New BC - Tank Band Conditioning?

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

jnorris

Contributor
Messages
86
Reaction score
7
Location
Wisconsin, USA
# of dives
0 - 24
I just got a new Oceanic BC and we're going on a dive vacation in about a week. I've heard talk that a new BC should have the tank band "conditioned". I assume this would involve getting the band wet and getting it to stretch out. Am I close? What should I do to get this BC ready for my trip so that I don't show up at the boat without having this taken care of?

Thanks for any and all input!
 
Oceanic uses a weird shaped cam buckle and they have the least amount of leverage and tightness of any manufacturer i have seen, They pop lose a lot based on my experience.

If you have a tank that is the same that you will be using on the trip... I would wet the strap, tighten it up firmly (not crazy tight becasuse they can break) and then store the bc on the tank for a week.... maybe check it in 2-days and see if it is loose, then re-wet and store again..
 
Even after use, nylon tends to stretch when wet. Putting it on a tank is a good idea, but on the boat see if you can get it wet before putting it on the tank.

How tight to set it up is a mixture of multiple factors, including your strength, the buckle strength, the buckle length, and how slightly you can adjust the bands. I like them tight, because I hate loose tanks. You'll quickly realize what works best for you after a few dives in the BC.
 
Thanks for these replies. Sort of as I thought, but it's good to have confirmation!
 

Back
Top Bottom