Steel spring heel straps

[Mr T.]

Hey Andy,

Nae problems son. Here ya go, try it again, it just worked for me:

http://www.scubamart.co.uk/finstraps.htm

http://www.scubamart.co.uk/finstraps.htm

And Andy Hayhurst's number is TEL: 07702 - 819381. Go for it dude.

Cheers.

[Mdemon]

Darth,

I think you may be right about the fit.  The dry boots are XLs (found the markings last night) and are very wide (toe to heel) at ankle level and above - hence the need to pull them in with the straps.  The Hurricanes (XL) may or may not be the wrong size - I'm inclined to think the problem lies with the boot.

Because of the volume of the boots, I have had great fun learning to control my pitch position - I have also had to resort to lead at the foot end.  So, I'd like to get the boots off and replace them with a dry sock (if that's what they're called) and then wear shoes on top of them a la DUI.  

Does anyone know:
a) where to get replacement "socks" from
b) how much they cost
c) what materials I'll need to fit them
d) anyone who can do it for me if it all goes horribly wrong...
e) the pros and cons of what I'm thinking of doing

Cheers,

John

[darthmoll]

Gates make a very nice neopreen dry boot, very warm, very thin, nice sole. Azdry suits have them as an option, if you want to see them. I think most shops would charge around 25 to fit the boots plus the cost of the boot. Its hardly worth the trouble of fitting them, by the time you buy glue, solvent, tape and so on.

[Gavin Yates]

Expensive but they work

http://www.divingdirectshop.co.uk/acatalog/Fins.html




(Edited by Bren Tierney at 7:13 pm on Feb. 6, 2003)

[Mdemon]

Ho hum - had a strap break on the last dive!!!  I check all my gear regularly, and there was no sign of problems before it happened.  

Now, I normally do the straps up tight, BUT, in order to continue this dive, I refitted the remnants with one friction bar left and didn't tighten at all.  Guess what?  At the end of the dive the fins came off easy!

Replacing all straps with bungee tomorrow, and not tightening them up at all.

Hope this helps all those with sticky fins!!!

John

[Mdemon]

Post Script:
The other strap broke on the next dive!!!  Removed the strap and fed a length of bungee through each female clip on the fins - no need even to knot/fix them as it is all friction fitted.
The result is cheap and secure, much more secure than the original rubber IMHO.  As mentioned before, no more hassle getting fins off.  Moral: Don't pull your straps tight - they don't need to be!!!  (I had to learn the hard way though)Pictures available to unbelievers!

[rooster]

John

Lumb Bros make Stainless Steel straps that fit straight onto your Cressi Fins I believe. See link below (second item down).

http://www.lumb-bros-das.co.uk/acata...ndustries.html

regards



Rooster

[daz]

<font color='#000080'>I have been using bungee straps on my fins for some time now. &nbsp; The only thing I would add is that I threaded the bungee through some thin flexible tubing. &nbsp;It makes it much easier to grab hold of the tubing with cold gloved hands than without.

I can put my fins on in the water in seconds and take them off in under 10 seconds.

Daz

BTW:- &nbsp;I have done about 50 dives since putting the bungee on and it still seems as good as new.

[Dominic]

Ok, so my question therefore has to be:

What's the advantage of spring straps over bungee??

Cuz now that my nice, reflective bungee has arrived, I'm trying to find lots of uses for it, and my current straps are p!$$ing me off being so non-stretchy...

[daz]

<font color='#000080'>I would guess that the stainless steel ones last a lifetime, &nbsp;where as the bungee will probably need to be replaced after 300 odd dives. &nbsp;

So bungee at 60p a metre or stainless steel spring straps at £30 +....... &nbsp;

Think I'll stick with the bungee for now &nbsp;