The useful life of equipment

[DA Aquamaster]

I haven't had good luck with the old style Jet Fins (i.e. SP logo with out lightening bolt), in the last year I've worn out two fins, each one develop a sizeable crack in the side of the fin. I am currently diving with one good fin & one cracked fin, I'm going to try a new pair & see if they last a little longer.

I'd be upset too. Only getting 30 years use out of a pair of jet fins is practically unheard of.

 

[simbrooks]

So far everything i have is lasting pretty well. My wetsuits are losing some insulation ability and might need replacing in a year or two. My polartec undies i hope to last a good 5 years or more. I think i might like to replace the webbing on my BP's in a year or two as well. The wings are covered by the lifetime warranty as far as i am aware, they wear out or puncture and i believe i get a new one (or at least that was the way i heard it as there isnt a wear and tear clause). Not sure about the life of the rest of my gear though, i'll see, but the stuff posted above gives me hope that much of it will last at least a few more years! The only thing that i have which is tried and tested are my HP-120's, they looked brand spanking new inside when last VIP'd after 15 years of use, so hopefully they will last longer than me

 

[Snowbear]

You can't wash thinsulate with detergent - it will ruin the insulating value.

Sure you can - as long as you make sure all the soap is rinsed out. It's leaving the soap in that messes up the insulating properties, not the actual washing with detergent. Most of the time I just run mine through the wash with no soap, but if I do have to use soap, I'll run it a couple more full cycles with just water.... comes out good as new and if it's been awhile, actually restores some of the fluffiness it lost from getting grungy.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Do you consider certain pieces of equipment *consumables* that will need to be replaced periodically?

All of it ... what I don't wear out, I break.

That's why I have at least two or three of everything ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Boogie711]

Sure you can - as long as you make sure all the soap is rinsed out. It's leaving the soap in that messes up the insulating properties, not the actual washing with detergent. Most of the time I just run mine through the wash with no soap, but if I do have to use soap, I'll run it a couple more full cycles with just water.... comes out good as new and if it's been awhile, actually restores some of the fluffiness it lost from getting grungy.

Thanks Snowbear. I'll remember that next time bosslady gets mad at me for my stinky dive gear.

 

[mweitz]

This link may provide helpful for different "washing" scenarios:

http://www.dui-online.com/tech_thinsulate_care.htm

The 3M site states that Thinsulate doesn't lose very much of its insulating properties when washed. I asked a tech diver about this, and they felt that was correct, but that it lost some of its wet insulating properties when washed, so you would get colder if the suit flooded.

Mark

 

[Boogie711]

This link may provide helpful for different "washing" scenarios:

http://www.dui-online.com/tech_thinsulate_care.htm

The 3M site states that Thinsulate doesn't lose very much of its insulating properties when washed. I asked a tech diver about this, and they felt that was correct, but that it lost some of its wet insulating properties when washed, so you would get colder if the suit flooded.

Mark

We're veering way off topic, but I would disagree with that. I've flooded a suit before in 50 degree water. Not a trickle, but get out of suit, and wring the water out of my underwear and it would fill a mask-case, easily.

I didn't notice until I got out of the water at the end of the dive. My Diving Concepts stretch thinsulate ROCKS.

 

[Moogyboy]

BP's don't wear out per se although they can get quite gritty looking after a few years. Other than that one could actually argue that they get better with age with fewer sharp edges to wear out the webbing in your harness.

My old Dacor Nautica is practically falling apart. Seams coming loose, straps getting ratty, fabric getting dry and crackly. It doesn't help that it did many many moons of pool-training and rental service before I owned it.

Now if only I'd gotten with the program and gotten a BP/W like everyone else on this forum...right?

cheers

Billy S.

ps--Oh, you said BP, not BC.