Low price clamps and ball arms

[Smudger]

Hi

Just wondering if anyone has any experience of the low price clamps and ball arms available on amazon and eBay. Just setting up a system and it can make a huge difference to cost. On the other hand I’m new to this and don’t want to buy junk.
Cheers

 

[Germie]

I bought some on Ali express from china. Nothing wrong with them. You see the same, but more expensive on Amazon and ebay.

 

[stepfen]

Got some few weeks ago and dived them twice already. The balls at the points where they are squeezed by the clamps have already kind of corroded (paint is gone). Electrolysis maybe? I don't know how it will affect their functionality in the long term or if it is only cosmetic thing. Apart from this they seem fine

 

[Searcaigh]

I have ULC arms / clamps that are at least 25 yrs old.

Quality lasts.

 

[Smudger]

All good points. It's the clamps that are very expensive over here in the UK. Can add a lot to the price.

 

[almostDIR]

The cheapest ones are painted. The better ones anodized. You can't even compare the durability of anadizing against cheap chinese paint.... It is an entirely different product, NOT "just little bit enhanced and prettier".

I have both and the cheap ones can be usable for occasional uses as extra parts when you need a larger setup for a single project. For everyday use you will still want the good quality ones.
The cheaper clamps may be bad design, sharper edged and heavy. You will want the good quality clamps or at least the copies of the good quality ones

 

[Smudger]

Yes I think I’ll buy a couple of the cheap ones to compare. If they are poor I can buy some better ones after my next dive trip.
Cheers

 

[Chris Ross]

There's also anodizing and anodizing, the better equipment will have quality hard anodizing which will resist the abuse that happens to strobe arms a lot better.

 

[WS007]

Three years ago I bought cheap D&D clamps. At the beginning they were as good as more expensive ones. After three years of use they are for nothing (I serviced them completely by de-calking and ultrasound bath, also renewed the O-rings on the arms, but this did not help)...

Now I have expensive original Nauticam clamps. Already at the beginning they work better. Hopefully they will last longer...

=> Who buys cheap buys twice...

Wolfgang