Spring Straps and Mares Quattros

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HoosierDiver

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Indianapolis, IN
I found the link below in another thread, and was wondering if anybody else has put a set of these together, and if so what do you think of them? Anything you would have done differently?

http://www.cyber-strategy.org/pers/FinStraps.html

Also, have you found anything else to use for the wire loop? I don't mind having the extra spring (might even need it with my mechanical abilities), but it would be nice not to have to order the 1 lbs coil of wire since that's the smallest quantity that McMaster-Carr sells.
 
I picked up a set of SS springs on Sunday. Spent Sunday night installing them on a pair of Cressi SpaceFrogs. I tried them out on an inlet drift dive Monday afternoon.

It was a spring conversion "kit". I ended up removing some of the hardware (it came mostly pre-assembled) as the length was 12" total. It was made for fins with the strap posts further forward towards the toe than the spacefrogs or people with really big feet :wink: . I have short, wide feet (8 1/2 EEEE) so the spring assembly was way too long (at least 2 inches too long and so unusable by me).

I think they are still slightly long even after modifying the design. They seem to fit my drysuit boots reasonably well, but are still a bit too loose for the regular wetsuit booties. After looking at the link you posted above, I see how I can make them another 1/2 inch shorter so they will be perfect.

I'll take a picture of the results and the extra parts I had left over and post it when I get home tonight. I'll put the website where the kit I started with can be ordered as well (for other lazy builders like myself :wink: ).

Your post above looks like it works out to a much cheaper conversion even with buying that whole spool of wire though.
 
I just (as of about 30 minutes ago) ordered enough materials to make 3 pairs, including the big wire coil from McMaster-Carr. Our local Lowe's has nothing beyond simple lumber and nails, and besides, I'm probably going to go through a half dozen different incarnation on the "hinges" what with having the mechanical skills of a three-year-old!

My wife and I are getting sick of the straps on our fins, which have exactly the same buckle attachment "knob" as the Mares. The stuff looks like it'll arrive before the weekend, so if I get to them this weekend I'll post about how it goes.

Chris
 
Post those pics asap!!! I cant stand the straps, but I love my fins. I also cant warrant the $50 plus for premade springstraps.

PICTURES, PICTURES....WE WANT PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I do some remote diving and even having a strap break sucks. I carry extras, but you gotta swim back andwalk to the truck and take all your tanks off. its a pain the the as*.

I ordered the spring heels from Halcyon!

Andy
 
Originally posted by bengiddins
dc4bs,

I'd be interested in seeing those Cressi pics when you get them posted.

Ben

Well, here's the pics I said I'd post on the finstraps for the cressi spacefrogs.

I think these are still a bit loose, but all I have to do is cut about 1/2 inch off one side of each spring, bend over the end loop or two and put the pin back in to get them the right length.

Here's the website from the instructions that came with the spring kit. I got them at a table at the scuba swapmeet in Toms River NJ this past Sunday.

http://www.mantaind.com/installing.html

I left out the aluminium end bits that came pre-mounted on the springs to make them shorter as I didn't have the tools to cut the spring the night I installed them (was staying at a friends house).

Looking at the pic I drew below, I think my connection method is the stronger, more reliable of the two. Pulling on the spring won't tend to make the "C" wire on the end pop off like in their default setup.

Here's the pic of how I installed them.

http://members.aol.com/dc4bs/images/fins_final.jpg

I don't think I can get em any more "entanglement-free" without wrapping them in duct tape...

<EDIT>

And with this design, I can swap the springs over to my old smaller fins easily (same strap mount posts on the sides) if I want to use them as well...
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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