committed diver. (Or he is a professional diver!)

I've got over 100 dives already this year ... and it's only March ...

Brass clips may be OK for the casual, recreational diver ... but the metal's too soft, and the moving shaft will wear to a sharp edge. If you're going to be serious about your gear, spend the money on the good stuff.

The difference in price between the good and cheapo bolt snaps doesn't even factor into the "noise level" of what I spend on scuba gear. I buy most of mine from Dive Rite Express ... and usually order them a dozen at a time (two or three times a year, since they seem to grow legs).

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[M_Bipartitus]

But wait, what about snap shackles. After all, if we are worried what connector is going to kill us don't we want one that can be released under tension like a snap shackle

West Marine: Quick-Release Shackles Product Display

one of theses days some all knowing DIR guy is going to get trapped in current and be unable to release one of those cheap bolt snaps and die because he didn't spend $50 plus on marine grade snap shackles.

( In all seriousness, these are sometimes used in tethered diving operations and by some river divers since you can release them even if there is a strong tension on the rope, or whatever they are attached to.)

 

[charlesml3]

Clips with spring loaded gates that go inward are known as suicide clips in the tech/wreck/cave diving worlds

Right. Which means the idea applies to what, 5% of the world's population of divers? Probably less than that.

Like it or not, the overwhelming majority of the world's divers are recreational. Nothing at all wrong with a carabiner used to clip a light, guage, SMB, etc.

The term "suicide clip" actually came from the mountain climbing group many years ago. They quickly determined that supporting your entire weight plus your gear over the side of a mountain with one of these is a bad idea. They're right. Not really sure the term applies as well to scuba diving.


-Charles

 

[Gombessa]

Right. Which means the idea applies to what, 5% of the world's population of divers? Probably less than that.

Like it or not, the overwhelming majority of the world's divers are recreational. Nothing at all wrong with a carabiner used to clip a light, guage, SMB, etc.

-Charles

Don't forget, recreational divers are commonly exposed to entanglement hazards as well - fishing line/monofilament, kelp, nylon line from SMBs, etc. Everything wants to grab you underwater.

 

[Teamcasa]

I've got over 100 dives already this year ... and it's only March ...

Brass clips may be OK for the casual, recreational diver ... but the metal's too soft, and the moving shaft will wear to a sharp edge. If you're going to be serious about your gear, spend the money on the good stuff.

The difference in price between the good and cheapo bolt snaps doesn't even factor into the "noise level" of what I spend on scuba gear. I buy most of mine from Dive Rite Express ... and usually order them a dozen at a time (two or three times a year, since they seem to grow legs).

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

While I agree in principal with you Bob, I am a recreational diver. 60-80 dives a year. I'm not a cave or wreck diver. I have no interest in diving in a place where an oops moment may cost me my life. I applaud those who do it, but it holds no intertest for me.

The basic brass clips fill my need and I can wander to the local hardware store and buy a supply of them that will last me years for a few bucks.

For scuba, these would be called suicide clips.

Right. Which means the idea applies to what, 5% of the world's population of divers?

Suicide? A little dramatic would'nt you say.

 

[letterboy]

Right. Which means the idea applies to what, 5% of the world's population of divers? Probably less than that.

Like it or not, the overwhelming majority of the world's divers are recreational. Nothing at all wrong with a carabiner used to clip a light, guage, SMB, etc.

The term "suicide clip" actually came from the mountain climbing group many years ago. They quickly determined that supporting your entire weight plus your gear over the side of a mountain with one of these is a bad idea. They're right. Not really sure the term applies as well to scuba diving.


-Charles

dear god man, how have you survived using this logic!!! you surely will die because you have now angered the technical divers. . .