09-22-2003, 11:11 PM
[cool]Hey, CM, those straps are a good investment. Always a good idea to have a backup set. Even better to replace them as soon as your old straps show some wear. Better to spend a buck on a new strap than to have to buy new fins because your other ones took a deep dive when the strap broke.
Another good idea is to either buy a commercially made set of safety straps or make your own with some cheap stretch cord. These go around your ankle and attach to the fins, to prevent loss in the event your fins slide off or the strap breaks. Just be sure to attach them to a buckle or something besides a strap...which could break.
You can find extra fin straps at any dive shop. They may even have them at Sportsmans or Wally World. Check in the fins and water toys department. Make sure to take one with you for proper length and size. Some are wider than others and not all fit in the same buckles.
I just retired a set of Mares Plana Avanti fins that I had used almost 20 years...in fresh and salt water. The straps have never been replaced and are still looking good. On the other hand, I have seen fin straps that turned to powder after only a couple of years.
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Another good idea is to either buy a commercially made set of safety straps or make your own with some cheap stretch cord. These go around your ankle and attach to the fins, to prevent loss in the event your fins slide off or the strap breaks. Just be sure to attach them to a buckle or something besides a strap...which could break.
You can find extra fin straps at any dive shop. They may even have them at Sportsmans or Wally World. Check in the fins and water toys department. Make sure to take one with you for proper length and size. Some are wider than others and not all fit in the same buckles.
I just retired a set of Mares Plana Avanti fins that I had used almost 20 years...in fresh and salt water. The straps have never been replaced and are still looking good. On the other hand, I have seen fin straps that turned to powder after only a couple of years.
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