Printable View
What type of attachment do the majority of people use for sidemounting. I find it interesting that most people use hose clamps for deco bottles and stages,but use cam bands for sidemounting. I have experienced enough failures that I have eliminated cam bands for hose clamps.
If I changed tanks often, I might use cambands but since I dont I use 2 metal[radiator type] clamps per bottle with a good sized quicklink for my good sized boltsnap. Hogring on the neck with double ender there is what Ive settled on.
I haven't had any issues with cam bands. I do have hose clamps on some of my smaller cylinders. Both systems work well for me. Because I'm regularly loaning out my larger cylinders, though, the easily adjustable cam bands make more sense for me.
I use hose clamps they are much more secure than cam bands, low profile and can be changed with a screwdriver almost as fast as cam bands. But if someone wants to use ca bands (like I did too) I see no problem with that at all, This IMHO is more of a personal preference thing.
One thing that does make a difference though with cam bands VS hose clamps, is that the buckle should be on in (BODY) side of the tanks or it will get caught up in tight caves.
one thing that is a really great tip is to put Mc Nett rubber seal and spread it on the inside of the cam bands this makes them almost impossible to slip once on.
Statistically, I am a genius, but I am no statistical genius :smt081. So can someone please explain how a dead even poll would end up in a 52.94% tie? :roll:
Attachment 4112
Cheers,
Jeff
I have used both and cannot really say I prefer one or the another. I can say that I have had the cam bands slip during a dive as well as open up. I would recommend the use of a rubber elastic band (same kind as used to secure the reg hoses) be placed around the cam band to help ensure it cannot open so easily without your knowledge.
John
What do you use on the hose clamp to attach to your rig?Quote:
Originally Posted by Kelly Jessop
Probably something to do with being able to vote for more than one option, but their graphing logic assumes the total number of votes = number of voters.Quote:
Originally Posted by icestac
I started using cam bands but recently switched to hose clamps because the velcro on the bands seemed to have lost some of its adherence ability I have saved the cam bands for travel to be aided by a piece of inner tube. For the time being, the hose clamps are permanent additions to my tanks.
Cam bands here. Never slipped!
Like someone infamous always said you learned everything you need to know in PADI 101!
If you put the cam bands on dry they may slip!
Cam bands. I only have 27 dives in sidemount, but have not had any slippage. When I first put them on I wet them and got them as tight as I could. Then I put an EDPM rubber hose retainer over them to make it less likely that they'll open.
I went with cam bands initially because I thought they'd be quicker and easier to adjust than hose clamps, and I anticipated a lot of tweaking their position as I played with my SM configuration. Now that I know where I want my attachment point to end up on the tank, if I have to replace them I'll go with hose clamps because they're cheaper.
Mike
Dive Rite made a knockoff of Scubapro's Super-Cinch, which is WAY better than cams. But they quit selling them and I bought a bunch. When I used to sidemount that was what I used.
Ha! Yeah, 34 voters and 36 votes. Someone must be from Chicago!Quote:
Originally Posted by icestac
Notice, they are check boxes rather than radio buttons.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jay
Maybe they voted where they actually live, and then voted at their out-of-state workplace as well... Its happened before... just sayin...:rollguyQuote:
Originally Posted by Jay
Cam bands for steel and hose clamps for AL.
I do the same thing. Small bottles have 2 hose clamps each and large bottles have cam bands so I can use several different sets of tanks and just swap out the camband.Quote:
Originally Posted by RN
The velcro on one of my cam bands has come unstitched from the webbing. I use inner tube around all my cam bands to keep them in place.Quote:
Originally Posted by sandy
I also use inner tube on all of my cam bands to eliminate the line trap.
I have had more issues with the worm gear wearing out on hose clams than slipping cam bands. If you know how to properly tighten a cam band it will not move.
