Bungee or spring straps: which is best?

[aquacat8]

I wonder if I am the last person on earth who loves the rubber straps on my jet fins? Long ago I injured a tendon from lap swimming repeatedly with a swim fin strap I had stupidly let ride on my achilles tendon instead of lower. I got a big tender swelling on my tendon that took over a year to heal! Now I am super cautious about too much pressure there and although I now know to wear my straps lower, I like that I can set my jet fin rubber straps snug but not tight, not putting a spring compression on my foot.
They are not hard to doff and don really. A massage of silicone lube all over the fin when bought solved the problem of how hard the straps were to adjust initially. I remember my ex was frustrated with adjusting his straps but he never lubed them, and no they don't slip, and the lube makes the fin so pretty.
I tried swimming the jet fins with the strap undone and the rubber to rubber mating of the bootie sole and the fin actually keeps the fin on a long time so I'm not worried about it coming off.

I didn't buy deep six eddy fins because when I demoed a friend's their spring was jamming my foot into their toe box, and I read here from someone else that wanted longer springs that they won't let you switch to the longer ones, and they come on the loosest attachment point so although you can tighten them you can't loosen them.

 

[Sbiriguda]

Well that is also a point of view. In my case I would rather get bungees because it is very annoying to get the rubber straps broken just before a dive, and also it would be nice to have something simple to wear in water. Anyway it is good you raised the point, especially for those who already suffer from tendon injuries and have to be careful about it

 

[Sbiriguda]

I prefer bungees because they're easier to use than springs, last a couple hundred dives, take a couple of minutes to make and replace a pair and cost less than a dollar.

LOL nice bungees. You will be shocked to know that I'll pay mine 29 euros (about 36 USD)

 

[aquacat8]

Well that is also a point of view. In my case I would rather get bungees because it is very annoying to get the rubber straps broken just before a dive, and also it would be nice to have something simple to wear in water. Anyway it is good you raised the point, especially for those who already suffer from tendon injuries and have to be careful about it

In case anyone doesn't know the strap whatever kind should ride low on the heel, not the tendon: I just didn't know that and hence got the injury. Some booties have a design that keeps the strap down there if they tend to slip up. This is a repetitive stress injury type of thing that can surprise you if you're wearing them wrong!

 

[EireDiver606]

They’re both very strong, but I think we can all agree that they’re both far better than plastic straps

 

[mbs]

Hmmm, I have to take a look at my mares bungees... I wonder if when they do go if it would be possible to reuse the clips and replace with generic bungee cords!!! Love them by the way!

 

[kelemvor]

Ok thank you very much. Eventually I chose to buy Mares bungee. Since quality is similar and they are a bit lighter, I prefer. In my case they are also easier to buy I found them already
As for spring straps, oddly they seem to be not easy to find unless you buy online and the cost is similar or higher than bungee.
All in all I prefer bungee in this case
Thanks again

I was never able to find any springs that fit my Mares fins. That's why I went with the bungee.

 

[uncfnp]

Hmmm, I have to take a look at my mares bungees... I wonder if when they do go if it would be possible to reuse the clips and replace with generic bungee cords!!! Love them by the way!

Make sure you look under the handle too. And yes, you can buy that super thick bungee for side mount or double up the more standard thickness and thread through the mount, knot the ends.

 

[mbs]

Make sure you look under the handle too. And yes, you can buy that super thick bungee for side mount or double up the more standard thickness and thread through the mount, knot the ends.

You mean I shouldn't use that pretty colored stuff I get from Harbor Freight Good call on checking under the handle as well!

 

[kelemvor]

You mean I shouldn't use that pretty colored stuff I get from Harbor Freight Good call on checking under the handle as well!

The cheap stuff seems to work for @MaxBottomtime