Which are the best spring straps for SCUBAPRO JET FINS?

[hongrace]

I have a pair of Mares Quattros and am looking for spring straps for them. I measured the length from the center of the posts around my ankle as 13-1/8". Which size of the XSScube spring straps should I get. They have 8", 10" and 12". Are these just spring length or measurement from post to post (or from center of hole to center of hole, depending on the buckle you are using)?

Thanks.

 

[scubaAlan]

I agree that the xsscuba springs are the best on the market providing they fit well(not too tight or loose)- 2 inch difference between 8"-10"-12" is a wide variation. That is the reason why I made my own pair using 0.062 ss springs from mcmaster-carr. I would stress to who ever is making their own spring to use a more secure method to fasten the springs to the fin other than the wire type. I used a ss bolt to secure my spring to my jet fins.

 

[Wayne at DiveSeekers]

I had Halcyon, they broke, I bought another pair and the plastic on two of them is shattered but I am still using them on one pair and the ones I got form a fellow scubaboard member on the other.

Also, it should be noted, Halycon did not stand by their product.

N

We sell a ton Of Halcyon & Xs Scuba Spring Straps. I personally have had the Halcyon on my Jet fins for 6 or 7 years now with no issues and I dive them all most everyday between pool (chlorine) & Open Water dives, so that's a lot of wear & tear. Plus I haven't had 1 issue with either of the manufacturers in that time span as well. If someone were to have an issue, I would have them bring in the product to take a look at it. No I didn't see yours, but from a Manufacturers Warranty perspective, "shattered" is a tough one. In my experience, typically when something is "shattered" is because something fell on it. If I had seen something like that and I could find No Impact points that could have caused that, then I would replace it. On the other hand, if I saw an Impact Point, then I would have to say that it wasn't covered. Manufacturers defect does not cover something falling on a piece of gear. It is possible that yours was one bad seed. Any time that I have had a customer with a Warranty Issue, Halcyon has stood by it 100% as have my other Vendors. If you have a defective product, take it to the shop that you got it from and if it is a True Defect, then that shop should be able to handle that issue with the Manufacturer.

 

[Wayne at DiveSeekers]

I have a pair of Mares Quattros and am looking for spring straps for them. I measured the length from the center of the posts around my ankle as 13-1/8". Which size of the XSScube spring straps should I get. They have 8", 10" and 12". Are these just spring length or measurement from post to post (or from center of hole to center of hole, depending on the buckle you are using)?

Thanks.

I just checked the measurement and 10" should work. I have them In Stock if you want them!
XS SCUBA Universal Spring Heel Straps FP08 *Buy XS SCUBA at DIVESEEKERS.com 888-SCUBA-47

 

[Nemrod]

I am not going to argue, they broke because they are plastic, the part should be Delrin or metal, not plastic. The Halycon spring straps broke on dive number three I think it was, they were new and nothing smashed them, they were fresh from the bag. The warranty was not supported when I inquired and as I am out of state, the shop which is a well known one in Florida offered no assistance.

BTW, dive gear lives in a rough environment, so what we are saying is that Halycon dive gear has to be babied and handled gently lest it fall apart. Yeah, well, good luck with that.

I probably still have a pic of one of them, the other is on the bottom of the Gulf in 240 feet. Maybe get a "team" together and go retrieve it for an accident investigation. It is on the west side of the Oriskany near the bow. Jet Fins are great but they work best when you have one on both feet.

Photo of typical Halycon spring strap failure:

Here is the other side of the same Halycon spring strap, again, note the crack from the pin and if you look close there is a crack from the other pin also:

So, I dropped something on all four plastic thing-ma-jobs?

This happened three years ago, I now have the Waywardson straps and some DIY that I made copying Waywardson. The failure mode you can see begins at the small pins that are driven through the plastic pieces during manufacture. The one that parted company with me I cannot photograph as I said, it is not in my hands anymore. I did see it spinning away with a strap hanging to the side. I can only guess that the shattered plastic keeper came off and allowed the spring strap to get into a bind which either popped the wire from the fin or snapped it due to the load being asymmetrical. Dunno, all I know is they cost 70 dollars per pair and both straps of the pair broke and one failed and that was on the third dive with them and the other set did the same thing.
N

 

[CaliJoe]

The best spring straps are those you make yourself. You can custom cut the spring to the length you need and therefore have as much or as little tension on them. With the web being what it is you will find all that you need online. But should you go the pre-made route I will echo what the other posts have already said, sizing is key and brand is a secondary concern. That said, I will not recommend the XS Scuba spring straps for post type fins(Mares, TUSA, Apollo, etc.), the "locking" pin floats too far off the plate to be truly effective.

As for Halcyon not standing by their product...I have yet to have someone bring in fins that had Nemrod's problem but I usually service the straps in house and the most common problem is the tubular webbing coming unraveled.

Good luck with your choices(or engineering)!