I'm here because I ve just had 3 clamp failures over one year (don't know the band but they were like 20usd each roughly, different brands bought at different times). I'm definitely buying ultralight now, hoping I can find them in Hong Kong...
Ultralight vs off brand clamps and arms.
- Thread starter Aqua-Andy
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Aqua-Andy
Contributor
The screw mechanism get stuck, so impossible to loosen it anymore unless you force. And when you force the metal breaks... Tried to put grease, coke, etc., the screw would not move at all.
Chris Ross
Contributor
That's a major assumption that they are all the same material after aluminium's aluminium right? Using the right alloy is important to balance between strength and corrosion resistance, the high strength alloys are generally less resistance to corrosion. Then there's the anodizing treatment, not all anodizing is created equal, the depth of the oxide coat generated varies with treatment time and that is what leads to long life. Proper hard anodizing will help resist being scratched off by the sand and other particles that get caught up on the clamps and slowly bub off the anodizing. Keeping the surface of the clamps smooth helps with easy motion of the clamps on the o-rings. Then there's the quality of the stainless steel fasteners used, which can be quite variable - I won't buy cheap chinese made stainless screws after bad experiences with them.
I have purchased eight double clamps and two triple clamps from China via Aliexpress. Two of the double clamps turned out to be junk with screws that weren't even stainless - they rusted immediately upon exposure to salt water. All the others are absolutely fine.
Chris Ross
Contributor
Yeah, it's a lottery, you don't know what you're getting till it arrives. I've bought all Nauticam clamps and am happy with them and If I recommend them to someone I know they can order them and get the same item of the same quality.
WS007
Contributor
I have (lower-cost) D&D clamps, several D&D arms plus two UCLS clamps (long version, very useful) and use them for three years now (maybe 70-80 dives/year).
No clamp or arm broke so far, all still intact. After about one year, however, the clamps did not hold strongly any more, at least on the surface, but also below the surface sometimes, especially when used with the longest arms, the D&D clamps are too loose and unstable, even when closed with maximum force...
I disassembled all clamps, cleaned in the ultrasonic bath that I use also for regulator service, greased the screws and assembled again - only little improvement...
Then I disassembled and greased all ball O-rings (black ones, that became a little hard over time) - only little improvement...
Finally I replaced the black ball O-rings with blue Nauticam O-rings (that are softer than the black ones) - only little improvement...
I can, however, see a difference between the D&D and UCLS clamps - the UCLS clamps (long version) hold stronger...
=> I would be willing to replace all clamps and arms by better versions - in case such fabricates exist (UCLS?).
=> In another forum's tread the Sea&Sea clamps were recommended - has someone any experience with them, are they really better (better than UCLS?)? SEA&SEA| THE UNDERWATER IMAGING COMPANY..
It turns out, as quite often, that buying cheap means buying twice and hence, is expensive
Wolfgang
No clamp or arm broke so far, all still intact. After about one year, however, the clamps did not hold strongly any more, at least on the surface, but also below the surface sometimes, especially when used with the longest arms, the D&D clamps are too loose and unstable, even when closed with maximum force...
I disassembled all clamps, cleaned in the ultrasonic bath that I use also for regulator service, greased the screws and assembled again - only little improvement...
Then I disassembled and greased all ball O-rings (black ones, that became a little hard over time) - only little improvement...
Finally I replaced the black ball O-rings with blue Nauticam O-rings (that are softer than the black ones) - only little improvement...
I can, however, see a difference between the D&D and UCLS clamps - the UCLS clamps (long version) hold stronger...
=> I would be willing to replace all clamps and arms by better versions - in case such fabricates exist (UCLS?).
=> In another forum's tread the Sea&Sea clamps were recommended - has someone any experience with them, are they really better (better than UCLS?)? SEA&SEA| THE UNDERWATER IMAGING COMPANY..
It turns out, as quite often, that buying cheap means buying twice and hence, is expensive
Wolfgang
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