Zip Tie Question

[underwater daphne]

cool thread, i knew that zip ties were used for the reg, but didn't know what the various other uses would be. what else?

 

[Soggy]

Forget the zip ties and just put cave line on. While I am somewhat hesitant to disagree with the Pugster, as he's usually spot-on, I have to say that a couple strong twists on a zip tie and the thing will snap like a pretzel. So, if it's a piece of gear you don't want to lose (like a backup light, or SPG), forget the zip tie, and put some #24 Cave line on. It's cheap, takes a bunch of abuse, and won't cut your gear up.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Disagree all you want Soggy. You are just flat wrong when you pass out bogus crap like: "...a couple strong twists on a zip tie and the thing will snap like a pretzel."

Just ain't so Joe. I've been using them for a few dives now and haven't had one let go. Come to think of it my regulator mouth piece hasn't fallen off either... hey... and neither has my LP inflator! I suppose you've tied those important pieces on with cave line.

 

[pescador775]

I checked in here to see why there are three pages of 'cable tie' (the advertisers know what they are called, LOL). Pug is right, zip ties are very strong and reliable. They will go UV dead after a couple years in the sun. Incredibly cheap and useful.

 

[Soggy]

Come to think of it my regulator mouth piece hasn't fallen off either... hey... and neither has my LP inflator! I suppose you've tied those important pieces on with cave line.

Come on now, you know that a mouthpiece is very different than a bolt snap. A mouthpiece isn't subject to the twisting stress that a cable tied bolt snap is. Take that cable tie on a light and wiggle it back and forth a few times and it'll snap right off. It doesn't happen with cave line. I'm just offering up my experiences having broken a few myself on a catch bag and having watched an instructor go through a student's entire kit and break every bolt snap off in less than a minute.

 

[outlawaggie]

a couple strong twists on a zip tie and the thing will snap like a pretzel.

That depends on the tie. Bear in mind the cops use zip-ties now in place of handcuffs. If the cops trust their life to a zip tie I think i'll trust my light.

 

[idratherbediving]

(like a backup light, or SPG),

where is the spg gonna go, i attach mine with a high pressure hose. i see sometimes ,few, that caveline might be better but you cant beat the cost, ease, and effectiveness of a zip tie. everyone should keep a few in your kit for a quick backup.

 

[Uncle Pug]

an instructor go through a student's entire kit and break every bolt snap off in less than a minute.

Intentionally breaking a ziptie is a whole nuther matter. I could take the same instructors *kit* and wreck havok on his cave line ties too.

But hey, what ever it takes to make a guy feel good about himself... so if cave line does it for you then use cave line.

 

[paulwlee]

My experience has been that if you ziptie something hard to something else that's hard, that can be twisted against each other, then the ziptie can break pretty easily. Just twisting hard is actually the method I use to remove one a lot of the times.

OTOH, if one of the attachment points is soft, it gets harder to break. (e.g. boltsnap to reg hose)

If it is not subject to any appreciable twisting force, then it won't break. (at least until the material breaks down due to age)

 

[r37691]

Zip ties are great, been using them for years. Walmart, Sams, Farm & Fleet ... are good places to get them.
Cave Line? If you want to tie knots, Why not use para-cord?