I will use hose clamps on aluminum but stopped using them on my steel tanks after seeing how much the tanks swell with a good cave fill. The stainless in the hose clamps isn't as flexible as the tanks are. I heard of a failure deep in JB of a hose clamp and the subsequent nuisance of getting the tank out. I suppose having two would give you a decent backup, but would really slow down switching out tanks on out of town trips.
I also agree with Sludge that the scubapro style cam bands are a far superior design. Much easier to use, simple to rethread and they hold so much tighter. The shop I used to work out of in Texas sold them for a great price, I just wish I had bought more before I left.
Back to hose clamps. My cambands have come loose one too many times. The hose clamps do not look as cool but they never let me down.
RAL
I use the hose clamps with stainless worm gears. It eliminates this problem.Quote:
Originally Posted by cavermatt
To properly tighten a stage clamp, tighten it about as tight as you can with a 5/16" nut driver (not a socket wrench) with the cylinder empty. Then when you put gas in the cylinder, the expansion will tighten the clamp a little.
I have seen people use a ratchet to make it too tight, and when the cylinder expands, the clamp breaks. I've also seen people use a nut driver with the cylinder full, and the clamp will slide because it's not quite tight enough.
I've been using the above method for over fifteen years and it's always worked.
I have one set with cam bands, and one with hose clamps. I have had both slip, but the cam bands slip a lot more often. I mostly loan the cam band set to friends, that want to move the bands. Much easier than hose clamps.
I had the tanks empty, got the cam bands wet, tightened em up as tight as I could get them and just leave them there. Never had a slipping problem
I'm on my 2nd set of cambands, and they are 8 years old...guess I need new ones. The earlier ones (standard/plastic) broke once before a dive so I got some heavy duty steel ones from Dive-Rite. Not the same as they are selling now. These metal ones work perfectly with all the different bottles I use.
However, my LP45s have hose clamps on them and I sidemount them OC and as my usual bailouts for CCR.
That's odd... I use cam bands on all of my tanks and have never had slip... Maybe you need a younger whipper snapper to help you tighten those cam bands up... ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by FW
Maybe your right Joe,I need some Cheerios. I have had cam bands slip,and one failure is one too many,and I dump it. I find it ironic that we have used hose clamps for stages for years,and this has been accepted as common place,but isn't quite as common on sidemount cylinders. I haven't found the time,but eventually I plan to put all my cam bands up for sale on a gear exchange,because I don't intend to use them on sidemount cylinders again.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tegg
Aside from just the inconvenience of bands slipping, it can be a real safety hazard. I had a tank slip out of the cam band going into Cathedral once. It caused me to do a flip, and the tank was hanging from my teeth, and the drysuit inflater. Luckily the chimney is big, and I was able to hold the tank under my arm to get back to the surface.
That's why static line on a clip around the neck can be handy. I've never had a cam band slip (not sure what everyone is doing that has), but I have had the cylinder come out of the bungee and drop but it only drops a couple of inches because of the line and clip.
Odd. Very odd. I've never had a cam band "fail" although they have come loose on rare occasion in SM (I use the ones with SS buckles). OTOH, I've had hose clamps "fail" out-right in SM, with a bottle then dandling from my front D ring. I always checked their condition prior to a dive, but the fact is they can bust for no other reason than brushing against something. BUT, if you're wed to using a hose clamp, there is a very simple, profound, and elegant solution. Don't be a cheapskate and use TWO of them on each bottle! The extra hose clamp band doesn't really take up any extra room or add any extra weight. The extra hose clamp band doesn't really take up any extra room or add any extra weight. Worth typing twice. It only costs money (OMG) and provides quite a bit of peace of mind! The chance of two failing on a single dive is completely unrealistic.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kelly Jessop
What he said.Quote:
Originally Posted by RN
Cam bands never slip on me. You gotta know how to properly thread and tighten them.
Hose clamps on local tanks, but when travelling, cam bands are quick and easy, especially when you never know what tank you might end up with, despite planning.