Good quality bungee?

[kr2y5]

If anyone can recommend a good source of a high quality bungee, I'd be grateful for pointers. I think I'm looking for something around 3/8 inch thick and with at least 100-120% stretch. I can buy something from Amazon, but it's not clear any of those specs are reliable. I'd rather go for something tested and proven.

I have what seems to be a 5/16 bungee that came preinstalled on my Halcyon Contour, and it's not working well enough. It gives a good amount of resistance, but it only stretches up to around 80%. This worked fine for me so far when wrapping around the valve knob, but I'm trying to switch to wrapping around the extension post, and at the ideal length for proper placement of the fronts of my tanks (which I prefer to be pulled behind my armpit), the maximum stretch of this bungee is too little for me to loop it around the extension post. I think I'm going to need something that's thicker (higher maximum resistance), but more stretchy.

I'm also using what is nominally the identical 5/16 thickness bungee for my deco bottles, this one was made by "Highland", bought from diveseekers.com. It works perfectly for aluminum deco bottles, and it has a wonderful 135% max stretch, which makes it super easy to work with, but it provides noticeably less resistance. Although it appears to be the same external thickness as the one I got in Contour, it also looks like it just has a thicker fabric and less / less densely packed rubber inside.

Which one are you using? How thick is it, and what is the maximum stretch? Where did you get it? Thanks!

 

[rjack321]

The contour's bungie is not meant to go around the post, just the knob itself. That's why its not working for you.

Edd carries a variety of bungie at cave adventurers but he designed the contour to work with that bungie over the knob not the post

 

[Akimbo]

I asked a similar question more than a year ago, relating to bungee for fin straps. As I recall, no difference between the expensive bungee sold at marine stores and bungee from home centers was reported. In my experience, in water and on deck, the outer fabric sheath will show wear before the elastic strands inside -- unless exposed to chemicals that degrade the strands.

 

[kr2y5]

Tried a local supplier LFS Marine. Their bungee looks 100% identical to the one used in Contour, and also 80% stretch. Other than that, a great selection, all sizes from 5/32 up to 1/2 inch are available. At least I know where to get the replacements, but I guess for now, it's back to looping around the valve knob for me

 

[joshk]

I've used this stuff: T.W . Evans Cordage SC-516-100 5/16-Inch by 100-Feet Elastic Bungee Shock Cord - - Amazon.com

 

[Subcooled]

The amount of stretch does vary. My harness came with good and stiff bungee while the general stores sell useless stretchy bungee.

 

[sphyon]

I am having good luck with these guys, various sizes. Amazon.com : Shock Cord - Marine Grade, with 2 Carabiners & Knot Tying eBook. 1/8", 3/16", 1/4" on 25 / 50 / 100 ft. Spools. 6 Colors, Made in USA. Also called bungee cord, stretch cord & elastic cord. : Sports & Outdoors

Cheap, orange and on Prime. I am sure I can get some video for you of the stretch wet and dry tomorrow. Let me know if you want.

 

[Texasguy]

38-Bungee-Shock-Cord--Commercial-Grade

 

[BeijaFlor]

Thanks, Texasguy ... I may be coming back to Piranha's bungee cord.

Wish I'd reached up into my Katana while I was trying it out, in the dive-shop's pool, and re-tied the loop bungees as close to the ends as possible. I did so after I brought it home ... but there's no place, close and convenient to home, where I can check it out in the water. (Although MAYBE I could go back and check out my adjustments in the dive shop's training pool ...?)

 

[gfaith]

@BeijaFlor I hope that adjustment works for you. I tried the same thing on my Katana but I know it was still to short and stiffer than I wanted for the bungee loops. I will let you know how my longer, less stiff loops work after next week. My wife/buddy and I are going to try out our new rigs at a spring fed small lake.