Shore dive buckle fun

[Mudd]

So this falls into the "lessons learned" category and may also help sway others who are on the fence about this particular issue. BTW, this is not a death defying story.

I just got back from a night shore dive, where there was surge on the bottom with some rolling waves on the surface (2 foot max) of a sandy bottom. The dive started out somewhat sad, got better, then fantastic, and then we were exiting the water. There are very few lights on the shore.

I'm with my buddy and we both have our regs in our mouths and we have inflated our BCDs. So far so good. I have my buddy take off her fins first while I hold onto her so we do not get separated and/or unnecessarily stressed. After she has removed her fins, my turn while she holds me.

I have Aqualung fins with the "emergency disconnect" at the heel which I rarely use. Instead I try to push the release button on one side to loosen the strap so that I can pull the strap down easily and remove the fin. However, the surf + sand has jammed the mechanism and there is no way to loosen the strap. I do not want to use the quick release in this situation as the loss of a loop + the surf could = loss of fin. This particular issue happened on both fins. Could not depress the button to loosen the strap due to particulate matter getting into the buckles. So instead I have to He-man the hell out of both straps to pull them off my boots.

More frustrating than anything, and the worst that could have happened is the sea claims one or both of my fins, but still...

So that's it. Spring straps it is. I was considering swapping them out anyway, but this situation has upped the ante and shown me that it needs to be done sooner rather than latter.

 

[TSandM]

Yup. Spring straps are a huge step forward in better, more easily managed gear.

 

[Steve_C]

Some spring straps have a small rubber loop at the back of the strap to help in removal. Do not rely on it to carry the fins like when clinging into a boat. My straps have worked great for a couple hundred dives but both rubber loops have now disappeared.

 

[gcarter]

Being on the wrong side of 50 I am not quite as flexible as I once was. Spring straps took fin donning and doffing from being a chore to a very minor part of my dive. Add in a rough entry or exit - let's just say I will never be without my spring straps again.

 

[XxMerlinxX]

I must be the only one who never has problems with his regular from the factory fin straps.

 

[Mudd]

Honestly, I've been diving with these fins since I was certified 8 years ago. There is only one dive spot where I have had this problem. I believe it is due to the surf + pitch of the shore + small pebble content.

Since I will be diving this site frequently... spring straps on!

 

[tracydr]

I don't know how I ever dived before my spring straps. I love them! Especially on difficult shore dives or rough boat exits.

 

[gcarter]

I must be the only one who never has problems with his regular from the factory fin straps.

Whether you are having problems or not, I think it very likely that if you used spring staps for a while you would become a fan too. They just make it easier.